Household Goods Transport to Iceland
Samskip places strong emphasis on providing comprehensive, high-quality household goods transport services, as many factors must be considered when moving household goods.
Here you can review the transport process with Samskip, what needs to be done, and in what order:
- Request a non-binding transport quote. The household goods calculator can be used to estimate the volume.
- Confirm the quote provided by us.
- Prepare the required documentation – complete the booking form and the inventory list when packing the household goods.
- Book the transport with three days’ notice – deliver the goods to Samskip abroad or arrange for pickup.
- Complete customs clearance using the arrival notice, inventory list, and the household goods declaration submitted to the Customs Authority.
- Pay for the transport.
- Consider whether door-to-door (home delivery) is required, such as having the container delivered to your home upon arrival in Iceland.
1. Request a Quote and Estimate the Size of Your Household Goods
To receive a transport price, you need to submit a quote request form.
It is important to complete all fields marked with * as well as indicate the volume of household goods to be transported. We will then calculate the quote based on the volume and the origin and destination of the shipment.
How much volume are you transporting?
Here you can calculate the estimated volume of your household goods. This provides an estimated reference for the size of your shipment to use in the quote request.
If the calculated volume exceeds 16 m³, it is usually more cost-effective to ship the goods in a container.
2. Booking and Inventory List
The Inventory list is completed at the time the household goods are packed. The same document also includes a list of valuables for insurance purposes, which must also be completed. Samskip requires the carrier (sender) to insure the household goods for transport. Most people already have home insurance for their belongings, and it is therefore equally important to insure them during transport by truck and vessel around the world. Samskip staff provide full information on insurance terms and assist with arranging insurance coverage.
3. Booking the transport
All transport must be booked with at least three (3) days’ notice, and this is done at the nearest Samskip office.
See the list of Samskip offices worldwide here.
4. Delivery deadline at the port
Delivery deadlines vary between ports. See the delivery deadlines at ports/terminals by country here.
5. Arrival of the vessel and customs clearance
The owner of the household goods is responsible for monitoring the arrival of the vessel and ensuring customs clearance. The household goods must be registered in the name of the person moving to the country (it is not permitted to register household goods to a company when moving to the country). Before the goods can be released, the owner or the owner’s authorized representative must arrange customs clearance, which is handled by Jónar Transport, a subsidiary of Samskip.
The following documents must be submitted to the customs department of Samskip/Jónar Transport for customs clearance to take place:
- Arrival notice from Samskip
- Inventory list with valuation
- Household goods declaration from the Directorate of Customs
6. Payment
Transport charges must be settled before the household goods are loaded onto the vessel.
Payment can be made via mobile payment, installment payment arrangements for cardholders, or immediate payment.
Other useful information:
Vessel Arrival and Customs Clearance
The owner of the household goods is responsible for monitoring the vessel’s arrival and the customs clearance process. The household goods must be registered in the name of the individual moving to the country (it is not permitted to register household goods in the name of a company). Before the household goods can be released for delivery, the owner or the owner’s authorized representative must complete customs clearance, which in most cases is administered by Samskip.
Container Rental and Storage Charges
Container rental and storage charges vary by port. Please contact your nearest Samskip office for information on the applicable charges at each location.
If you require further information, please send us an enquiry by email at buslodir@samskip.com or call us at tel: +354 458-8000.
Students and Senior Citizens
Students and Senior Citizens receive a 15% discount on the Sea transport with Samskip within Europe, upon presentation of valid proof of enrollment at an academic institution.
Further information on pricing and transport routes can be obtained from our customer service representatives in Customer Service.
Calculator to determine volume
To determine the volume and quantity of household goods to be transported in order to estimate the required size
Request an Offer for Personal Effects
An online form to complete and request household relocation services to or from the country
Accept the quote from Samskip
Once you receive our quote, you can confirm and accept it using the option below
General Domestic Transport
You can request a quote for domestic door-to-door transport if needed
Terms and conditions
General terms and conditions for household removals with Samskip. If you require further information, we are happy to assist at buslodir@samskip.com or by phone at +354 458 8000.
The terms and conditions form part of the agreement between Samskip and its customers.
- Samskip’s General Terms and Conditions of Transport apply to the transport of household goods and household vehicles and can be found on the Samskip website.
- Samskip requires the owner of the household goods to insure their belongings for transport. Most customers already have home insurance for their property, and it is equally important to insure items while they are being transported by truck and vessel worldwide. Samskip staff can assist with arranging insurance.
- The sender of the household goods is always responsible for packing. In all cases, it is important to prepare the goods properly for transport by packing items in boxes and protecting furniture and appliances with cardboard or thick plastic. All corners of larger items must be protected. Assistance with carrying or handling household goods is not included in the transport price, either in Iceland or abroad.
- Only one household shipment may be registered per full container shipment to or from Iceland.
- For full container exports from Iceland, the owner of the household goods is responsible for obtaining container seals (cargo security seals) from an approved provider.
- It is not permitted to place household goods or any household items inside a vehicle being transported..
- Household goods must be delivered to Samskip before the specified cargo closing time in each country. If the goods are not delivered by the stated closing time, they will be shipped on the next available vessel. Closing times are published on the Samskip website under Terminals and Addresses.
- For exports from Iceland, payment for the transport must be made no later than two days before the vessel’s departure. Household goods will not be loaded onto the vessel unless payment has been received.
- The owner of the household goods is always responsible for completing customs clearance in the destination country, as customs regulations vary by country. Information on customs rules in different countries can be found on the Samskip website and through the relevant customs authorities.
- For imports to Iceland, authorization from customs and full payment for the transport must be in place before the shipment is released to the owner of the household goods.
- Service standards for vessel discharge, handling, and inland transport vary by country. It is the responsibility of the owner of the household goods to monitor vessel arrivals at the destination port and to contact Samskip offices for assistance with the final steps of the transport process.
- Samskip offers container and breakbulk transport. All transport schedules are estimated and subject to change.
- The owner of the household goods is responsible for ensuring that the transport vehicle has access to the delivery address.
- Loading and unloading times for containers vary by country, but are typically 1–2 hours, and pricing in each country is based on these time allowances.
- Container rental, yard storage, and warehousing charges vary by country. In Iceland, these charges apply seven (7) days after the household goods arrive in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions about Personal Effects and Relocation Services
Below are some of the most common questions and answers you may find helpful to review regarding household relocation service with us.
We begin by providing customers with a quote for the transport. To receive a quote, you will need to complete the online quote request form on our website. Please note that if your household goods are to be shipped as palletized cargo (breakbulk, not a full container), you must specify the total volume in cubic meters in the request, as pricing is based on cubic meter volume.
On our website, you can find a household volume calculator that can help give you an estimate of the size of your shipment. As a general guideline, you can also allow approximately 2 cubic meters per (Euro) pallet (0.8 × 1.2 × 2).
When booking a transport, you will need to provide the departure and destination locations, and specify whether the shipment will be a full container or breakbulk. You should also indicate whether pickup at the origin and home delivery at the destination are required. For breakbulk shipments, the volume (cubic meters) of the goods must be provided.
You can request transport quote, contact one of our service representatives or call us at +354 458 8000.
FCL is an abbreviation for Full Container Load. This refers to a full container shipment, where your household goods are loaded into either a 20ft or 40ft container for exclusive use.
LCL is an abbreviation for Less Than Container Load. This refers to a breakbulk or shared shipment, where your household goods are palletized and occupy only part of a container, which is shared with other shipments.
Yes, we offer students and senior citizens a 15% discount on sea transport between Iceland and our ports in Europe.
No discount is applied to other transport services, if applicable, such as road transport or onward transport at the beginning or end of the process (if requested).
In Iceland, trucks equipped with side loaders are used to place containers directly on the ground. Such vehicles are rare abroad, which is why this service usually incurs an additional charge. It is also possible to arrange extended loading/unloading time; however, each additional hour is typically billed as an extra cost.
For detailed information on pricing and the time available for loading/unloading abroad, please contact Samskip’s service department.
Only one household shipment may be registered per full container (FCL) shipment to and from the country.
Requirements vary by country, but an inventory (contents) list is always required. Completion of the customs declaration depends on the regulations of the destination country. For detailed guidance on the required forms, please contact a Samskip service representatives.
For shipments departing from Iceland, transport charges must be paid before the vessel leaves the country. If payment has not been received, the household goods will not be loaded onto the vessel.
For shipments to Iceland, transport charges must be paid before the household goods are released for delivery.
It varies — please contact your insurance provider to confirm whether cargo insurance is included in your home insurance policy.
What is cargo protection?
All cargo containers loaded in Iceland for export must be sealed with an approved bolt seal. For certification related to the transport of household goods, reference is made to packing companies and the Icelandic Customs Authority in Reykjavík. Samskip provides guidance and advice on these matters.
Yes. Samskip can arrange insurance for household goods and vehicles through Sjóvá. It is mandatory for household goods to be insured during transport, whether or not Samskip arranges the insurance.
If Samskip arranges the insurance, the premium is 0.75% of the total declared value of the household goods, with a minimum charge of ISK 3,000. The deductible is ISK 25,000.
Household goods are generally duty-free if the person has had permanent residence in the country of origin for at least 12 months prior to the move. If any of the household items are new, they must be declared and cleared through customs separately, and Jónar Transport can assist customers with this process.
Only items that belong to the vehicle itself may be transported inside the car. Therefore, it is not permitted to place household goods in a vehicle that is being shipped by Samskip.
If Samskip has arranged insurance for your household goods, please complete a transport damage claim at sjova.is. A representative from Sjóvá will then contact the claimant to advise on the next steps.
In most cases, no. However, please note that for loose cargo (LCL) shipments, charges are always based on the actual cubic volume measured. It can be difficult to estimate the exact volume in advance, which is why household goods are always measured at the warehouse and invoiced according to those measurements.
If a customer requests the container to be placed on the ground or requires additional time to load or unload the container abroad, extra charges will be added to the original quote. Full details of such costs are included in the quotation.
Container rental and storage charges may also apply. However, household goods customers are granted seven (7) free days from the vessel’s arrival. It is also possible to have the container delivered to the customer’s home in Iceland up to seven (7) days prior to the vessel’s departure without incurring container rental charges.
No, Samskip does not provide this service.
Samskip in Iceland can supply pallets and plastic wrap (this does not apply at foreign ports), but does not load goods onto pallets or pack containers on behalf of customers. The Customer Service team can recommend reliable third-party providers for packing and handling services.
If household goods are collected and loaded onto a transport vehicle, it is important to contact Customer Service to confirm whether the goods must be palletized and wrapped. Requirements vary depending on the destination country.
For example, in Iceland, Pökkun og flutningar ehf. can provide cargo protection for household goods containers and charges separately for this service. Please note that Samskip will not collect full household goods containers for export until the container has been sealed and cargo protection has been completed.
Before household goods can be released for delivery, customs clearance must be completed, and transport charges must be paid. For customs clearance to take place, the individual must be registered as arriving in Iceland with the National Registry of Iceland Íslands and submit a completed household goods declaration, inventory list, and arrival notice to Samskip or the Icelandic Customs Authority.
The usual processing time with customs authorities is one to two business days, although it may take longer in some cases.
You can import your household goods without registering your residence in Iceland; however, you may be required to pay customs duties on the goods.
In order for household goods to be exempt from customs duties, you must register your legal residence in Iceland.
Yes, it is possible to use your own container for international transport; however, the container must have a valid CSC certification.
This is confirmed by sending us a photo of the container’s CSC plate.
As a general rule, quotes from Samskip are valid for two (2) months from the date they are issued.
