Published 17.09.2025
For anyone relocating from continental Europe to the UK, road transport remains one of the most practical ways to move belongings. Lorries and vans travel through the Channel Tunnel or across the Channel by ferry, with transit times measured in days rather than weeks.
The appeal is obvious. Sea freight may be economical for relocations from further afield, but it comes with the long wait of four to eight weeks at sea. Air freight is quick, but prohibitively expensive for anything more than a handful of boxes. Road relocation, by contrast, sits comfortably in the middle. It offers the speed of days, the flexibility of a personal vehicle, and the possibility of tailoring the move to the size of your household.
For students relocating with a modest load, families uprooting their entire home, and retirees carrying a lifetime of possessions, the road remains a natural choice. Yet, as with everything else in 2025, Brexit has left its mark.
Table of Contents
How Brexit Changed Road Relocation
Before Brexit, relocating from France to the UK was little different from driving from Paris to Brussels. You loaded your belongings, set off, and crossed the border without paperwork or checks. The UK’s departure from the EU has transformed this once-simple process.
Today, every household relocation entering the UK from Europe is treated as an import. That means declarations, checks, and, if you’re not careful, potentially large tax bills.
The two most important changes are:
Customs declarations are mandatory. Whether it’s a small vanload of furniture or a full lorry’s worth of goods, every relocation shipment must be declared to HMRC. If the paperwork is missing, your belongings can be held at the port until it is provided — with daily storage fees quickly mounting.
ToR1 approval is essential. Without it, HMRC treats your relocation load as a taxable import, applying customs duty and, more significantly, 20% import VAT. For a household’s worth of goods, that figure can be eye-watering.
The system is more complex than before, but it’s far from unmanageable. With ToR1 in hand and the right documents ready, belongings can still cross borders smoothly.
Vans, Lorries, and Shared Loads: Picking the Right Option
The beauty of road relocation is its flexibility. You aren’t forced into one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, you can scale the move to suit your life.
Vans are often the vehicle of choice for smaller relocations. A student relocating with a few boxes, or a professional moving for a temporary job, may find that a van comfortably swallows up their essentials. Vans can be hired, borrowed, or owned, and they offer the freedom to load and drive yourself. The drawback is that you are also responsible for the paperwork — both ToR1 and customs declarations.
Lorries make sense for larger relocations. A full household can be loaded into a dedicated truck, sealed, and sent directly to your new address. The advantage here is not just space, but speed. Dedicated lorries often pass through customs more quickly than shared shipments because there is no need to separate multiple loads. The cost is higher, but so too is the convenience.
Shared loads, often called groupage, are the budget-friendly option. Your goods share space in a lorry with others relocating to the UK. You pay only for the portion you use. The savings can be significant, but there is a trade-off: timelines are less predictable, and customs clearance can take longer. Still, for many relocations, groupage offers the perfect balance of cost and practicality.
The decision isn’t only about money. It’s also about lifestyle. Do you want everything to arrive at once, so you can settle quickly? Or can you live with the bare minimum while waiting a little longer for the rest?
Customs Paperwork: ToR1 and Declarations
No matter which road relocation option you choose, paperwork is unavoidable. The most important form is the Transfer of Residence (ToR1). This is HMRC’s way of recognising that you are relocating, not importing.
Without ToR1, your belongings will attract customs duty and 20% import VAT. On a vanload valued at £10,000, that’s £2,000 in VAT alone, plus duty on certain items. On a lorryload worth £30,000, the VAT bill alone could reach £6,000.
ToR1 approval exempts you from these charges. To get it, you submit an application online before your relocation, providing proof that you lived abroad for at least a year and are moving your normal home to the UK. You also submit an inventory of your belongings. Once approved, HMRC issues a reference number that your removals company or you personally will use at the border.
Alongside ToR1, every relocation shipment must be accompanied by a customs declaration. If you are working with a professional removals company, they will usually complete this electronically. If you are driving your own van, you are responsible for completing the paperwork.
It may sound intimidating, but remember: these forms exist to make sure your goods are recognised as part of your relocation, not as stock for resale.
Routes and Crossing Options: Ferries vs Channel Tunnel
Once your paperwork is in place, the next decision in your relocation is how to cross the Channel. The two main options are ferries and the Channel Tunnel.
The Channel Tunnel, connecting Calais and Folkestone, is prized for its speed and reliability. The crossing takes around 35 minutes, and there are frequent services throughout the day. For those eager to minimise time on the road, it is often the preferred choice.
Ferries, by contrast, offer flexibility and more routes. The classic Calais–Dover crossing is the busiest, but routes like Dunkirk–Dover, Bilbao–Portsmouth, and Rotterdam–Hull are popular alternatives. Ferry crossings are longer, but they can sometimes be cheaper, particularly if you’re booking for a van or lorry. They also allow you to rest during the journey, which can be welcome after hours on the road.
Both options are efficient, but both now involve customs checks. If your relocation paperwork is in order, inspections are often little more than a formality. If it isn’t, delays can be significant.
Timelines: Days, Not Weeks
One of the strongest arguments for road relocation is speed. From Paris, belongings can reach London in a single day. From Berlin, perhaps two. Even from Madrid or Rome, the journey is usually less than a week.
Compared with sea freight, which can stretch to six weeks or more, road relocations are lightning-fast. The only real delays come from border checks — and these are largely under your control. If you have ToR1 approval and a complete customs declaration, most shipments clear in a matter of hours.
Costs and Budgeting for Relocations By Van & Lorry
Costs for road relocation vary widely. A small van from France might cost as little as £800–£1,000, while a full lorry from Spain could reach £5,000 or more. Shared loads sit somewhere in between.
What matters more than the sticker price is what the quote includes. Does it cover customs clearance? Does it include insurance? Does it deliver all the way to your new home, or just to a depot? Comparing quotes on a like-for-like basis is crucial.
The biggest hidden cost, however, is VAT. Forget ToR1, and your affordable relocation can suddenly double in price. Even a modest vanload valued at £8,000 could trigger a £1,600 VAT bill at the border. For larger loads, the sums only grow. This is why applying for ToR1 is not optional — it is the safeguard that makes road relocation cost-effective.
Restricted Items and What to Avoid Packing
The rules for what you can and cannot bring during a relocation are the same as for sea or air. Most personal belongings are fine, but there are exceptions.
Fresh meat and dairy products are prohibited. Plants and seeds may require certification. Firearms, cultural property, and large quantities of alcohol or tobacco are tightly controlled. If you’re tempted to slip in homemade food or a box of wine, think twice: one restricted item can hold up an entire relocation shipment.
When in doubt, check GOV.UK’s guidance. It is better to leave something behind than to risk a delay at the border.
Working with a Removals Company vs Driving Yourself
There is a certain romance in the idea of hiring a van, loading it with your belongings, and driving across Europe as part of your relocation journey. For some, it is a cost-saving exercise; for others, a way of staying in control. If you have the patience to complete the customs paperwork yourself, it can work well.
But professional removals companies exist for good reason. They know the paperwork, they handle the declarations, and they deal with inspections as a matter of routine. The extra cost often buys not just convenience, but confidence that your belongings will arrive without incident.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to personality as much as budget. If you enjoy managing details and don’t mind the stress of border checks, driving yourself is an option. If you’d rather hand it off, a removals firm may be the better path.
Road Relocation by Van or Lorry from Europe to the UK
Road relocation is, in many ways, the unsung hero of European moves. It doesn’t have the drama of a shipping container or the glamour of air freight, but it delivers where it matters most: speed, flexibility, and cost. For many households, that combination makes it the clear winner.
Yes, Brexit has added layers of paperwork. Customs declarations are now required, and ToR1 approval has become central to avoiding unexpected VAT bills. But paperwork can be managed, particularly when you prepare in advance or work with a removals company that understands the process. With the right documents in hand and a carefully packed load, your relocation can still take place in a matter of days.
For expats relocating from continental Europe, this practicality is what makes the road option so compelling. It is quicker than sea freight, cheaper than air, and versatile enough to suit everything from a student’s single vanload to a family’s full household in a lorry. You choose the scale, the pace, and the balance between cost and convenience.
Handled with care, road relocation doesn’t just move boxes across borders. It moves the things that make up your daily life — the furniture, keepsakes, and familiar comforts — and delivers them directly to your new doorstep. In that sense, a van or lorry crossing the Channel is more than a vehicle on a journey. It is a bridge between two homes, carrying your world, piece by piece, into the next chapter of your life in the UK.
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