Moving from London to Spain? Book the man and van.

Three documents carry a Spain move through customs. The first is the UK export declaration, which we lodge. The second is an inventory in English and Spanish, which we write with you. The third is your claim for the franquicia por traslado de residencia, the relief that lets a new resident bring used household goods in without import duty or VAT. The franquicia follows Council Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009, which covers belongings you already own and use, subject to an ownership period we confirm at survey. Spanish customs will want your NIE and proof that you are moving your residence, usually your padrón certificate. If the van goes by road, the goods are cleared where they enter the EU on the French side of the Channel or travel under transit to Spain. If we use the ferry to Santander or Bilbao, they are cleared at that port.

Yes, get your NIE before the van leaves if you can. The NIE is the identity number Spain gives foreign residents, and you need it for the customs relief on your household goods as well as for buying property, signing a lease or opening a bank account. UK nationals moving to Spain usually apply for a residence visa through the Spanish consulate first. Once you arrive, you collect a TIE residence card, which carries your NIE. You also register on the padrón at your town hall, which gives you the proof of address that customs and the health service ask for. Visa rules depend on whether you are working, retiring or studying, so check the gov.uk Living in Spain guide or speak to an adviser. We handle the goods paperwork and plan the delivery around your appointments.

The padrón is the list of residents kept by every Spanish town hall, and registering on it gives you a certificado de empadronamiento. That certificate is the usual proof of address for healthcare, schools and the customs relief on your goods. You register in person at the ayuntamiento once you have an address in the town.

A small lift is a normal problem on Spanish apartment blocks, and we plan for it before the day. At survey we ask for the lift’s measurements and photos of the entrance and stairwell, then check them against your furniture. Boxes and smaller pieces go up in the lift. Sofas, wardrobes and anything else that will not fit are carried up the stairs, or lifted from the street to a balcony with an external furniture lift. We book the lift and any loading space with the comunidad de propietarios, because most blocks have house rules on moving hours and protecting the common areas. If a permit is needed to put the van or a furniture lift on the street, we apply to the ayuntamiento. It is all in the fixed price, so there is no extra charge on the doorstep.

Yes. A part load shares space on a van already running to Spain, so you pay for the space your things take up rather than the whole vehicle. The delivery date depends on when the run is ready, so it suits people who can be flexible.

Yes. We deliver to Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza by driving to the mainland and taking a ferry from Barcelona or Valencia. The crew travels with the van, and the customs side is already done before the ferry.

Most household goods travel fine in a closed van. Candles, vinyl records, some artwork and wine do not like heat, so we pack them separately and load them away from the roof and doors. Tell us about them at survey.

We do not put cars in the van. If you need a car moved, we can point you to a vehicle transporter, and it travels on its own customs paperwork. Registering a UK car in Spain has its own rules, so check them before you send it.