Shipping Furniture from the UK to Malta

For smaller furniture loads, a shared container is normally the most economical sea-freight option.

You pay according to the space your professionally packed furniture occupies rather than paying for an entire container yourself.

Current smaller furniture moves start from around £865.

It depends on the furniture.

High-quality furniture, complete sets, bespoke pieces, antiques and sentimental furniture can be strong candidates for shipping.

Very bulky low-value furniture can be less economical. Compare the cost of shipping with the cost and availability of buying an equivalent-quality replacement after arriving in Malta.

Yes. You do not need to fill an entire container.

Our shared-container service is designed for smaller shipments containing selected furniture, part of a home or furniture combined with boxes and other personal belongings.

Yes. Sofas can be professionally export packed and included in either a shared or dedicated container.

Because sofas occupy substantial cubic space, their dimensions affect the cost of a shared-container shipment.

Providing photographs and measurements helps us estimate your likely packed volume.

Yes. Beds, wardrobes, tables, chairs, cabinets and similar household furniture can all be shipped.

Where appropriate, furniture can be dismantled before packing to improve protection and reduce wasted container space.

No. Where dismantling is appropriate, our packing team can deal with suitable furniture as part of the professional packing process.

Not every item should be dismantled. The team will determine the safest and most efficient way to prepare each piece.

Yes. Shared furniture shipments frequently contain furniture, cartons and personal belongings together.

All goods should be accurately included on your inventory and comply with Maltese Customs requirements.

If you want the furniture to qualify for Malta’s transfer-of-residence relief, qualifying household belongings generally need to have been used for at least six months before export.

Newly purchased furniture therefore needs to be identified and declared separately.

For transfer-of-residence relief, Malta Customs generally requires your normal place of residence to have been outside the European Union for a continuous period of at least 12 months.

Yes, but it must be declared correctly.

Malta Customs states that new items are subject to duty and VAT and invoices are required.

Tell your Move Manager about newly purchased furniture before it is shipped.

Malta Customs uses a cash security deposit when household belongings are imported under transfer-of-residence arrangements.

For personal effects, the published calculation is based on 5.3% of declared cost-and-freight value to cover possible duties plus 18% to cover VAT.

The deposit can later be refunded when the relevant residence and ownership conditions have been demonstrated.

Current published sea schedules are taking approximately 21–22 days from the UK to Malta Freeport at Marsaxlokk.

Allow additional time for UK collection and packing, Maltese customs clearance and final delivery.

Yes. Once your furniture has departed, we provide the container details needed to follow its progress to Malta.

Your Move Manager will also keep you informed about arrival, customs clearance and delivery arrangements.

They can.

Malta Customs can inspect imported household goods, compare the contents against your declared inventory and request further supporting documents before releasing the shipment.

Accurate packing lists and clear identification of new or restricted goods help reduce avoidable clearance issues.

Normal finished household furniture can generally be shipped.

Items containing protected timbers, untreated plant products, cane, bamboo or other unusual natural materials can require additional controls or permits.

Tell us about unusual furniture before shipment.

Yes, subject to the materials involved and any import restrictions.

Antiques, mirrors, artwork and particularly valuable furniture may require additional protective packing or bespoke crating.

Items containing protected plant or animal materials should be identified before shipping.

Shipment protection is not compulsory in every case, but international furniture can be expensive to repair or replace.

Our Move Protect options are based on the replacement values you declare and are particularly relevant for valuable, fragile, bespoke or sentimental furniture.

We provide door-to-door delivery throughout Malta and Gozo.

Common destinations include Valletta, Sliema, St Julian’s, Birkirkara, Mosta, Mellieħa, Gżira, Swieqi and other towns throughout the islands.

Not during the initial restricted period without dealing with the Customs implications.

Malta Customs states that relieved belongings cannot generally be lent, hired, pledged or sold before one year has passed from entry into free circulation.

The main factor you can control is volume.

Compare bulky low-value furniture with the cost of replacing it after arrival.

Where suitable, dismantling furniture can reduce wasted container space.

For shared-container shipments, efficient professional packing also matters because your price is linked to the final packed volume.

Booking early gives you more choice over collection dates and time to prepare your Customs documentation.

It is particularly worth checking the six-month-use requirement before committing recently purchased furniture to the shipment.