California is the destination that draws more international movers than any other US state — tech talent to the San Francisco Bay Area, creative and entertainment professionals to Los Angeles, and families chasing the climate everywhere in between. But it is also the most expensive and highly-taxed state to land in, so an international move here rewards planning. This guide covers the practical mechanics: shipping your household goods into the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland, clearing US federal customs, getting a California driver licence, understanding the state’s income tax, and finding a neighbourhood you can actually afford.

Key takeaways

• US customs is federal, not Californian. Your used household goods clear duty-free using CBP Form 3299 regardless of which state you land in — moving to LA versus Miami does not change the paperwork. See the https://flytorelocation.com/us/moving-to-and-from-the-usa-2026-complete-relocation-guide/ guide for the full customs walk-through.
• You will arrive through the busiest gateway in the Americas. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together handle close to 40% of all US containerised imports; Oakland serves the Bay Area (Port of LA).
• Register an imported vehicle within 20 days of establishing residency, and get a California driver licence if you intend to drive (CA DMV, New to California).
• California taxes residents on worldwide income, with rates up to 13.3% — the highest state income tax in the US (CA Franchise Tax Board).
• Housing is the defining cost. The statewide median sale price ran above $900,000 in mid-2026, and San Francisco County runs far higher (California Association of Realtors).
• Budget for a high cost of living. BLS tracks San Francisco and Los Angeles among the most expensive metro areas in the country (BLS Consumer Price Index).

1. Getting your household goods to California

California has three international seaport complexes that matter for a household move:

• Ports of Los Angeles & Long Beach (San Pedro Bay). The single largest container gateway in the United States — together handling roughly 40% of the nation’s containerised imports (Port of LA). This is the natural entry point for anyone settling in Southern California.
• Port of Oakland. The Bay Area’s main container port and the logical gateway if you are moving to San Francisco, Silicon Valley or the East Bay.

For air freight and your own arrival, Los Angeles International (LAX) and San Francisco International (SFO) are the two primary long-haul international airports, with Oakland (OAK) and Ontario (ONT) as secondary cargo options.

Realistic international transit varies enormously by origin. As a rough planning guide, sea freight of a full container from Europe to the US West Coast typically runs several weeks door-to-door once you include loading, ocean transit through the Panama Canal (or a longer trans-Pacific routing from Asia), port handling, customs clearance and final delivery — often in the region of 6–10 weeks. Confirm exact timings for your specific origin with your mover, as canal conditions and vessel schedules shift.

2. US customs — federal, and identical in every state

This is the single most misunderstood part of a US move. Customs is administered by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a federal agency — not by the State of California. Whether your container lands in Long Beach or Newark, the rules and forms are the same.

Your used personal and household effects generally enter duty-free, declared on CBP Form 3299, "Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles". To qualify, the goods should genuinely be your own used household items — furniture, books, artwork, tableware, linens and similar — not items bought for sale or for someone else (CBP guidance). New purchases, alcohol, restricted items and certain other categories have separate rules.

Because customs does not change city to city, our dedicated https://flytorelocation.com/us/moving-to-and-from-the-usa-2026-complete-relocation-guide/ guide covers Form 3299, prohibited items, and the clearance process in full. California adds nothing federal on top — but it does add its own vehicle and agricultural checks, which is why an imported car needs state registration (Section 4) and why you should never ship soil, plants or untreated wood.

3. Your first weeks: driver licence and state ID

California driving credentials are handled by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

• Driver licence. New residents who intend to drive must apply for a California driver licence. You will need proof of identity (passport), proof of your Social Security number, and two proofs of California residency; the application is made in person at a DMV field office and includes a knowledge test (CA DMV new resident portal). The standard driver licence application fee is $46 (CA DMV). Confirm the exact new-resident deadline with the DMV before you drive.
• REAL ID. For domestic US air travel you will want a REAL ID-compliant licence, which requires the same in-person visit and document set at no separate surcharge (CA DMV).
• State ID card. Non-drivers can obtain a California identification card instead of a licence.

Because California requires the knowledge test and (for many international licence-holders) a behind-the-wheel component, book your DMV appointment early — walk-in waits can be long.

4. Registering an imported or purchased vehicle

If you bring a vehicle into California or buy one after arrival, you must register it with the DMV within 20 days of becoming a resident or bringing it into the state (CA DMV). Registration involves a smog (emissions) inspection for most vehicles, a Vehicle Identification Number verification, proof of insurance, and payment of registration fees plus use tax.

Be warned: importing a foreign-market car into the US is genuinely difficult. Federal EPA and DOT/NHTSA standards mean many non-US vehicles cannot be permanently imported without expensive modification, and California’s emissions rules are stricter than the federal baseline. For most international movers, selling the car at origin and buying locally is far simpler. Use the DMV’s fee calculator to estimate registration costs, and confirm smog requirements for your specific vehicle.

5. California state income tax — plan before you land

California levies the highest top-rate state income tax in the country, and its residency rules are a common trap for new arrivals.

• Residents are taxed on worldwide income. Once you are a California resident, the state taxes income from all sources — including foreign income — not just California earnings (CA Franchise Tax Board).
• Progressive brackets up to 13.3%. Rates run from 1% at the bottom to a top marginal rate of 13.3% (which includes an additional 1% Mental Health Services Tax on very high incomes). Bracket thresholds are adjusted annually — check current-year figures with the FTB.
• Part-year and non-resident rules matter in your arrival year. In the year you move, you are typically a part-year resident, filing Form 540NR and paying California tax on income earned once you established residency plus any California-source income. The FTB’s Publication 1100, "Taxation of Nonresidents and Individuals Who Change Residency," is the authoritative reference (FTB.ca.gov).

California does not have a formal statutory day-count test the way some states do — it uses a domicile-and-intent analysis. If you retain significant ties abroad, get professional cross-border tax advice before you move, and remember that US federal income tax and any tax treaty with your home country apply on top of state tax. This guide is general information, not personalised tax advice — confirm your position with the FTB and a qualified adviser.

6. Housing: the reality of LA and the Bay Area

Housing is where a California budget lives or dies. As guidance rather than fixed fact — the market moves constantly — the statewide median sale price ran above $900,000 in mid-2026 (roughly $904,640 in June 2026), with San Francisco County among the most expensive housing markets in the nation (California Association of Realtors, June 2026). Confirm the latest figure directly with the source, and note that home-value indices such as Zillow measure a different metric and report a lower number. Most international newcomers rent first.

Bay Area / San Francisco (guidance): tech professionals often start in San Francisco proper (Mission, Hayes Valley, Noe Valley for walkability) or the Peninsula and South Bay (Palo Alto, Mountain View, San Jose) to be near employers. The East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda) offers relatively more space for the money and good transit via BART.

Los Angeles (guidance): LA is a collection of neighbourhoods, not a single centre. International newcomers frequently look at the Westside (Santa Monica, Culver City, West LA) for beach proximity and jobs; Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley for a more suburban, family feel; and Silver Lake, Los Feliz and the Arts District for a walkable, creative scene. Factor in that LA is car-dependent — proximity to work materially affects quality of life.

Expect landlords to ask for proof of income, US credit history (which you won’t yet have), and often a larger deposit or a guarantor for newcomers without a US credit file. These are neighbourhood impressions to guide your own research, not guarantees.

7. Cost of living and setting up

The San Francisco and Los Angeles metros are consistently among the highest-cost urban areas the US Bureau of Labor Statistics measures, driven overwhelmingly by housing. Wages are correspondingly high — but so is everyday spending on food, transport and services. Use the BLS Consumer Price Index releases for San Francisco and Los Angeles, and Census data via data.census.gov, for current, reputable figures rather than anecdote.

Practical first-week setup: open a US bank account (bring your passport and proof of address), get a US mobile number, apply for a Social Security number if you are work-authorised, and arrange health insurance — the US has no universal system, so coverage typically comes through your employer or the state marketplace, Covered California.

How Flyto handles your move to California

International moves to the US are handled exclusively through our Platinum door-to-door service — the tier built for intercontinental relocations. For a California move that means:

• Full export packing and origin handling at your home abroad
• Sea freight (full or shared container) to the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach or Oakland, or air freight to LAX/SFO for urgent shipments
• US customs clearance managed for you, including CBP Form 3299 preparation
• Final-mile delivery, unpacking and debris removal at your new LA or Bay Area address

Because customs is federal, our process is identical whichever California city you are heading to — see the https://flytorelocation.com/us/moving-to-and-from-the-usa-2026-complete-relocation-guide/ guide and our https://flytorelocation.com/usa/ hub for the full US picture.

Frequently asked questions

Which port will my container arrive at?
For Southern California, the Ports of Los Angeles or Long Beach; for the Bay Area, the Port of Oakland (Port of LA). Your mover routes the shipment based on your final address.

Do I pay customs duty on my used furniture?
Generally no. Used household goods you have owned and used abroad typically enter the US duty-free on CBP Form 3299, subject to CBP’s eligibility rules. New items and certain categories are treated differently.

How quickly do I need a California driver licence?
New residents who intend to drive must apply for a California licence, and an imported or newly purchased vehicle must be registered within 20 days of establishing residency (CA DMV). Confirm the current licence deadline directly with the DMV.

Will California tax my income from back home?
If you become a California resident, yes — the state taxes worldwide income, with a top rate of 13.3% (CA FTB). In your arrival year you are usually a part-year resident filing Form 540NR. Seek cross-border tax advice.

Should I ship my car?
Usually not worth it. US federal EPA and NHTSA standards plus California’s strict emissions rules make importing most foreign vehicles impractical; buying locally is generally simpler. Check requirements with the CA DMV.

Is Los Angeles or San Francisco cheaper?
Both are expensive, but the San Francisco Bay Area typically has higher housing costs than Los Angeles. Compare current figures via the BLS rather than relying on estimates.

Do I need US health insurance from day one?
Yes — the US has no universal healthcare. Arrange coverage through your employer or Covered California as soon as you arrive.

Sources

• US Customs and Border Protection — CBP Form 3299 (PDF)
• CBP — Moving used household goods into the US
• California DMV — New to California
• California DMV — Driver licences
• California Franchise Tax Board
• FTB Publication 1100 — Taxation of Nonresidents and Individuals Who Change Residency
• FTB — Forms and publications (incl. Form 540NR)
• Port of Los Angeles
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Western region CPI, San Francisco
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Western region CPI, Los Angeles
• US Census Bureau — data.census.gov
• California Association of Realtors — June 2026 home sales and price report
• Zillow — California home values
• Covered California

Freshness note: figures for fees, tax rates and housing prices were current at the time of writing (2026) and change regularly — always confirm the latest numbers with the linked official sources before acting.