Moving from Germany to Portugal is a container sea-freight corridor with a typical door-to-door transit of 2–4 weeks. A two-bedroom household of roughly 18–22 m³ usually lands between $7,400 and $9,500 on a full-service basis, calculated from route distance, regional handling costs and shipment volume.
On arrival, Portugal applies Certificado de Bagagem (Portuguese consulate) under EU customs framework (jurisdiction-specific), though an intra-EU move needs no customs entry at all. Import VAT in Portugal is 23%, and relief is what keeps your household goods out of that charge. Shipments normally arrive through Lisbon or Leixões (Porto).
This page covers what actually changes on the Germany → Portugal route: what you will pay, how long the shipment is at sea, the paperwork Portugal customs expects from a departure in Germany, and what to do about pets, a vehicle and somewhere to live when you land.
Departures from Germany normally load at Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam (road feeder). Exports from Germany to countries outside the EU need an ATLAS export declaration; moves to other EU states are free circulation with no customs entry. German removal firms survey in person and issue itemised volume estimates in m³, which map directly to the volumes used below. The corridor covers roughly 3,114 nautical miles.
| Home size | Estimated volume | Typical method | Door-to-door range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / Few Items | 3–5 m³ | LCL groupage (shared container) | $3,400–$4,300 |
| 1-Bedroom Apartment | 8–12 m³ | LCL groupage (shared container) | $5,100–$6,600 |
| 2-Bedroom Home | 18–22 m³ | 20-foot container (sole-use FCL) | $7,400–$9,500 |
| 3-Bedroom Home | 28–32 m³ | 20-foot container (sole-use FCL) | $8,100–$10,500 |
| 4+ Bedroom Home | 45–60 m³ | 40-foot high-cube container (FCL) | $11,500–$14,500 |
Ranges are calculated from route distance, shipment volume and regional handling costs. This is an estimated relocation cost for planning purposes, not a binding quote. Final pricing is confirmed by a vetted international moving partner after a survey.
Booking & packing lead time
3–5 weeks in summer, 2 weeks off-peak
Port-to-port sailing
2–4 weeks
Clearance & delivery
3–5 weeks typical clearance window in Portugal
Moving from Germany to Portugal is a move within the EU customs territory, so there is no customs import and no transfer-of-residence filing. The relief conditions below apply to imports from outside the EU and are not relevant to your corridor; your main obligations are local registration and, for vehicles, re-registration.
Certificado de Bagagem (Portuguese consulate) — EU customs framework (jurisdiction-specific)
Relief from import duty and 23% import VAT on used household goods is available under the EU transfer-of-residence rules, but it must be applied for — it is not automatic. In Portugal, the filing is handled through Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira.
Conditions
Documents from Germany
Rules vary by destination and may also depend on your country of origin, immigration status and circumstances. This guide is educational and is not legal, tax or customs advice.
Open the full customs guidePortugal offers full duty and VAT exemption on baggage de mudança, but the Certificado de Bagagem must be issued by the Portuguese consulate covering your origin address before the container sails.
Find furnished temporary housing through our AltoVita partnership.
MyExpatGo helps connect you with temporary housing options. Availability is subject to AltoVita and provider inventory — MyExpatGo does not guarantee or book accommodation.
Portugal is a standard-complexity pet destination, regulated by DGAV. Allow 1–2 months of preparation before departure from Germany. Quarantine: 0 days.
Portugal pet import requirementsPortugal's ISV vehicle tax is charged by engine size and CO2 unless ToR relief is granted; the car then passes an IMT technical inspection before registration. Vehicles over 30 years old are ISV-exempt. A vehicle registered in Germany may need conformity, lighting or emissions work before it can be road-legal in Portugal.
Vehicle import guide
Nobel Relocation
Family-run, FAIM-certified US mover with East Coast hubs in Miami, Atlanta and Maryland.
Orphee Beinoglou
Greece's leading specialist in relocation, fine art and exhibition logistics — trusted since 1923.
Atlas International Movers
Dutch-Swiss international removals group with 40+ years of door-to-door household, corporate and office relocation experience.
Argo Mobility
Boutique Romanian mover offering single-point-of-contact door-to-door household, vehicle and office relocations.
Asian Tigers
Asia's leading relocation group with 14 country offices across the region's primary commercial centres.
Partners do not pay to be part of the matched network. How we vet partners.
Tell us what you are shipping and we will match you with vetted movers who run this corridor. Free, no obligation, and partners never pay for placement.
