# Shipping Your Household Goods to Spain Without Paying Duty *Written by [Marcos Aguilar Peña](https://spain-relocation.com/about/team-licenses/#marcos-aguilar-pena), reviewed by [Elena Ruiz Ferrer](https://spain-relocation.com/about/team-licenses/#elena-ruiz-ferrer)* *Published 2026-07-08 · Updated 2026-07-08* Canonical: https://spain-relocation.com/guides/menaje-de-casa-customs-exemption/ > Moving your furniture and belongings to Spain doesn't have to mean paying import duty and VAT on top of the shipping cost. Here's how the menaje de casa exemption works, and the timing rules that make or break your claim. ## What menaje de casa actually covers Menaje de casa — literally "household goods" — is the customs exemption that lets new residents bring their personal belongings into Spain from outside the EU without paying import duty or VAT. It covers furniture, personal effects, and household items that were genuinely part of your household before the move — it is not a general-purpose exemption for buying new goods abroad and shipping them in duty-free. Customs officials expect the shipment to look like an actual household relocation, not a bulk import. **Expert note — Marcos Aguilar Peña · Gestor Administrativo:** Label everything as menaje de casa on the shipping paperwork, not as commercial freight — a shipment coded incorrectly at origin is one of the most common reasons this exemption gets denied or delayed at the Spanish side, regardless of what's actually inside the boxes. ## The two timing rules that matter most Two separate clocks govern eligibility, and missing either one can cost you the exemption entirely: - **Your own residence abroad:** you generally need to show you resided outside the EU customs territory for at least the **12 consecutive months** immediately before your move. - **How long you've owned the goods:** the items being imported generally need to have been in your possession for at least **6 months** before the transfer — this is why customs paperwork typically asks for the approximate purchase date of major items, not just their value. On the Spanish side, you generally need to file the exemption request within the first **12 months** of establishing residency, though it's possible to request it up to **6 months before** your move if you can demonstrate you're genuinely relocating and provide the required guarantee. ## What documentation you'll need Expect to provide a detailed itemized inventory of everything being imported, with an estimated value and approximate purchase date for each item or category, plus proof of your new Spanish residency. Your [empadronamiento](https://spain-relocation.com/documents/empadronamiento/) certificate is commonly used to establish the date your Spanish residency began, which is why registering your address promptly after arrival matters for more than just the reasons covered in our empadronamiento guide. Once granted, the exemption comes with a restriction worth knowing about upfront: imported goods generally can't be sold, rented, loaned, or otherwise transferred without notifying customs until 12 months have passed since the goods were released for free circulation in Spain. This is meant to stop the exemption being used as a backdoor for a commercial import, and customs can revisit the exemption if it's violated. ## Planning the shipment itself Because the exemption depends on documented timing rather than just paperwork completeness, it's worth engaging a removals company experienced with Spanish customs specifically, rather than a general international mover — the customs declaration and inventory need to match the exemption's requirements exactly, and errors here are far more common with movers who don't handle Spain-bound shipments regularly. If you're also coordinating a [pet's EU entry paperwork](https://spain-relocation.com/guides/bringing-pets-to-spain/), keep the two timelines separate — they run on entirely different rules. ### Sources & Official Resources 1. [Agencia Tributaria — Traslado de Residencia: Franquicias (opens in new tab)](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/en_gb/no-residentes/exenciones-viajeros-embajadas-otros/traslado-actividad-empresarial-residencia-otros/traslado-residencia-franquicias-exencion-impuestos.html) 2. [Boletín Oficial del Estado (opens in new tab)](https://www.boe.es) 3. [Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores — Servicios al Ciudadano (opens in new tab)](https://www.exteriores.gob.es) ## FAQ **Can I use this exemption if I'm moving from the UK post-Brexit?** Yes — since the UK is now outside the EU customs territory, UK residents moving household goods to Spain are exactly the kind of case this exemption is designed for, provided the timing requirements are met. **What happens if I ship goods before I've officially established residency?** You can request the exemption up to 6 months before your move if you can demonstrate you're genuinely relocating and provide the required guarantee, but shipping after residency is documented is the more common approach. **Does this exemption cover a car?** Vehicle import into Spain generally follows its own separate process, distinct from the household goods exemption. **What if customs disputes the value I declared on an item?** Customs can request supporting documentation for higher-value items, which is why keeping receipts or other proof of purchase date and value is worthwhile for anything significant. --- Rules and fees change; this guide reflects the last update above. For advice on your specific case, [book a free consultation](https://spain-relocation.com/contact/) or see [current service pricing](https://spain-relocation.com/pricing/).