Moving to the Republic of Ireland by road

Ireland is the shortest sea crossing on our European network. One crew loads at your door in Britain, crosses the Irish Sea from Holyhead or Pembrokeshire, and unloads at your door in Dublin, Cork or Galway, often within two to four days.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Get a quote for Ireland Estimate your volume

The route at a glance

Collected from: Any UK address
Crossing via: Holyhead–Dublin, Fishguard or Pembroke–Rosslare
Typical transit: 2–8 days door to door
Departures: Weekly
Book by: 3–4 weeks before you move

C&E 1076The Revenue form for transfer of residence relief

PPS numberYour Irish personal public service number

3–4 hoursHolyhead to Dublin by ferry

One crewThe people who load are the people who deliver

Close to home, but still a customs border

Ireland is familiar in almost every way: the language, the plugs, driving on the left. British citizens also keep the right to live in Ireland under the Common Travel Area, without a visa or a residence permit.

What is easily forgotten is that the Republic of Ireland is in the EU and Great Britain is not. Household goods moving from Britain to Ireland need export and import declarations, and the duty and VAT relief is claimed from Revenue with form C&E 1076. It is straightforward, but it still has to be done.

Loaded at your door · Across the Channel · Unloaded at the other

Where we deliver in the Republic of Ireland

Door-to-door transit times from UK collection, with what to expect at the delivery end. Dedicated vehicles are at the quick end; part loads wait for a scheduled departure and share the journey.

Dublin & the commuter belt

2–3 days dedicated · 4–8 part load

The quickest run, via Holyhead. Georgian townhouses, apartment complexes with management rules and busy streets.

Wicklow, Wexford & the south-east

2–3 days dedicated · 4–8 part load

Via Rosslare from Pembrokeshire. Coastal and rural homes, often down narrow country roads.

Cork & Kerry

2–4 days dedicated · 5–8 part load

Cork city, Kinsale, West Cork and the Ring of Kerry. Rural access is checked before the vehicle is chosen.

Limerick, Clare & Tipperary

2–4 days dedicated · 5–8 part load

The mid-west, with a mixture of town houses and farmhouses down boreens.

Galway & the west

3–4 days dedicated · 5–8 part load

Galway city, Connemara and Mayo. Single-track roads and island properties may need a smaller vehicle or a ferry.

Donegal & the north-west

3–4 days dedicated · 5–8 part load

The longest run, sometimes routed through Northern Ireland, with the customs paperwork prepared for that route.

Door-to-door transit times from the UK to the Republic of Ireland, by region
Region	Dedicated vehicle	Part load
Dublin & the commuter belt	2–3 days	4–8 days
Wicklow, Wexford & the south-east	2–3 days	4–8 days
Cork & Kerry	2–4 days	5–8 days
Limerick, Clare & Tipperary	2–4 days	5–8 days
Galway & the west	3–4 days	5–8 days
Donegal & the north-west	3–4 days	5–8 days

Transit times are typical, not guaranteed. Drivers' hours are regulated, so longer runs include mandatory rest, and customs clearance is usually a matter of hours when the paperwork is right.

Dedicated vehicle or part load

Road freight is priced on the space you occupy in a vehicle and the distance it drives. Volume decides which makes sense.

Dedicated vehicle

A full house · your load only

The vehicle carries nothing but your belongings and drives straight to your new address in Ireland. Fastest, with fixed dates for loading and delivery. Usually the right answer for a three-bedroom house or larger.

Part load

A flat or part of a house · shared vehicle

You pay for the space you use and share the journey with other consignments heading the same way. Considerably cheaper, with a delivery window of a few days rather than a fixed date.

Small consignments

A few boxes or a single room

Students, second homes, a room of furniture for a relative. We consolidate these onto our scheduled Irish runs.

Storage at either end

When the dates don't line up

Completion dates and visa appointments rarely line up with a UK moving date. We hold goods in containerised storage in the UK and deliver when you are ready.

Customs and documents for the Republic of Ireland

Ireland applies the EU transfer of residence relief through Revenue. These are the documents involved.

What you will need

We prepare the export and import declarations and the valued inventory. Several of the documents below can only be issued to you personally, so start them early.

Form C&E 1076The Revenue application for relief from duty and VAT on personal property when transferring residence. We help you complete it and submit it with the supporting evidence.
Evidence of moving your residenceProof of leaving the UK, such as a sale completion or the end of a tenancy, and proof of your Irish address, such as a lease, purchase contract or utility bill.
PPS numberYour personal public service number, needed for work, tax and public services. Applying early makes everything else easier.
Twelve months abroadThe relief generally requires that you have lived outside the EU, which now includes Great Britain, for at least twelve months before the move.
A valued inventoryItemised and priced, prepared by us, to support both the export and the import declarations.
Six months’ ownershipGoods must have been owned and used for at least six months before the move to qualify for relief.

Customs and immigration requirements change. We confirm the current position for Ireland at survey and give you a written checklist before anything is packed.

The last hundred metres

Irish deliveries are familiar, but rural roads and island crossings still need planning.

Country roads and boreensMany rural homes are reached by narrow lanes with stone walls and tight bends. We shuttle the final stretch in a smaller van where needed.
Ferry bookingsSailings are booked in advance, and weather on the Irish Sea occasionally causes delays. We build some slack into the delivery window in winter.
Apartment management rulesDublin apartment complexes often require notice, a lift booking and insurance details before a move. We supply the paperwork.
Northern Ireland is differentA move to Northern Ireland is a move within the UK, not to the EU. If your new home is in Belfast or Derry, tell us and we will quote it separately.

SealedYour vehicle is sealed at loading and not opened in transit

Secure parkingOvernight stops at guarded compounds, never a lay-by

Same crewThe people who load in Britain unload at your new home

No portGoods are never containerised, craned or double-handled

What a Halo move to the Republic of Ireland includes

Quoted as one price, delivered as one service. Anything not on this list is named in your quotation rather than discovered later.

Pre-move survey by video call or in person, with a written volume assessment
Export-standard packing and materials, or cartons delivered if you're packing yourself
A numbered, valued inventory in the format Irish customs expect
Collection from any UK address, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
UK export declaration and Irish import declaration, both prepared and filed
Your transfer of residence relief claim, with a checklist of the documents you need
The sea or tunnel crossing and all road tolls, permits and vignettes
A sealed vehicle and secure overnight parking throughout the journey
Access assessment at destination, including parking permits and furniture lifts
Delivery into the rooms you choose, with furniture reassembled
Removal of packing debris on the day
One named consultant, contactable directly, from survey through to final delivery

Moving to the Republic of Ireland: common questions

Do I need a visa to live in Ireland?

No. British citizens can live and work in Ireland under the Common Travel Area without a visa or permit. Customs still apply to your belongings, because Ireland is in the EU.

How long does a move to Ireland take?

Dublin is usually two to three days with a dedicated vehicle, and the west three to four. Part loads take four to eight days.

Can I bring food and alcohol?

Meat and dairy products from Great Britain cannot be imported into the EU, including Ireland. Alcohol must be declared and is outside the relief, so duty is payable.

Can you move my car to Ireland?

We arrange vehicle transport alongside the move. A UK car must be registered in Ireland and Vehicle Registration Tax paid, unless you qualify for relief under transfer of residence. Ask before you decide.

What about my dog or cat?

Pets travelling from Great Britain to Ireland need a microchip, a rabies vaccination and an animal health certificate, and dogs need tapeworm treatment before arrival. We can put you in touch with a specialist pet transporter.

What does a move to the Republic of Ireland cost?

Volume first, then distance, then whether you need a dedicated vehicle or can share one. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote in writing. Our prices page explains what goes into the figure.

Get a quotation for the Republic of Ireland

Tell us where you're heading and roughly when. A consultant will come back within one working day to arrange a survey.

European desk: 07749 924755
Email: europe@halointernationalrelocations.com
Not sure of your volume?: Use the move estimator for an indicative figure in about thirty seconds, then send it through with your enquiry.
Elsewhere in Europe?: See our road freight guides to France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany, or the overview of European removals.