Moving to the USA by container: what drives the price and who is liable

A move across the Atlantic involves a lot of players: packers, mover, shipping line, customs, port and the truck driver who finally pulls up at your new house. What the container really costs you depends less on the price per cubic meter than on the items missing from the quote.

A move across the Atlantic involves a lot of players: packers, mover, shipping line, customs, port and the truck driver who finally pulls up at your new house. What the container really costs you depends less on the price per cubic meter than on the items missing from the quote. This guide shows you the options, how to vet a mover, what drives the price, who is liable if something breaks, and when it is smarter to sell almost everything. Which items may enter the USA duty-free, and which may not enter at all, is covered in our guide Clearing household goods through customs.

1Full container, shared container or air freight: three ways across the Atlantic

For a whole household, your own container is the standard. The packers arrive, wrap furniture and boxes, load everything into a container outside your door, and the container is sealed. It is only opened again at the destination, unless customs takes a look along the way. Containers come in two common lengths, 20 and 40 feet. Your mover will work out which size your household needs after the survey.

For a smaller household or a few pieces of furniture, there is groupage (a shared container). Your boxes travel together with other customers' shipments in one container. That is cheaper for small volumes, but your belongings are handled more often and sit in a warehouse until the container is full. For advance filing with US customs this is no problem: CBP has a dedicated filing route for household goods traveling in a container with other shipments (CBP, ISF FAQ).

Air freight makes sense for a few boxes that need to arrive fast: documents, kids' toys, work equipment. It is expensive, but quick. Many families combine: a container for the furniture, air freight or excess baggage for what they need in the first weeks. Whichever route you take, duty-free household goods require the declaration on CBP Form 3299 (19 CFR 148.6, 148.52).

2Vetting the mover: license, quote, fine print

The most important step costs nothing. Every moving company offering to ship household goods or a car by sea to or from the USA must be licensed or registered with the Federal Maritime Commission. The FMC keeps a public directory of licensed and bonded companies (FMC, Moving Dos and Don'ts). Ask who handles the ocean shipping and US customs clearance, and check that name too. The FMC points out that the mover you hire often never touches your belongings itself, but uses subcontractors.

Second, the quote. International movers usually charge by volume or weight. According to the FMC, online calculators and phone estimates based on the number of rooms are often inaccurate, so ask for several written quotes based on an in-home survey. Third, the fine print: which services are included and which are not, whether the mover handles customs clearance, how payment works and what happens if you cancel. And fourth, the FMC's warning: do not automatically pick the cheapest quote. Dishonest companies often lure customers with low bids (FMC).

2.1How to spot a good quote

• It states the estimated volume and the container size, and explains what happens if there is more.
• It lists packing, transport to the port, ocean freight, port and handling fees at the destination port, customs clearance and delivery separately.
• It says who pays for a customs inspection and storage fees.
• It includes an insurance offer with terms, not just a premium.
• It names the American partner handling delivery, with its FMC license.

3What drives the price: volume, port, customs and what the quote leaves out

The biggest cost is volume. Every wardrobe you leave behind saves money, twice in fact: on shipping and on the space you would need for it in America. The second cost block is the port. According to the FMC, port and handling fees are often left out of international moving quotes and billed later. Ask about them explicitly.

The third block is customs. Household goods that meet the conditions are duty-free, but an inspection still costs money. If CBP selects your container, it can be taken to an inspection facility and opened there (19 CFR 151.7, 151.15). The cost of preparing the goods for examination and closing the packages again is borne by the importer, meaning you (19 CFR 151.6). On top of that come the fees of the privately operated inspection facility, which bills its services directly (19 CFR 118.4). You will not know in advance whether your container gets inspected; a good quote tells you what it will cost if it does.

The fourth block is time. If the container arrives before you have an address, it sits at the port or in a warehouse, and both cost money. If goods go unclaimed, customs moves them to a bonded warehouse after 15 days, at the owner's risk and expense; after six months they are auctioned off (CBP, Customs Duty Information). So match the pickup date to your lease, and plan for storage if that does not work out. How to find an apartment quickly, even without an American credit history, is covered in our guide Renting an apartment in the USA.

3.1Who pays for the move, and what the IRS has to say

If your US employer pays for the move, enjoy it, but do the math. Since 2018, moving expense reimbursements from an employer are no longer a tax-free benefit for federal tax purposes but taxable wages, and you can no longer deduct moving expenses yourself. The only exceptions are active-duty military members moving under orders and, since 2026, intelligence community employees transferred for work (Internal Revenue Code §§ 132(g)(2), 217(k)). So a generous relocation allowance raises your taxable income. Ask your employer whether they will cover the tax on it. What the move costs overall, from the container to start-up capital to ongoing costs, is covered in our guide What does it cost to move to the USA.

4The process: from survey to delivery

The process is much the same with every reputable mover. After the survey you get a quote, and once you book, a packing date. Before that, you sort: what comes along, what gets sold, what goes into storage. On packing day the packers draw up an inventory with numbered packages. Check it before you sign, because it later forms the basis for the customs declaration and for any damage claim. Mark what is new; newly bought items do not count as duty-free household goods.

Next, the mover needs your details for the advance filing with US customs. For containers, the Importer Security Filing must be submitted 24 hours before loading at the port of departure. Household goods have their own filing type, Type 03, with no customs bond; without an American Social Security number you are filed with your passport number, country of issue and date of birth (CBP, ISF FAQ). Add to that the signed declaration on CBP Form 3299 and the packing list the form requires.

Do you have to arrive with the container? No. Your household goods may travel before or after you. If the declaration cannot be presented at clearance, it can be submitted within six months against a bond (19 CFR 148.52(c)). And they can come long after you: household goods generally stay duty-free if they arrive within ten years of your last arrival from the country where you used them (19 CFR 148.52(d)). That is why some families come with suitcases first, live in a furnished place for a year and only ship the container once they know where they will settle.

At the destination, customs checks the paperwork and either releases or inspects the shipment, and the American partner delivers, unpacks and takes the packing material away if that was agreed. When unpacking, check every box against the inventory and record any damage right away, in writing, with photos.

5Liability and insurance: why 500 dollars per package is not enough

Containers rarely go overboard, but scratches, moisture and breakage do happen. Who is liable then is quickly explained and not very comforting. Under the American Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, the shipping line is liable for no more than $500 per package, unless the nature and value of the goods were declared before shipment and entered in the bill of lading (§ 4(5), 46 U.S.C. 30701 Note). That may cover a box of dishes, but not the piano or the antique Biedermeier chest.

Moving companies also usually limit their liability for loss and damage, which is why they offer insurance at an extra charge. The FMC advises you to get the insurance terms before you sign and to read them carefully (FMC, Moving Dos and Don'ts). Check whether items are replaced at new value or current value, whether boxes you packed yourself are covered, what deductible applies and how soon you must report a claim. Make a separate list of valuable items with photos and values. Jewelry, cash, important documents and hard drives go in your carry-on, not in the container.

6What goes in the container, and what stays home

The rule of thumb: take less. Furniture with a story, books, pictures, tools and heirlooms are worth shipping. Electrical appliances usually aren't, because America runs on a different voltage and frequency, and the plugs don't fit; what that means for lamps, kitchen appliances and chargers is covered in our article on phones, internet and power. Cheap furniture often costs more to ship than it's worth.

Never put food containing meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, weapons and ammunition, cash or pets in the container. The details of what customs requires are in our guide Clearing household goods through customs, and for dogs and cats in Moving to the USA with a dog and Moving to the USA with a cat. Your car can go in a container, but in most cases you should sell it in Europe, because it has to meet American safety and emissions standards and is subject to duty when you move.

7Is a container even worth it? The decision before you pack

Many people ask the most honest question too late: is it worth shipping your household at all? For a family moving for good, with a furnished home full of furniture, books and memories, usually yes. For someone coming on a trial basis, or who doesn't yet know which state they'll end up in, probably not. Rent furnished first and you can send the container later, once you know how big your new home is, which furniture fits and whether you're staying.

For anyone who truly wants America, our recommendation is Texas. If you're still torn between states, our article Where in America is the best place to live? will help. And for everything besides the container in your first 90 days, from your bank account to school, see the checklist Arriving in the USA.

In short

• A full household justifies your own container, a few pieces of furniture a shared container, and urgent boxes air freight.
• Every mover shipping household goods to the USA by sea must be licensed or registered with the Federal Maritime Commission; check its directory.
• Pricing is based on volume or weight. Get several written quotes after an in-home survey and watch for excluded items such as port fees and customs inspections.
• Without a declared value, the carrier is liable for no more than $500 per package. Take out transit insurance and read its terms.
• A relocation allowance from your employer is taxable wages in the USA, and you can't deduct moving expenses on your federal taxes.

How we help you

• ConsultationOne hour with the firm: your case, your questions, a clear answer.
• Moving to the USAVisa, bank account, taxes and where to live: your move with Mount Bonnell Advisors.
• US Bank Account OpeningYour own access to the American financial system, even without an SSN.