Country Guide: Denmark

Household Goods and Personal Effects

Documents Required

• Passport
• Bill of Lading (OBL) / Air Waybill (AWB)
• Packing list in English
• Declaration from diplomatic organization (Diplomats)
• Detailed inventory (if alcohol is included in the shipment)

 

Specific Information

• All household goods shipments arriving by sea, air, rail, or road must be cleared through Customs at the port of entry (POE).
• From non-EU countries, household goods which have been owned and used for a minimum of 6 months and intended for owner’s use, may be imported duty free by any person taking up residence in Denmark.
• Returning citizens must have lived abroad for minimum 12 months to qualify for the duty-free importation of household goods; verification from an employer or authorities abroad may be required.
• Owner must be registered as a resident with the Danish authorities (Folkeregister) prior to Customs clearance and the goods must be imported within 12 months of the owner’s arrival.
• Goods may be imported 6 months ahead of owner’s arrival, subject to the shipper providing security to the authorities for the applicable duty, tax and value added tax (VAT) payments.
• Assessing the duties and taxes on used personal effects is tedious and will require considerable handling costs.
• Please note that all consignments entering the European Union (EU) must comply with the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM15) that sets the guidelines for the use of wooden packaging material in international trade.
• Visitors and Danish citizens who do not reside in Denmark cannot import household goods free of duty.
• Diplomats employed with a foreign mission in Denmark may import personal effects free of duty and without a Customs inspection, provided the local mission has issued a Declaration.
• Returning Danish Diplomats do not receive Customs exemptions or privileges, and shipments of household goods and personal effects will be subject to normal Customs regulations, including the payment of duties and taxes for restricted items.
• The duty-free import of household goods and personal effects to a secondary residence in the EU is no longer permitted (as of December 1, 2008).
• The content of any PBO cartons must be declared on the inventory to facilitate Customs clearance.

Motor Vehicles

Documents Required

• Original Registration
• Insurance Card

 

Specific Information

• Cars, motorcycles, airplanes, caravans, pleasure crafts, motor trailers may be imported duty free if in the owner’s possession and registered abroad for a minimum of 6 months.
• The original foreign registration papers and insurance card must be available and submitted to Customs.
• The owner must personally present the vehicle to authorities for registration within 14 days following Customs clearance.
• Danish vehicle registration tax is extremely high and is required.

Pets

Documents Required

•  Rabies Vaccination Record
• Veterinary Health Certificate not more than 1 month old issued by an EU approved veterinarian

 

Specific Information

• The entry of pets is permitted from most countries with valid and available documentation.
• The Veterinary Health Certificate must be issued at least 3 weeks but not more than 12 months prior to departure from the origin country.
• Identification of the animal (tattoo or microchip) will be verified against documents prior to entry.
• All original documents must accompany the pet and be available to authorities at each point of transshipment and border crossings.
• Pets from certain countries may be required to undergo a rabies serological test prior to importation
• Quarantine will not be required for healthy animals.

Restricted/Dutiable Items

• Narcotics and medicines (authorization is required)
• Firearms and ammunition (a license from the Danish Ministry of Justice is required)
• Live plants (a license from the Danish Governmental Plant Protection Service is required)
• Live, dead and pre-manufactured animal parts (authorization and a license from the Danish Nature Conservancy Board is required)

Wine / Spirits / Tobacco

• If alcoholic beverages are included in the shipment a detailed inventory listing brand, alcohol percentage, numbers and bottle size must be included with the shipping documents.
• Except for identical bottles, it is a requirement that the inventory provides a separate listing for each bottle.
• Any quantities of wine and spirits included in household goods shipments must be declared to be for personal consumption. Duty and tax will be assessed on what is declared.
• The amount of duties and taxes will be assessed on the kind, value and quantity of imported tobacco products. Estimates prior to import are not available.
• Except for identical bottles, it is a requirement that the inventory provides a separate listing per bottle.
• The contents of cartons marked Packed by Owner (PBO) must be declared on the inventory.

Inheritances 

• Inheritances, except wine, spirits and tobacco may be imported free of duty within 2 years following the finalization of the estate.
• The shipper must produce documentation in the form of a Will or a Declaration issued and legalized by the lawyers handling the estate.

 

Prohibited Items

• Pornography and subversive materials
• Weapons and ammunitions
• Explosives
• Live, dead and pre-manufactured animal parts outlined in the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Spices of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Consignment Instructions

Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air / sea shipments.
Helpful Website(s):

http://www.state.gov/p/eur/ci/da

http://denmark.dk/?gclid=CI6Q55Cdn7UCFek7OgoddwUAew

http://usa.um.dk