Moving to or from the Canary or Balearic Islands

Terms used

• DUA — The DUA is the single customs declaration needed for goods moving between the Canary Islands and the mainland.
• IGIC — The IGIC is the Canary Islands' general indirect tax, used instead of IVA.
• IVA — The IVA is Spain's value-added tax on goods and services.
• AIEM — The AIEM is an extra Canary Islands tax charged on some goods.
• Padrón — The padrón is the municipal register of residents, kept by your town hall.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number given to foreigners in Spain.
• Permiso de circulación — The permiso de circulación is the vehicle registration document.
• DGT — The DGT is Spain's traffic authority, which holds vehicle and driver records.

Key rules

• Balearics: No customs declaration or duties apply, and IVA is the same as on the mainland.
• Canaries: Goods and cars need customs handling, and IGIC replaces IVA.
• Duty relief: Used household goods can be exempt if you prove a change of residence and keep the goods.
• Resident discount: Padrón residents get 75% off the base fare on scheduled flights and ferries to the mainland.
• Quotes: Get written quotes that split freight, port fees, customs and delivery.

Freight prices, transit times and car tax treatment for the Canaries vary, so confirm them with removal firms, ferry operators, the tax agency and the DGT before booking.

The short version

The Balearics are simple: no customs and no special tax. The Canaries are different: they sit outside the EU customs and VAT area, so you need a customs declaration and different indirect taxes apply. Either way, you pay for sea transport.

Moving to or from the Balearic Islands

The Balearics are part of Spain's customs and VAT territory. You do not need a customs declaration, you pay no customs duties, and IVA applies as on the mainland. No special tax applies to household goods. Your only extra cost is freight and ferry transport.

Moving to or from the Canary Islands

Goods that cross between the Canaries and the mainland go through customs. This uses a declaration called the DUA. Removal firms normally handle it through a customs agent, so ask for this to be included in the quote.

Used household goods can be exempt from duties and taxes when you move your normal residence. You usually need to prove the change of residence, show that the goods are yours and already used, and keep them rather than sell them soon after the move. Confirm that your goods qualify with the tax agency's customs office before you ship.

The Canaries do not charge IVA. They charge IGIC instead, with a general rate of 7%, and AIEM on some goods. This matters mostly if you buy goods there.

You will usually need a detailed inventory, your ID or NIE, and a padrón certificate showing your old and new address. The documents list below has the full set.

What it costs and how long it takes

Price depends on volume, the ports, packing, port handling fees, season and, for the Canaries, the customs agent's charges. Shared groupage, where you pay by the cubic metre, is cheaper than a dedicated container. A full container to the Canaries commonly costs a few thousand euros all in. The Balearics are usually cheaper.

Ask each firm for a written quote that shows freight, port fees, customs and delivery separately. That makes quotes comparable.

Door to door, expect about one to three weeks for the Balearics and two to four weeks for the Canaries. Weather, customs inspections and incomplete paperwork cause delays. Book four to eight weeks ahead, and earlier in summer or at peak times.

Shipping your car

Cars travel on roll-on ferries, either with you on board or without you. You book online or through the ferry operator or a freight agent. You need the permiso de circulación, your ID and the vehicle details. Price depends on route, vehicle length, season and whether you travel with it. Mainland–Balearic crossings are typically in the low hundreds of euros each way. Mainland–Canary crossings cost more. Check current tariffs with the operators.

A car already registered in Spain generally keeps its plates. For the Canaries, a used car may need a customs and tax declaration, and IGIC or IVA treatment depends on the direction and the car's age. Registration tax is also treated differently there. Confirm the details for your car with the tax agency, the Canary tax authority and the DGT before you ship.

After arriving, update your address with the DGT and pay the annual IVTM to your new town hall.

Resident ferry and flight discount

If you are registered on the padrón in the Balearics or Canaries, you get 75% off the base fare on scheduled flights and ferries to the mainland. Inter-island routes are covered too. Foreigners with a valid NIE and padrón registration qualify equally. Tick resident status and give your ID or NIE when you book. The operator applies the discount at purchase, so you make no separate claim. Bring your ID, and your residence certificate if asked.

Choosing between options

How do you get your car to or from the islands?

• Ship it with you on a ferry: You are travelling too and want the car on the same crossing.

• Ship it without you on board: You travel separately, for example by plane.

• Handle the Canary customs paperwork: The car goes to or from the Canaries, which have a special tax regime.

For the Balearics, crossings are typically in the low hundreds of euros each way. For the Canaries, crossings cost more and customs paperwork comes on top.

Timeline and deadlines

• Book your removal firm and ask for written quotes: four to eight weeks before the move, earlier in summer or at peak times

• Gather your inventory, ID and padrón certificate for customs: before the goods are collected

Documents you need

• Detailed inventory of the household goods you are moving to or from the Canaries, prepared with your removal firm.

• Your ID or NIE, needed for the customs declaration for the Canaries.

• Padrón certificate from your town hall, showing your previous and new residence, to claim relief on duties and taxes for a change of residence.

• Permiso de circulación (vehicle registration document) and ficha técnica (technical data sheet) for any car you ship.

• Proof that you own the vehicle, plus the customs paperwork if you are moving a car to or from the Canaries.

• Certificate of residence from your town hall, if the operator asks for it to apply the 75% resident discount.

Checklist

• Ask your removal firm to handle the customs declaration (DUA) if you are moving to or from the Canaries.

• Keep the goods and do not sell them soon after the move, so the relief is not lost.

• Book your car on a ferry with the operator or a freight agent, using your permiso de circulación and ID.

• Update your address with the DGT, the traffic authority, and pay the annual vehicle tax (IVTM) to your new town hall.

• Ask for the resident discount when booking tickets, and tick resident status with your ID or NIE.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay customs duties when moving house to the Balearic Islands?

No, a household move to or from the Balearic Islands needs no customs declaration and no customs duties. IVA applies as on the mainland, and your only extra cost is sea freight and ferry transport.

Can I get the resident discount on ferry tickets if I am a foreigner?

Yes, foreigners with a valid NIE and padrón registration in the islands get the same 75% off the base fare as Spaniards.

Do I need a customs agent when moving household goods to the Canaries?

Yes, in practice, because the Canaries are outside the EU customs territory and goods need a customs declaration called a DUA. Removal firms normally arrange it through a customs agent, whose charges you should see as a separate line in the quote.

What can delay an island move?

Bad weather, customs inspections and incomplete paperwork are the usual causes of delay.