Moldova Moving Guide: Documents, Duties & Shipping Notes

Source: IAM Country Guide · Updated 2026-09-05 · Download the Moldova Country Guide (PDF)

Documents

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

• Passport
• Moldovan identification card
• Detailed inventory
• Pro-forma invoice

• Passport
• Moldovan resident permit
• Detailed inventory
• Pro-forma invoice

• Passport
• Resident permit or work permit
• Letter of employment (must confirm the length of the contract in Moldova as guarantee for the temporary import)
• Detailed inventory
• Pro-forma invoice

• Diplomatic passport
• Accreditation card from the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Detailed inventory

Specific Information

Regulatory update (January 2026): Moldova enacted Law No. 319/2025, effective January 1, 2026, which provides full exemption from import duties on personal belongings for Moldovan citizens returning for permanent residence. This law is designed to facilitate the return of Moldovan citizens from abroad by simplifying customs procedures and reducing relocation costs. See details below.

Moldova also adopted a new Customs Code effective January 1, 2024, which modernized customs procedures and abolished certain legacy processing charges. Moldova is an EU candidate country (candidate status granted 2022) with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) agreement with the EU in force since 2016.

Returning Moldovan citizens (Law No. 319/2025, effective January 1, 2026): Moldovan citizens returning for permanent residence may import personal belongings free of import duties. Eligible items include furniture, household goods, clothing, and personal electronics. Items must not indicate a commercial purpose. The specific list of eligible goods is determined by the Government of Moldova. This measure is intended to support family reunification and encourage long-term relocation to Moldova.

Immigrants (one-time import): For immigrants with a Moldovan resident permit, the import of household goods into Moldova is duty-free on a one-time basis.

Temporary imports: The letter of employment must confirm the contract length in Moldova. Goods imported on a temporary basis are subject to renewal or re-export when the work permit expires.

Goods not previously exported: If the goods were not temporarily exported from Moldova (i.e. they are being imported for the first time, not returned), the shipment is subject to VAT of approximately 20%. Duties on new furniture range from 0% to 15% of the estimated value.

Customs inspection: All goods are inspected and valued by a Customs officer. For surface shipments destined for residents in Chisinau, the shipment will be brought to Chisinau for customs clearance.

Trade agreements: Moldova's DCFTA with the EU means that many goods originating from EU member states benefit from reduced or zero tariffs. Moldova also has free trade agreements with CIS countries, CEFTA members, Turkey, and EFTA countries. Ad valorem customs duties range from 0% to 25% depending on the product category.

Prohibited & Restricted Items

Moldovan Customs may prohibit the entry of goods that endanger or compromise the following interests:

• State security and public order
• Moral standards (pornographic or subversive materials)
• Environmental protection
• Protection of art objects and objects of historical or archaeological value
• Intellectual property rights
• Domestic market protection
• Public health interests

Specifically prohibited items include:

• Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
• Weapons, firearms, and ammunition [Permit Required]
• Counterfeit goods and currency
• Animal products not meeting veterinary standards
• Antiques and objects of historical/archaeological value (export restrictions apply; import may require permits)
• Pornographic or subversive materials
• Perishable food items

The following items may be imported duty-free in the quantities indicated (per person):

Tobacco (one of): 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigarillos, or 50 cigars.

Alcohol: 1 bottle of spirits, plus 5 litres of beer.

Other personal items: 3 leather goods or knitwear items; 2 pairs of shoes; 1 tape recorder, audio player, or similar device; 1 video recording or playback device; 3 watches; perfume in quantities for personal use only.

Note: Repeated imports of the same categories of duty-free goods within a certain period are treated as commercial imports, triggering full duties and commercial import formalities.

Travellers may import and export currency freely, but amounts exceeding EUR 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared to Customs.

Consignment Instructions

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

Port of entry: Moldova is landlocked. Sea freight typically arrives at the Romanian port of Constanta on the Black Sea and is transported overland to Chisinau. Air shipments arrive via Chisinau International Airport (KIV). Road shipments enter primarily through the Romanian border crossings.

Customs clearance: Surface shipments for returning citizens with a Chisinau residence address are cleared in Chisinau. Clearance times depend on the completeness of documentation and the customs officer's valuation process.

Transnistria: The breakaway region of Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic) on Moldova's eastern border with Ukraine has its own de facto customs regime. Shipments transiting through or destined for Transnistria face additional complications. Confirm routing with the destination agent.

Electrical standard: Moldova uses 220V, 50Hz with European-style two-pin plugs (Type C and Type F).