Relocating from the United States to the United Kingdom is one of the most common transatlantic corridors — and one of the most paperwork-heavy if you get the sequencing wrong. This guide walks through both ends of the move: the US export side (AES/EEI filing, USDA pet endorsement) and the UK import side (HMRC’s Transfer of Residence relief, GB customs, and Great Britain’s strict pet rules). Get the order right and your household goods clear customs free of VAT and duty; get it wrong and you face charges, delays, or up to four months of pet quarantine.

Key takeaways

• Apply for HMRC Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief BEFORE your goods arrive. You must get HMRC approval and receive a Unique Reference Number to import household goods free of import VAT and duty (GOV.UK — Transfer of residence to Great Britain).
• You must have lived outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months and be moving your normal home to the UK to qualify for ToR relief (GOV.UK — Transfer of residence).
• Goods must have been in your possession and used for at least 6 months before the move; new or unused items do not qualify (GOV.UK — Transfer of residence).
• On the US side, file Electronic Export Information (EEI) in AES if your household goods exceed $2,500 in value when shipping to the UK (U.S. Census Bureau — Foreign Trade Regulations, 15 CFR Part 30).
• Great Britain requires microchip, rabies vaccination and a 21-day wait before your dog, cat or ferret can travel (GOV.UK — Bring your pet to Great Britain).
• Dogs must be treated for tapeworm by a vet 24–120 hours (1–5 days) before arrival in Great Britain, and travel on a Great Britain pet health certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS (GOV.UK — Tapeworm treatment for dogs; USDA APHIS — US to UK pet travel).
• You need the right to live in the UK before you move — most Americans arrive on a Skilled Worker, Family, or other visa, and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge upfront (GOV.UK — Immigration Health Surcharge).

1. Get your UK immigration status sorted first

US citizens do not have an automatic right to live in the UK. Before you ship anything or book pet travel, confirm your route: most people move on a Skilled Worker visa (job offer from a licensed UK sponsor, an eligible role and a salary meeting the going rate), a Family visa, a Global Talent or High Potential Individual route, or a student visa. Check current requirements and fees on GOV.UK — UK visas.

Nearly every long-stay route requires you to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) upfront for the full duration of the visa, which gives you access to the NHS. Budget for this alongside the visa fee — it is a significant, non-optional cost paid in advance (GOV.UK — Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application). Confirm the current per-year IHS rate on GOV.UK, as it is periodically uprated.

Your visa or entry documents matter for the move itself, too: HMRC will ask for proof of your right to live in the UK as part of the Transfer of Residence application.

2. The US export side: AES/EEI filing

The United States does not levy export duty on your used household goods, but it does regulate the export. If you are shipping to the UK and the value of your household goods exceeds $2,500, you (or your authorised forwarding agent) must file Electronic Export Information (EEI) in the Automated Export System (AES) before the goods leave the country (U.S. Census Bureau — 15 CFR Part 30, Subpart D).

There is good news for movers: reporting for genuine household goods is limited. When the household-goods export code "HH" is used, a Schedule B commodity number and first quantity are not required (U.S. Census Bureau — Relocating Abroad). The Foreign Trade Regulations define household goods as usual and reasonable quantities of personal property for use in your dwelling abroad, shipped under a bill of lading or air waybill and not intended for sale.

In practice, an international moving company handles the AES filing as your agent. Your job is to give them an accurate inventory and declared values. For CBP’s own summary of the process, see U.S. CBP — Exporting household goods and personal effects.

3. HMRC Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief — the heart of the move

This is the single most important customs step. Transfer of Residence relief lets you import your personal belongings into Great Britain free of import VAT and customs duty — but only if you apply and are approved before your goods arrive (GOV.UK — Transfer of residence to Great Britain).

To qualify, you must satisfy all of the following (GOV.UK):

• You have been resident outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the date of your move.
• You are importing the goods within 12 months of coming to live in the UK.
• You had the goods in your possession and used them for at least 6 months before moving (this possession rule is waived for marriage/civil partnership and student claims).
• You intend to use the goods for the same purpose in the UK as before.

Qualifying goods include household and personal effects, linen, furnishings, and equipment for personal use, plus cycles, motorcycles, private vehicles and caravans, and portable instruments needed for your trade or profession (GOV.UK).

Excluded from relief are alcoholic beverages, tobacco and tobacco products, commercial means of transport, and non-portable professional instruments. Crucially, ToR relief does not remove the need for licences on restricted goods such as firearms or endangered species (GOV.UK) — a common trap for Americans bringing firearms, which face strict UK controls.

4. How to apply for ToR1

You apply online through the ToR1 service on GOV.UK, signing in to submit your application (GOV.UK — Application for transfer of residence relief (ToR1)). You will need:

• A list of the items you are importing (typed document, spreadsheet, or a photo of a handwritten list is acceptable).
• The photo page of your passport, or NATO/military moving orders where relevant.
• Proof of your UK address dated within 3 months (bank statement, utility bill, or rental agreement).
• Proof of your non-UK address dated within 6 months.
• Vehicle details (year, make, model, VIN, registration and purchase date) if importing a car.
• Animal health certificates if bringing pets.

Once HMRC approves your application, you receive a Unique Reference Number (URN). Give this to your shipping agent — it, together with customs procedure code CPC 40 00 C01, goes on the import declaration to apply the relief (GOV.UK — ToR1).

Apply well ahead of your shipment’s arrival. HMRC processing is not instant, and goods that land before your URN is issued can incur storage charges and demurrage while you wait. Confirm current processing times with the HMRC imports and exports helpline before you ship.

5. Bringing your pet: Great Britain’s strict rules

Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) has some of the world’s tightest pet-entry rules, and the sequence is unforgiving. For a dog, cat or ferret arriving from the USA you must (GOV.UK — Bring your pet to Great Britain):

1. Microchip your pet — this must be done before the rabies vaccination.
2. Vaccinate against rabies, then wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination before travelling.
3. Get a Great Britain pet health certificate — the correct document for pets from the USA (GOV.UK — Which pet travel document you need). It must be issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA APHIS (USDA APHIS — US to UK).
4. For dogs only, get a tapeworm treatment (against Echinococcus multilocularis) administered by a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (1–5 days) before arrival in Great Britain (GOV.UK — Tapeworm treatment for dogs).

Your pet must enter GB within 10 days of APHIS endorsing the certificate (USDA APHIS). Travel on an approved route and, for air cargo into Heathrow, expect checks at the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre.

Get any step wrong — a microchip implanted after vaccination, a missed 21-day wait, a mistimed tapeworm dose — and your pet may be quarantined for up to 4 months, or refused entry if you travelled by sea (GOV.UK — Bring your pet to Great Britain).

6. Shipping, timelines and what to expect

Sea freight is the standard mode for a full household from the US East Coast to UK ports (Southampton, Felixstowe, Tilbury), typically running several weeks door to door once you account for packing, sailing, and UK customs clearance. Air freight is faster but far more expensive and best reserved for essentials.

Plan the paperwork backwards from arrival: your ToR1 URN must be in hand before the vessel docks, your AES filing done before departure, and your pet’s tapeworm window counted precisely against the flight arrival time. These three deadlines are the ones that most often derail an otherwise smooth move.

How Flyto handles this move

Flyto runs the USA-to-UK corridor as a single door-to-door Platinum service. Because this is an intercontinental relocation, Flyto operates it as Platinum only — one team owning the whole chain rather than handing you between disconnected vendors. That means packing and inventory at your US address, the AES/EEI filing as your export agent, ocean or air freight, and delivery to your UK front door.

On the UK side, Flyto’s coordinators prepare and lodge your Transfer of Residence (ToR1) application, track the URN so it is ready before your shipment lands, and clear customs under the correct procedure code — so you are not chasing HMRC while your container racks up storage fees. For pets, Flyto sequences the microchip, rabies, APHIS-endorsed health certificate and the tight tapeworm window against the actual flight, and books an approved route. One point of contact, both ends, start to finish.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay UK VAT or duty on my used furniture and belongings?
No — provided you are approved for Transfer of Residence relief before the goods arrive. ToR relief covers import VAT and customs duty on qualifying personal effects owned and used for at least 6 months (GOV.UK).

How long before my move should I apply for ToR1?
As early as possible, and always before your shipment arrives. Your URN must be quoted on the import declaration, and goods landing without it can incur storage charges. Confirm current processing times with HMRC (GOV.UK — ToR1).

Can I bring my car from the US?
Vehicles can qualify for ToR relief if you meet the ownership and use conditions, and you declare the VIN, make, model and purchase date on your ToR1 (GOV.UK — ToR1). Separately, the car must be made road-legal in the UK (registration, testing) — confirm requirements on GOV.UK.

What about alcohol, tobacco or firearms?
Alcohol and tobacco are excluded from ToR relief and follow normal import rules. Firearms and endangered-species items still require the relevant UK licences even under ToR relief (GOV.UK).

Do I really need to file with US customs to move my own stuff out?
If your household goods exceed $2,500 in value, yes — EEI must be filed in AES before export, though the reporting is simplified under the "HH" household-goods code (U.S. Census Bureau). Your mover typically files this as your agent.

When can my dog travel after its rabies shot?
At least 21 full days after the first rabies vaccination, and only after being microchipped first. Dogs also need a tapeworm treatment 1–5 days before arriving in Great Britain (GOV.UK).

What happens if I get a pet requirement wrong?
Your pet can be placed in quarantine for up to four months, or refused entry if you arrived by sea. The rules on microchip order, the 21-day wait and the tapeworm window are strict (GOV.UK).

Freshness note: customs reliefs, visa fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge and pet rules change. Verify every figure and requirement against the linked official sources before you ship. See also our USA-to-Europe pillar moving guide and our USA departure resources.

Sources

• GOV.UK — Transfer of residence to Great Britain
• GOV.UK — Application for transfer of residence relief (ToR1)
• GOV.UK — Bring your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain
• GOV.UK — Tapeworm treatment for dogs
• GOV.UK — Which pet travel document you need
• GOV.UK — Pay for UK healthcare (Immigration Health Surcharge)
• GOV.UK — UK visas and immigration
• USDA APHIS — Pet travel from the US to the United Kingdom/Great Britain
• U.S. Census Bureau — Foreign Trade Regulations, 15 CFR Part 30, Subpart D
• U.S. Census Bureau — Relocating Abroad
• U.S. CBP — Exporting household goods and personal effects