Removals from the UK to the Canary and Balearic Islands 2026
Removals to the Canary and Balearic Islands: two very different moves
Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura on one side; Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza on the other. Both are Spain, both need a sea crossing after the road journey from the UK, and both are served by the same British and Spanish removers. The difference is tax status: the Canary Islands sit outside the EU VAT area, so every household move there is an import with its own declaration even from mainland Spain, while the Balearics are inside the EU VAT area and behave like the mainland. This page explains what that means for your paperwork, the ferry routes and transit times, realistic 2026 costs and how to compare quotes.
The Canary Islands: inside the customs territory, outside the VAT area
The Canaries are part of the EU customs territory but excluded from the EU VAT and excise area. They levy their own tax, IGIC, instead of IVA. For a household move from the UK that means your goods clear customs on arrival in the islands with an import declaration, and the transfer-of-residence relief is claimed there: duty- and IGIC-free if you have lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, have owned and used the goods for at least six months, and import them within 12 months of taking up residence. The declaration needs an inventory with values and dates, proof of your 12 months in the UK, proof of leaving the UK, and your NIE or TIE. Port handling, the DUA and inspections on arrival add cost that a mainland quote does not include; British removers note this without publishing a figure, so ask for it in writing.
The Balearic Islands: mainland rules plus a ferry
Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza are inside the EU VAT area. A move from the UK is cleared on the mainland or at the island port under the same transfer-of-residence relief as Alicante or Málaga, with IVA at 21 % on anything outside the relief. The extra cost is the ferry: Barcelona–Palma takes 7–8 hours, Valencia–Palma 7–9 hours, Dénia–Ibiza about 2 hours 15 minutes, and Barcelona–Ibiza about 8 hours on Baleària. A truck or trailer books a freight slot, which in July and August must be reserved weeks ahead.
Routes and transit times
| Destination | Sea leg | Sea time | Door-to-door window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza | Barcelona, Valencia or Dénia → island | 2–9 hours | dedicated 5–10 days, shared 10–21 days |
| Gran Canaria, Tenerife | Cádiz or Huelva → Las Palmas or Santa Cruz | 31–41 hours | dedicated 14–21 days, shared 3–6 weeks |
| Lanzarote, Fuerteventura | Cádiz or Huelva → Arrecife or Puerto del Rosario | about 30–36 hours | dedicated 14–21 days, shared 3–6 weeks |
Get your fixed price (2 min) →
Windows include the road journey from the UK (2 000–2 400 km with EU driver rest rules), the freight booking and, for the Canaries, customs clearance on arrival. Flyto consolidates UK loads through its Central European hub, runs them to the Southern Europe hub in Málaga, and hands the island leg to its vetted partner crews in Cádiz and on the islands; Balearic loads go through Valencia or Dénia.
Indicative 2026 market prices
Public price guides from UK removers for mainland Spain, not Flyto quotes. The island leg is added on top.
| Shipment (mainland Spain baseline) | Shared load | Dedicated vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| A few items, about 5 m³ | £650–£1 250 | not economical |
| One-bedroom flat, 10–15 m³ | £1 500–£3 000 | £2 200–£3 800 |
| Three-bedroom house, 25–35 m³ | £4 500–£7 500 | £6 000–£9 000 |
On top of the mainland baseline come the freight crossing (a few hundred pounds for a shared consignment to the Balearics, more for the 30–40-hour Canaries crossing) and, in the Canaries, port handling, the import declaration and any inspection. No remover publishes these as a fixed figure, so treat any island quote without an itemised sea leg as incomplete.
How to compare island quotes
Ask whether the ferry or freight leg is included and booked, who clears customs on arrival in the Canaries and what the port and inspection charges are, whether the price covers delivery on the island or only to the port, what the delivery window is, and whether the insurance at declared value covers the sea leg. An island quote without a freight booking date and, for the Canaries, without the arrival charges is not a door-to-door price.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay customs or IGIC on my furniture in the Canary Islands?
Not if you qualify for the transfer-of-residence relief: 12 months outside the EU, goods owned six months, imported within 12 months of moving. The relief is claimed on the import declaration on arrival in the islands.
Are the Balearics treated like mainland Spain?
Yes for VAT and customs. The only extra is the ferry from Barcelona, Valencia or Dénia.
How long does a move from the UK to Tenerife take?
Dedicated 14–21 days, shared 3–6 weeks, including the road journey, the 38–41-hour crossing from Cádiz and customs clearance.
How long does a move to Mallorca take?
Dedicated 5–10 days, shared 10–21 days, including a 7–8-hour ferry from Barcelona.
What does a move to the islands cost in 2026?
Public guides put a one-bedroom flat at £1 500–£3 000 shared to mainland Spain; the island freight leg and, in the Canaries, the arrival charges come on top and are not published as fixed figures. Market ranges, not Flyto prices.
Does Flyto move households to the islands?
Yes, on consolidated and dedicated runs through the Málaga hub, with vetted partner crews for the sea leg and delivery, at a fixed price agreed before loading that names the ferry and, for the Canaries, the arrival charges.
Get your fixed price
Enter the volume and both addresses and you have a door-to-door price in about two minutes – access, ferries, tolls and customs paperwork included. Not sure about the volume? The calculator estimates it room by room.