Used furniture and personal belongings shipped by someone moving to the UAE to live for the first time are exempt from customs duty in Dubai; new items are not [1]. Get at least two written quotes after a survey of your home, and compare them line by line on volume, what is included at each end and what happens if something is damaged. Landed does not quote prices: shipping costs depend on volume, method and dates, so a written quote is the only figure to plan with.
Last reviewed 3 November 2026. The UAE government portal's customs page and the Emirates Drug Establishment's medicines page were saved and read in full on 3 November 2026; the Dubai Customs exemption was read from search results. Sources are listed at the end. Landed recommends no removals firm and is paid by none.
How a removals quote works
Used household goods, Dubai
Exempt from duty
For a first-time resident
New items
Duty applies
Dubai Customs exemption rules
Medicines in a shipment
Approval first
Emirates Drug Establishment, free, 1 working day
Landed's price figure
None
Get two written quotes
A quote rests on four things:
- Volume. The firm surveys your home, in person or by video, and estimates the volume of what you are sending. Everything else follows from that number, so make sure the survey covers the loft, the garage and anything in storage.
- Method. Sea freight in a shared or a full container, or air freight for a few boxes you need sooner. Ask the firm to quote the options side by side.
- What each end includes. Door to door means packing in the UK, export paperwork, shipping, UAE customs clearance, delivery and unpacking. A cheaper quote may stop at the UAE port, leaving the clearance and delivery to you.
- Dates. Ask how long each step takes and whether storage is included if your UAE home is not ready.
What to ask before you sign
- Is the quote fixed, or can it change after packing? What would change it?
- Exactly what is included: packing materials, export paperwork, UAE customs clearance, port charges, delivery, unpacking, removal of packing waste?
- Who clears customs in the UAE, and what documents will they need from you?
- What is the firm liable for if goods are lost or damaged, how is that worked out, and is any extra cover included or charged separately?
- Who handles your shipment in the UAE: the same firm or a partner, and how do you contact them?
- How are you charged for storage if delivery is delayed?
- Will they give you an inventory you can check against on delivery?
Get each answer in writing. Compare quotes on the same volume and the same scope, not on the total alone.
UAE customs: what is exempt
Dubai Customs exempts used personal effects and household items brought in by foreigners coming to live in the UAE for the first time; new personal effects and household items are not exempt and duty is charged on them [1]. Reports of the same page give the conditions as proof of work and residence, goods in your own name, quantities suited to furnishing a home, and a full packing list [1]. Each emirate has its own customs authority [2], so if you are moving to Abu Dhabi, ask your removals firm which rules its clearing agent applies there.
Two practical points follow:
- Time the shipment for after your residence visa. Proof of residence is one of the conditions [1], so time the shipment to arrive after your visa is issued, or agree storage at the UAE end.
- Keep receipts for anything new. New items attract duty [1]. Ask your firm how it lists them on the inventory.
Restricted items need approval first
The UAE government portal lists goods that need approval from the relevant authority before they come in [2]. For a household move the ones to check are:
- live animals and plants (Ministry of Climate Change and Environment). The Pets guide covers moving a pet.
- medicines and medical equipment (Ministry of Health and Prevention)
- weapons, ammunition and fireworks (Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior)
- media publications and products (Ministry of Culture and Youth)
- transmission and wireless devices (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority)
- cosmetics and personal care products
Ask your firm for its list of items it will not pack. If anything you own is on the restricted list, check with the authority before it goes in the container.
Prescribed medicines: approval before they enter the UAE
Do not put prescribed medicines in your shipment without checking first. Some prescribed medicines are controlled in the UAE, and residents importing them through a shipping company need an approval from the Emirates Drug Establishment first [3]. The service is free and takes one working day. You apply with UAE Pass and attach a prescription issued in the last three months and a medical report issued in the last year, each stamped by the clinic that treats you [3].
Travelling, you can carry up to three months' supply with the prescription or medical report [3]. The Culture guide has more on medicines.
When to book
- Once you have a signed offer: ask two or three firms for a survey, so you know the volume and the dates.
- Once your visa is under way: book the date that brings the shipment to the UAE after your residence visa, or agree storage.
- Before packing: sort what you sell, store in the UK or take in your luggage. Carry passports, certificates, medicines and anything you need in the first weeks.
- On delivery: check the inventory before you sign, and note any damage on the delivery paperwork.
What this guide does not cover
- Prices. Landed has no sourced figure for shipping costs; the first-month cash calculator leaves the line at zero for your own quote.
- Shipping a car, which is a separate customs process.
- Shipping goods back to the UK. The Keeping Your Options Open guide covers moving back.
Next steps
- Add your quote to the first-month cash calculator to see the whole first month.
- Read the cost of moving guide for the rest of the bill.
- Check your visa timing in the visa timeline tool.
Sources
Checked 3 November 2026.
- Customs duty exemptions (Dubai Customs): used personal effects and household items of foreigners coming to reside for the first time are exempt; new items are not. The conditions (proof of work and residence, goods in the newcomer's name, quantities suited to furnishing a home, a full packing list) are from search results describing the page. Search results, 3 November 2026; the page could not be saved.
- Customs clearance (UAE government portal, updated 27 October 2026): restricted goods need prior approval from the authority named for each; the list of local customs authorities. Saved through Cofounder and read in full, 3 November 2026.
- Issue of permit to import medicines for personal use (Emirates Drug Establishment): approval for residents importing personal narcotic and psychotropic medicines through shipping companies; free; one working day; prescription within three months and medical report within the last year; travellers may carry up to three months' supply. Saved through Cofounder and read in full, 3 November 2026.