Cost to move to Ireland from the USA (November 2026)

Six signed household moves from the United States to Ireland cost $4,148 to $7,791 for the four loads under 300 cubic feet, and $9,324 and $14,417 for the two loads of 412 and 1,139 cubic feet. These are the totals on signed Sunset International Shipping agreements for pickups between April 19, 2022 and August 21, 2026, compiled November 10, 2026. Sunset is one of the companies listed on this site; see the advertising disclosure and the 2026 rankings.

About the data

Each figure is the total price on a signed Sunset International Shipping agreement for a household move from a U.S. home to an address in Ireland. Six moves is a small sample, so we show every price and the range rather than a single average. Bookings went to Dublin (4), Galway (1), and Castlebar, County Mayo (1). Pickups were in California (San Francisco, Mill Valley, Gardena, and Sunnyvale), Colorado (Denver), and Massachusetts (Watertown). We left out one 2022 Los Angeles booking of about 1,880 cubic feet because records show it split between Ireland and Spain, and one move that ran the other way (Ireland to New York). No unsigned quotes, storage-only jobs, or partial moves are included. Amounts are U.S. dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Volumes are the cubic feet on each booking.

The two smallest loads, 92 cubic feet from Denver to Galway and 99 cubic feet from San Francisco to County Mayo, each came to about $4,150. That is close to a floor: export handling, the ocean leg, Irish clearance, and delivery cost money even for a few dozen cartons. A 200 cubic-foot Gardena-to-Dublin booking came in higher, at $7,791, than a 210 cubic-foot Sunnyvale-to-Dublin booking at $5,547, so two loads of similar size can still be priced differently. Above 400 cubic feet the per-foot price dropped: the 412 cubic-foot Watertown-to-Dublin move was about $23 per cubic foot and the 1,139 cubic-foot Mill Valley move about $13.

What makes a move to Ireland cost more or less?

• Cubic feet, more than bedroom count. In these bookings a "2 bedrooms" move was 92 cubic feet and a "1 bedroom" move was 1,139. Ask every mover to quote the same cubic-foot estimate.
• Which U.S. coast you leave from. Five of the six moves started in California or Colorado. Published container routings to Dublin from the West Coast are much longer than from New York, because the cargo has to reach the Atlantic first.
• Dublin versus the west of Ireland. Four bookings went to Dublin. Galway and County Mayo are on the west coast, so a container cleared at Dublin Port needs a cross-country truck leg.
• A shared container or your own. Records show the four small loads went as groupage (shared container) and the two larger ones in their own container. A shared container usually costs less but waits until it is full.
• Customs paperwork done on time. Revenue asks for the Transfer of Residence application two weeks before the goods arrive. Late or incomplete paperwork can mean storage while you wait.

How long does the ocean leg to Ireland take?

These are the fastest container routings Fluent Cargo listed on carriers' published networks, port to port, viewed November 10, 2026. They leave out packing, the wait for a sailing (and, for a shared container, the wait for it to fill), U.S. export handling, Irish customs, and delivery. Our booking records do not hold delivery dates for these six moves, so we do not state a door-to-door time.

Do you pay duty or VAT on household goods moving to Ireland?

Not if you qualify for Revenue's Transfer of Residence (TOR) relief. Revenue says people moving from outside the EU to take up normal residence in Ireland may be able to claim relief from Customs Duty and VAT on personal property and household effects, including those of household members, and on private cars and motorcycles (Revenue: Moving to live in Ireland from outside the EU, published April 1, 2026, viewed November 10, 2026). Conditions include that duty and tax were paid where you bought the goods, you owned and used them for at least six months before the move, you lived outside the EU for a continuous period of at least 12 months (or can prove you intended to), and the goods arrive between six months before and 12 months after the date you move. If you hire out, lend, sell, or otherwise dispose of the goods within 12 months, the import charges can become payable. Alcohol and tobacco beyond normal traveller allowances, trade tools, and commercial vehicles are outside the relief.

Revenue asks you or your mover to email the completed Form C&E 1076 and supporting documents two weeks before the goods arrive, using the address for the port of entry (Dublin Port's is TORSDublinPort@revenue.ie). This is a summary of published Revenue rules, not legal advice. Confirm the current requirements with Revenue before you ship.

Vehicle Registration Tax is a separate relief from Customs Duty and VAT, with its own six-month use and 12-month arrival rules, plus registration deadlines. Pet entry has its own Department of Agriculture microchip, rabies, and certificate rules. Ask your mover what it will and will not arrange.

For general consumer information only.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to move to Ireland from the USA?

Six signed moves cost $4,148 to $7,791 for loads under 300 cubic feet, and $9,324 and $14,417 for 412 and 1,139 cubic feet.

What makes a move to Ireland cost more?

Volume, the U.S. coast you leave from, full versus shared container, and destination access.

Do I pay VAT on household goods moving to Ireland?

Not if Revenue grants Transfer of Residence relief.