Moving from United States to South Korea is a container sea-freight corridor with a typical door-to-door transit of 3–5 weeks. A two-bedroom household of roughly 18–22 m³ usually lands between $8,200 and $10,500 on a full-service basis, calculated from route distance, regional handling costs and shipment volume.
On arrival, South Korea applies Household goods (immigrant/relocation) clearance under Korean national customs framework. Import VAT in South Korea is 10%, and relief is what keeps your household goods out of that charge. Shipments normally arrive through Busan or Incheon.
This page covers what actually changes on the United States → South Korea route: what you will pay, how long the shipment is at sea, the paperwork South Korea customs expects from a departure in United States, and what to do about pets, a vehicle and somewhere to live when you land.
Departures from United States normally load at New York / New Jersey, Savannah, Houston. Household goods leaving the US move under an ocean carrier booking filed with US Customs at least 24 hours before loading. Personal effects shipments are normally filed by your forwarder; you sign a power of attorney authorising them to act. Video or in-home surveys are widely available across the continental US; crews are typically scheduled 2–4 weeks ahead. The corridor covers roughly 5,589 nautical miles.
| Home size | Estimated volume | Typical method | Door-to-door range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / Few Items | 3–5 m³ | LCL groupage (shared container) | $3,100–$3,900 |
| 1-Bedroom Apartment | 8–12 m³ | LCL groupage (shared container) | $4,900–$6,300 |
| 2-Bedroom Home | 18–22 m³ | 20-foot container (sole-use FCL) | $8,200–$10,500 |
| 3-Bedroom Home | 28–32 m³ | 20-foot container (sole-use FCL) | $8,800–$11,500 |
| 4+ Bedroom Home | 45–60 m³ | 40-foot high-cube container (FCL) | $12,000–$15,500 |
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
4–6 weeks in peak season (May–September), 2–3 weeks off-peak
Port-to-port sailing
3–5 weeks
Clearance & delivery
4–6 weeks typical clearance window in South Korea
Shipments from United States are treated as an import from outside South Korea's customs territory. The requirements below apply, and the supporting evidence customs will ask for — proof of address, residence history, ownership records — must be documents issued in United States.
Household goods (immigrant/relocation) clearance — Korean national customs framework
Korea Customs Service allows duty exemption for used household goods imported by people relocating to Korea, supported by the passport with entry stamp, visa or ARC and a full packing list.
Conditions
Documents from United States
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 guideKorea grants duty exemption on household goods imported within six months of arrival, provided you can evidence an intended stay of more than one year and hold a Personal Customs Clearance Code.
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.
South Korea is a high-complexity pet destination, regulated by Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA). Allow 2–3 months of preparation before departure from United States. Quarantine: 0 days if fully compliant.
South Korea pet import requirementsVehicles require emissions and safety certification from the Ministry of Environment and MOLIT before registration; older US-spec cars often fail emissions testing. A vehicle registered in United States may need conformity, lighting or emissions work before it can be road-legal in South Korea.
Vehicle import guide
Asian Tigers
Asia's leading relocation group with 14 country offices across the region's primary commercial centres.
Elite Shipping India
India-based global relocation specialist offering fine art and pet relocation services.
Globe Moving
India's longest-established international mover, with a door-to-door network spanning 180+ countries.
Intermovers
Malaysia corporate-relocation specialist and UniGroup Worldwide UTS partner with a 1,200-office network.
KLH Movers
Chennai-based customs-clearance and LCL-consolidation specialist for household goods and personal effects.
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.
