Shipping a Container from United Kingdom to United States

Why this corridor

The UK-US corridor is one of the world's most established relocation routes, underpinned by deep, decades-old business, family and cultural ties rather than any single visa scheme. An estimated 716,260 UK-born people were living in the US as of 2019, per UN migrant stock data cited by the Office for National Statistics — making the US one of the largest British diaspora destinations outside the old Commonwealth. Common reasons people move this route include intracompany transfers within Anglo-American finance, tech, energy and professional-services firms (typically on L-1 visas), specialty-occupation sponsorship (H-1B), treaty-investor routes (E-2) for UK entrepreneurs, and family-based immigration through marriage to a US citizen or permanent resident. New York, California and Texas are consistently the most-cited landing states in relocation-industry commentary, though this isn't a demand ranking MQE has independently measured.

Container options

Any cost figures on this page are modelled indicative ranges, not a quote. Real prices vary by shipping mode (sea vs air), shipment volume (CBM), collection and delivery access at both ends, customs duties and taxes, and current sailing/flight schedules. Get an accurate, no-obligation quote for your specific move using the form on this page.

Ports and gateways

Customs and documentation

This is general orientation, not legal or immigration advice — always confirm your specific situation with an official source or licensed customs broker before you ship. On the UK side, there's generally no formal export customs declaration for used personal and household effects leaving permanently, though you must declare cash of £10,000 or more before leaving for a non-EU destination like the US, and controlled items (firearms, some antiques) need an export licence. On the US side, returning citizens, green card holders and new immigrants can generally bring used household goods in duty-free, but the shipment still needs a formal CBP entry — most movers or brokers file this on your behalf using a detailed inventory.

• Passport, and US visa/immigrant visa or green card documentation where applicable
• CBP Form 3299 – Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles (filed for the US import)
• Detailed, itemized packing/inventory list from your moving company
• Proof of prior UK residence and, for immigrants, evidence goods were used abroad
• UK cash declaration (only if carrying £10,000 or more when leaving the UK)
• Export licence for any controlled items (firearms, certain antiques or cultural property), if applicable

Used household and personal effects generally qualify for duty-free entry to the US for returning citizens, permanent residents and new immigrants under 19 CFR Part 148, Subpart D, and there's no equivalent UK export duty or declaration fee on personal belongings leaving the country. This exemption is aimed at citizens, residents and immigrants — people moving on temporary, non-immigrant work visas (H-1B, L-1, etc.) don't automatically get the same treatment and should check their status-specific eligibility before shipping.

Source: GOV.UK (HMRC) – Take cash in and out of the UK; US Customs and Border Protection – 19 CFR Part 148 Subpart D (Exemptions for Returning Residents) and CBP Form 3299 guidance

How this corridor compares

How the UK-US corridor stacks up against a few other routes UK movers commonly compare it to.

• UK to Australia

  Typically higher for a comparable container, reflecting the much longer sailing distance (directional estimate, not a fixed figure)

  Significantly longer — commonly 6-8 weeks sea transit vs 10-19 days to US East Coast ports

  Australia-bound sailings usually route via the Suez or Panama Canal, adding real distance the transatlantic US corridor doesn't have.

• UK to Canada

  Broadly comparable, since Canada-bound and US-bound sailings often share the same transatlantic vessel strings

  Similar, sometimes slightly shorter to Halifax than to New York on the same service

  ACL's Liverpool route calls Halifax before New York, Baltimore and Norfolk on a single loop, so the two corridors are logistically close cousins.

• UK to Germany

  Typically lower for a comparable volume, since intra-Europe moves can often go by road or short-sea ferry instead of deep-sea container (directional estimate)

  Much shorter — days rather than weeks, since it isn't a transatlantic sailing

  The US corridor is a genuine ocean crossing with full US customs entry; a Germany move usually isn't.

Frequently asked questions