Customs advice:

Importing into the Republic of Ireland

Quick Tips  Inventory must be accurate    The name on your shipment must exactly match the name on your passport
  Please do not pack your evidence of residence abroad into your shipment, you will need it
  You must be present in the Republic of Ireland when your shipment arrives

Things you need to know when shipping to the Republic of Ireland

When importing into the Republic of Ireland, you will first need to log into your account to complete our online documentation which includes the following:

Your inventory: recording the contents of your shipment.
Shipment insurance: protect your items in case of any unforeseen events.
Customs: relevant customs forms for clearance of your shipment into the Republic of Ireland.

You will need to include clear scans of your passport, including:

The picture page.
The signature page and;
If applicable, a copy of your visa, at the final stage of the process.

There are helpful pointers all throughout the process, but you must ensure that all information you complete is accurate as these forms will be presented to the authorities in the Republic of Ireland.

If you want to claim ToR (Transfer of Residence) relief in the Republic of Ireland and avoid additional customs duties, your goods must arrive within 12 months of your arrival in the country.

things you need to know for the republic of ireland

Importing your personal effects and household items

For Irish and non-Irish citizens, your household items and personal effects can be imported tax-free once the C&E 1076 form has been completed, signed, and approved by Customs. This can be completed as part of your online documents or will be provided prior to your shipment collection in your country of origin if you are completing offline documents.

Evidence of residence abroad

Disposal of property or end of lease documentation.
End of employment documentation.
Documentation relating to day-to-day living for a continuous 12-month period before arriving to live in Ireland. These forms could be:
- A letter from the applicant's employer on company-headed paper confirming their employment during this period.
- At least four bank or credit card statements dated 1, 4, 7 and 12 months before the applicant's arrival in Ireland and showing daily or weekly transactions.
Please note that we DO NOT need to see monies, just the transactions in the applicant's name. Also, ensure these documents are not password protected.
Evidence of day-to-day living expenses, such as utility bills, car insurance etc.

Evidence of residence in Ireland

Acquisition of property or copy of a lease or letting agreement (relevant pages only). If living in a family home, Customs will require a letter or email from the parent or homeowner to confirm the applicant is presently residing at their address.
Letter from employer or a copy of a work contract. If unemployed, please confirm in writing or by email.
Evidence of day-to-day living expenses, such as utility bills for gas or electricity, home or car insurance etc.
Date of arrival or return to Ireland.
PPS Number.

Additional evidence

Proof that the applicant has owned the goods being shipped for more than six months, such as receipts or other documentation.
SAD (Single Administrative Document) for tradespeople importing tools. You will need to give us a signed declaration as to the value of any such tools and pay duty and VAT.

How the process works

Once all relevant documents have been sent over to us, our local agent CFS International will carry out the following prior to your shipment arriving in the Republic of Ireland:

Request you to supply your proof of continuous residence abroad documents and your documents showing proof of residence in the Republic of Ireland.
Review all necessary documents and forms completed and raise any concerns with you if necessary.
Send your documents over to customs and answer any additional questions they may have.
Organise a time and date with customs' clearance officer to attend an examination of the goods you wish to import into the Republic of Ireland.
Once your goods have been cleared by customs, CFS International will contact you to arrange delivery of your items.
If we cannot answer these questions, we will contact you for further documents or information.

Evidence of all documents that you submit to CFS International must be addressed and associated with the declarant (yourself) to help the process run as smoothly as possible. It’s also preferred that you submit original documents, where possible, along with any other evidence you may have.

Importing tradesman tools

If Tradesman’s tools are being imported, Customs will require us to prepare a Customs Entry (SAD Document) and pay the Duty and VAT.

Prohibited goods

We aim to make importing your personal belongings into the Republic of Ireland as simple as possible. See our comprehensive list of items that cannot be shipped along with any service specific restrictions.

View prohibited goods

timestamp This page was last updated on 26th October 2023.