Iceland Moving Guide: Documents, Duties & Shipping Notes

Source: IAM Country Guide · Updated 2026-08-20 · Download the Iceland Country Guide (PDF)

Documents

Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.

• Copy of passport
• Detailed inventory, dated and signed by the owner
• Original bill of lading (OBL) or air waybill (AWB)
• Duty exemption registration (if applicable)
• Proof of residency abroad (e.g., residence permit, employment contract)

Specific Information

New items allowance: A person aged 18 or older may import goods owned for less than 12 months up to a total value of ISK 140,000. Those under 18 may import up to half that value.

Subsequent shipments: If a second shipment is anticipated, it must be stated at the time of the first importation.

Shipment deadline: The shipment must be imported within 12 months of the date of transfer of residence.

Delivery address required: A delivery address in Iceland must be known at the time of customs clearance.

Proof of eligibility: Customs may require documents proving that the duty-free conditions are met, such as a residence permit or employment contract.

EEA/EFTA status: Iceland is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but is not an EU member state. This means Iceland follows many EU customs and trade rules but has its own national customs authority and tariff schedule.

ISPM 15: Wood packaging materials should comply with ISPM 15 standards.

Duties & Taxes

Duty-free conditions (per official Iceland Revenue and Customs website): Home inventory may be imported duty-free if all of the following conditions are met:

• The person must have had permanent residency in another country for at least 12 months prior to moving to Iceland.
• The person must register their legal residence in Iceland in accordance with Icelandic law.
• The home inventory must be used and owned by the person for at least 12 months.
• The goods must arrive with the person or within 6 months of moving permanent residency to Iceland or registering legal residence.

VAT: Iceland's standard VAT rate is 24%, with a reduced rate of 11% for food, books, magazines, and other necessities. VAT applies to non-exempt imports.

Prohibited & Restricted Items

• Chewing tobacco and finely powdered snuff
• Uncooked meat and meat products (only boiled or canned meat may be imported; smoking, salting, or drying without boiling is insufficient; includes bacon, sausages, salami, smoked uncooked sausages, poultry)
• Uncooked milk and uncooked eggs
• Illegal drugs and narcotics
• Natural/live plants (without permits)
• Paints, polishes, and cleaning solvents
• Explosive materials
• Used leather riding gear (saddles, bridles, reins, muzzles, switches)
• Knives with blades exceeding 12 cm, switchblades, flick knives, throwing knives, brass knuckles, truncheons, crossbows, handcuffs
• Counterfeit goods
• Pornographic material (per VisaHQ)
• Unregistered firearms and ammunition (without police permit)

Personal duty-free allowances (per VisaHQ, confirmed by Iceland Customs):

• 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of other tobacco products (age 18+)
• Alcohol allowances (age 20+, various combinations): 1 litre spirits and 1 litre wine, OR 3 litres wine, OR 1 litre spirits and 6 litres beer, OR 1.5 litres wine and 6 litres beer
• 3 kg of food not exceeding ISK 18,500 in value
• Currency exceeding EUR 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared

Alcohol and tobacco in household goods shipments: Alcohol and wine must be inventoried separately with brand name, type, amount, number of bottles, and value. Duties and taxes must be paid on all alcohol and tobacco within household goods shipments (these are never duty-free, even for exempt household goods).

Items always subject to duty (even in otherwise duty-free household shipments):

• Objects and equipment for commercial use
• Vehicles subject to registration, motorized vehicles, sailing or flight vehicles
• Objects usually fixed to walls or floors (fixtures, wood flooring, etc.)
• Food and beverages, including alcohol and tobacco

Telephones and communications equipment: Generally subject to a permit from the Post and Telecom Administration. GSM mobile phones with a CE mark are exempt; one non-CE-marked GSM phone per traveler is also permitted.

Angling gear: Fishing equipment used abroad must be disinfected before use in Iceland. A certificate of disinfection from a foreign authority is required; otherwise, disinfection will be carried out in Iceland at the traveler's expense.

Riding gear: Clothing used abroad must be disinfected. Used leather items (saddles, bridles, muzzles, reins, switches) are prohibited because leather cannot be adequately disinfected.

Firearms, ammunition, and explosives: Import subject to a permit from the National Commissioner of Police. Holders of a European Firearms Permit may import weapons listed in the license without a special permit for stays under 3 months. PERMIT REQUIRED

Medicines: Personal use only, quantity corresponding to maximum 100 days. Anabolic steroids and peptides limited to 30 days' supply. Customs may request proof of prescription. Import of drugs by mail from outside the EEA is prohibited.

Live animals: Permit from MAST required. See Pets section. Animals imported without a permit will be euthanized. PERMIT REQUIRED

Flowers and plants: Generally require a phytosanitary certificate and MAST permit. Travelers may bring: a bouquet of cut flowers/branches (up to 25 plants), flower bulbs/tubers/roots from within Europe in unbroken packaging (up to 2 kg), and individual potted plants from within Europe (up to 3).

New items in household goods: Items less than 12 months old are subject to duty (with the ISK 140,000 allowance noted above).

Knives: Blades exceeding 12 cm are prohibited. Switchblade knives, flick knives, throwing knives, brass knuckles, truncheons, crossbows, and handcuffs are also prohibited.

Special Categories

• Assuming pets from unlisted countries can be imported (they cannot)
• Not reserving quarantine space far enough in advance (only 3 admission days per month)
• Using EU Pet Passports or EU Health Certificates (not accepted in Iceland)
• Failing to submit all documentation to MAST at least 5 days before arrival
• Not completing the canine influenza vaccination for dogs from the US, Canada, or Singapore
• Transiting through a country with rabies without remaining in the secure airport zone
• Attempting to import a banned breed or wolf mix

• Quarantine period: The IAM guide (2017) states "a quarantine period of 4 weeks." PetTravel (2026) and recent PetTravel comment responses confirm the current quarantine period is 14 days (reduced from the historical 4 weeks). The 14-day period is the current requirement.
• Health certificate validity: The IAM guide states "within 10 days of travel." PetTravel states "within 5-10 days of entry." Both are broadly consistent; the 5-day minimum reflects the requirement to submit documentation to MAST at least 5 days before arrival.
• Alcohol allowance details: The IAM guide does not specify personal allowances. VisaHQ provides specific combination options (e.g., 1L spirits + 1L wine, or 3L wine, etc.). The IAM guide correctly notes that alcohol in household goods is always subject to duty.

• The ISK 140,000 allowance for new items (from the official Iceland Customs website) is current as of the page content but the threshold may be adjusted periodically. Confirm with the destination agent.
• Electric/hybrid vehicle VAT exemption status after 2024 (resolved -- confirmed blanket exemption revoked and replaced with capped exemption per purchase price thresholds; universal kilometer road charge introduced January 1, 2026; see Motor Vehicles section)
• Specific customs duty rates on vehicles and non-exempt goods were not extracted in this research. Iceland applies its own tariff schedule (not the EU Common External Tariff). The destination agent or Iceland Customs calculator should be consulted.

Consignment Instructions

Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air and sea shipments.

Iceland's unique restrictions: Iceland has unusually strict biosecurity controls that affect many common items. Fishing equipment, riding gear, and leather goods used abroad are all subject to disinfection requirements or outright prohibition. These restrictions reflect Iceland's geographic isolation and the importance of protecting its ecosystem from foreign pathogens.

Inventory requirements: The inventory must be detailed, dated, and signed by the owner. Alcohol must be inventoried separately with full details. New items (under 12 months old) must be identified for duty assessment.

Timing: Goods must arrive within 6 months of the owner's move to Iceland. Vehicles must be imported within 1 month of the owner's arrival. All supporting documentation for vehicles should be sent to the customs broker.

Port of entry: Sea cargo arrives at Reykjavik or Reydarfjordur. Air cargo clears through Keflavík International Airport.

Second shipments: If a follow-up shipment is planned, declare this at the time of the first importation.

Pet imports: Coordinate with MAST well in advance. Reserve quarantine space early (only 3 admission days per month). Submit all documentation at least 5 days before the pet's arrival. Pets from unlisted countries cannot be imported at all.