How to Relocate Your Household & Pets to Denmark

Moving and Shipping Household Goods

How do you move household items and belongings to Denmark? There are several ways you can ship your items to the country, although your options may be dependent on where you are traveling from as well as your budget.

If you wish to bring your household goods into the country duty-and tax-free, make sure you request residence in Denmark before importing your items.

How to Ship Household Items and Belongings

You can ship your items to Denmark by air, sea, rail, or road. The mode of transportation you choose depends on the logistics of your itinerary and your budget. In general, air freight is the most expensive mode of transportation, but is also the fastest. If you are traveling from outside the EU, sea freight is the most affordable option, but your items could take up to two months to arrive in the country. If you are traveling from within Europe, you can also import your household goods by road or railway through Germany or Sweden.

Wondering what to pack when moving to Denmark? You should be able to find everything you need once you are in the country. If you take any specific medication, or have other special medical needs, make sure to check beforehand if you can buy all you need in Denmark and under what conditions.

Be advised that you should pay close attention to customs regulations and allowances in the country. We will cover this below.

Custom Regulations in Denmark

• To bring your items into Denmark, you must be in the country at the time the items arrive.
• When your items arrive, you should be properly registered as a resident in Denmark. Anyone residing abroad, foreign or Danish, will not be able to import their goods free of duty and tax.
• From the time you arrive in Denmark, you have one year to import your household goods and personal items. They must be at least 6 months old.

You will need the following documents:

• ID and passport
• full inventory of your goods written in English or Danish
• proof of residence in Denmark to import items duty and tax free
• any necessary permits if you are importing restricted items

Danish Customs Allowances

Danish customs allowances differ depending on whether you are moving from inside or outside the EU. If you are traveling within the EU, standard EU customs rules apply. You can travel with up to 75,000 DKK (11,000 USD) tax free. If you bring more than that, you will have to pay customs duty.

Customs Allowances from Within the EU

Tobacco Products

• 800 cigarettes (if arriving from Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, or Hungary, you may only bring 300 units)
• 400 cigarillos (cigars weighing no more than 3 grams each)
• 200 cigars
• 1 kg of smoking tobacco

Alcoholic Beverages

• 10 liters of spirit drinks
• 20 liters of fortified wine
• 90 liters of wine (including a maximum of 60 liters for sparkling wines)
• 110 liters of beer

Customs Allowances from Outside the EU

For those traveling from outside the EU, you should know your items are taxed and subject to excise duty if they exceed these values:

• 3,250 DKK (480 USD) if shipping by air or sea
• 2,250 DKK (330 USD) by other means of transportation

As for other items that may be taxed or subject to duty, you are only allowed to bring the following quantities:

Tobacco

• 200 cigarettes
• 100 cigarillos
• 50 cigars
• 250 g of tobacco

Alcoholic Beverages

• 16 liters of beer
• 4 liters of still wine
• 1 liter of spirit drinks
• two liters of fortified wine

Fuel

• fuel contained in the standard tank of a vehicle
• up to ten liters in a portable container

If you arrive at an airport, you will see a green and a red lane for customs. Use the green lane if you have nothing to declare. Having nothing to declare means that your goods are for personal use only, that you did not bring any forbidden items with you, and that you did not exceed the maximum amounts allowed for alcohol, tobacco, and gas.

Restricted or Prohibited Items in Denmark

The following items are prohibited unless you obtain a special license or permit from the Danish Ministry responsible for its regulation:

• plants
• certain foods depending on the country from where you are moving
• arms, ammunition, or dangerous items
• endangered species, exotic animals, and other animals other than domestic, dead or alive

Home Goods Storage

If you need a place to store your items in Denmark before you have secured a place to stay, you can find a few options online, whether that is for long- or short-term storage.

You have more options of storage services close to the capital Copenhagen, but you can find a few self-storage units throughout the country near the bigger cities, like Aarhus, Odense, or Aalborg.

In some websites you will be able to see prices for self-storage units by size, which allows you to compare several service providers. Storage in Denmark costs around 2,070 DKK (305 USD) per square meter a year.

Vaccinations and Health Requirements for Denmark

The vaccinations required for Denmark are the standard vaccines you typically get as a child. Make sure you have these routine vaccines up to date before moving: measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, varicella or chickenpox, polio, and the yearly flu shot.

What Vaccinations do I Need for Denmark?

Denmark immigration does not have many vaccination requirements. In some cases, travelers may benefit from being vaccinated against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Rabies. As usual, it is a good idea to visit your doctor before you move, and to check on the Danish immigration health requirements that may be specific to you.

Moving with Pets

Can you bring pets into Denmark? Moving to Denmark with pets requires some preparation, but you should not have any major issues as long as you follow all the requirements for pet relocation to Denmark.

You are allowed to bring up to five pets with you. Ideally, you would accompany your pet as it enters the country. If this is not possible, the animal must enter the country at least five days before or after your own relocation, and accompanied by an authorized person. This could be a partner, friend, or an employee of an animal transport company, provided that they have an appropriate authorization form signed by you.

Any pet traveling from a third country, must be brought into Denmark through one of the designated points of entry.

Taking your Dog or Cat to Denmark

All dogs and cats coming to Denmark must have a microchip or a clearly readable tattoo if it was done before 3 July 2011. If you are coming from another European country, your pet must have a valid EU passport with proof of rabies vaccination. If the pet is coming from a third country, you will need a veterinarian certificate from a competent veterinarian of your place of residence.

Puppies and kittens that are younger than twelve weeks old do not have to have a rabies vaccine in order to enter Denmark. Likewise, puppies and kittens that are between 12 to 16 weeks old may enter even if their vaccine is not yet active, but they will need a Puppy/Kitten Declaration form. It is also recommended that they have an EU Pet Passport to guarantee easy passage into the country. Ferrets should be vaccinated and accompanied with the proper documentation.

Dogs of the breeds listed below, including mixed breeds with any of these, are forbidden to come to Denmark:

• Pitt Bull Terrier
• Tosa Inu
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Fila Brasileiro
• Dogo Argentino
• American Bulldog
• Boerboel
• Kangal
• Central Asian Shepherd Dog
• Caucasian Shepherd Dog
• South Russian Shepherd Dog
• Tornjak
• Sarplaninac

Once you arrive in Denmark, you have four weeks to register your dog with the Danish Dog Register.

Read more on how you can bring other pets such as birds to Denmark.