Moving from Australia to Ireland with more than a suitcase? After a few years here, plenty of us have a full house: the couch, the bikes, the kids’ bunk beds. Getting that lot to Ireland means a shipping container, an international removalist and some Revenue paperwork.
This guide covers what a 20ft or 40ft container from Australia to Ireland costs, how long it takes, how to pick a mover and how to bring it all in without paying customs duty or VAT. Ireland to Australia removals get a section too. We checked every price and rule in October 2026.
Short version
- A 20ft container holds about 33 cubic metres, roughly a 2 to 3 bedroom home. A 40ft holds about 76 and suits 4 bedrooms or more.
- Sirelo puts a 20ft container from Sydney to Ireland at AUD 11,000 to 12,700, and a 40ft at AUD 20,000 to 23,000 (updated June 2026).
- Irish mover AMC Removals lists €8,000 to €11,500 door to door for a 3 bed house in a 20ft from Sydney or Melbourne.
- Allow 8 to 12 weeks from collection to delivery from the east coast, and 10 to 14 weeks from Perth.
- Lived outside the EU for 12 months or more? Your used belongings can come in free of customs duty and VAT under Transfer of Residence relief. Form C&E 1076 goes to Revenue two weeks before they land.
- Only a few boxes or a room’s worth? See our bags and boxes shipping guide.
Which option fits your move?
Here’s how the options line up, smallest to biggest.
| Option | Best for |
|---|---|
| Bags and boxes by air | Suitcases, boxes, golf clubs, up to a few hundred kilos |
| Seven Seas MoveCube by sea | The contents of a room or a flat |
| Part load (LCL, shared or groupage) | Studios and 1 or 2 bedroom apartments, according to AMC |
| Your own 20ft container (FCL), about 33 cubic metres | A 2 to 3 bedroom home |
| Your own 40ft container, about 76 cubic metres | A 4 bedroom home or bigger, and possibly a car |
The sizes are from Sirelo, and AMC Removals agrees on what fits. With a part load you share a container and pay for the space you use. Palmers Relocations says the price gap between shared and your own container shrinks as your volume grows, and AMC says your own container doesn’t wait to be consolidated at a hub port.
For a room or two, look at the Seven Seas Worldwide MoveCube (10% off through us). For a few boxes, try Send My Bag (5% off your first order). Our shipping guide covers both.
How much does it cost to ship a container from Australia to Ireland?
Nobody can give you a real price without seeing your stuff, but two sources publish figures for this route. Treat them as indicative only.
Door to door, by home size
AMC Removals & Storage, an international mover in Naas, Co. Kildare, lists these prices from Sydney or Melbourne on its website (October 2026):
| Your home | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bed, part load | €3,000 to €4,500 |
| 2 bed, part load | €4,500 to €7,000 |
| 2 bed, own 20ft container | €6,000 to €8,500 |
| 3 bed, part load | €6,500 to €10,000 |
| 3 bed, own 20ft container | €8,000 to €11,500 |
| 4 bed, own 20ft container | €10,000 to €14,000 |
| 4 bed, own 40ft container | €13,000 to €18,000 |
Brisbane and Perth cost more: a 4 bed house in a 40ft is €13,500 to €18,500 from Brisbane and €14,500 to €20,000 from Perth. AMC says its prices include collection, packing if booked, export paperwork, ocean freight, Irish port handling, Transfer of Residence customs clearance and delivery. Cars are quoted separately.
Container rates from Sydney
Comparison site Sirelo lists these estimates for Sydney to Ireland, last updated in June 2026:
| Container | Sydney to Ireland (AUD) |
|---|---|
| 20ft | $11,000 to $12,700 |
| 40ft | $20,000 to $23,000 |
Sirelo doesn’t say whether these are door to door or port to port, and it notes that prices shift with volume, season, fuel charges and route.
What changes the price
- Volume. Sirelo calls it a crucial factor, so declutter first.
- Part load or your own container. Sirelo says a part load, port to port, is usually cheapest for smaller moves.
- Where you leave from. On AMC’s guide, Perth is dearest.
- Extras. Packing, insurance and storage all add to the bill.
- Access. Grace and Palmers both check access at your property when they plan a move.
- Timing. Sirelo suggests avoiding the December to February peak.
Moving savings home for a deposit too? Our money transfer guide compares cheaper options than your bank.
How long does shipping from Australia to Ireland take?
AMC gives these sea transit times to Dublin:
- Sydney or Melbourne: 6 to 8 weeks
- Brisbane: 6 to 9 weeks
- Perth (Fremantle): 7 to 10 weeks, the longest of any Australian port
With packing and paperwork, AMC puts collection to delivery at 8 to 12 weeks from the east coast and 10 to 14 weeks from Perth. Sirelo’s Ireland guide says 6 to 9 weeks for a 2 bed home or bigger, and 9 to 12 weeks for a 1 bed. So pack the kettle in your suitcase.
Choosing an international removalist
FIDI-FAIM and AFRA: what the badges mean
FIDI-FAIM. FIDI is a global alliance of international moving and relocation companies. Every member must meet its FAIM quality standard, over 200 requirements. An independent auditor, currently EY, checks each company every three years, finances are assessed yearly, and a company that fails its audit is dropped. FIDI doesn’t settle individual complaints, though.
AFRA. The Australian Furniture Removers Association is the peak body for Australian removalists, with more than 250 members. It says members are screened and regularly audited, and it runs a no-cost dispute resolution process. Search its Find a Removalist page.
Before you sign
- Get three written quotes for the same list of stuff, so you compare like with like.
- Insist on a survey, in person or by video call. AMC does video surveys and Grace offers in-home visits.
- Ask what “door to door” includes: packing, port charges, customs clearance, delivery, unpacking. Get it in writing.
- Sort transit insurance. Grace and Palmers both sell extra cover, and AFRA says most members can sell goods in transit insurance. Read the exclusions.
- Think before packing it yourself. Grace warns that customs packing lists have specific rules and damage cover is limited on owner-packed boxes.
- Ask about storage. No keys yet? AMC, for one, holds goods at its Naas warehouse.
- Ask who files your Transfer of Residence claim. AMC and Palmers both say they handle it.
Australia to Ireland movers: three examples
These are examples of overseas relocation services, not recommendations. Each advertises Australia to Ireland moves on its own website, and each was in FIDI’s affiliate directory in October 2026. Get your own quotes and compare.
- Grace, with branches around Australia. Also an AFRA member.
- Palmers Relocations, moving people overseas since 1980. Also an AFRA member.
- AMC Removals & Storage, an Irish company in Naas that runs moves from Australia.
What you can’t put in the container
Your removalist will give you its own list. Grace, for example, won’t carry aerosols, cooking oils, cleaning solvents, matches, firelighters, pesticides, paint thinners, petrol, kerosene, pool chemicals or firearms.
On the Irish side, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s rules on personal consignments say plants, fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, seeds, soil and timber can’t come in from outside the EU without a phytosanitary (plant health) certificate. Personal consignments of meat and milk products from outside the EU aren’t allowed. So:
- Scrub the soil off bikes, boots, garden tools and outdoor furniture.
- Leave plants, seeds, bags of soil and firewood behind.
- Use up or give away the food, especially anything with meat or dairy.
Palmers notes that wooden furniture, outdoor equipment and plants can attract inspection or quarantine fees. Revenue also lists prohibited and restricted goods.
Moving home tax-free: Transfer of Residence relief
If you qualify, you pay no customs duty or VAT on your household goods and personal belongings. Revenue’s rules say:
- You’ve lived outside the EU for at least 12 months in a row before your move.
- You’ve owned and used the goods for at least 6 months before you move.
- The goods arrive between 6 months before and 12 months after the date you move here to live.
- There’s no relief on trade tools, commercial vehicles, or alcohol and tobacco beyond the normal traveller allowances.
To claim, you or your removalist email form C&E 1076 and supporting documents to Revenue at your arrival port, such as Dublin Port or Cork Port, two weeks before your goods arrive. The addresses are on Revenue’s procedure page. You’ll need proof you lived abroad, proof of your move and proof you owned and used the goods, like receipts, your lease and job letters. Used clothes and toiletries can go down as personal belongings, but list items of value with an estimated current value. Revenue may examine bigger loads at your home, at your cost.
The catch: sell, lend or hire out any of it within 12 months and you pay the import charges after all.
Shipping the car in the container? It goes on the same form, with separate VRT rules. Our moving back to Ireland guide covers that, plus PPS, tax and health insurance.
A simple timeline
- 3 to 4 months out: Book surveys and get quotes. AMC tells clients to start 14 weeks before their Irish move date. Gather receipts and proof of your Australian address.
- Once you’ve picked a mover: Lock in the date, packing and insurance, and sell what isn’t coming. Our leaving Australia guide covers super, banks and tax.
- 10 to 12 weeks out: Packing and collection, going by AMC’s timeline. Clean the outdoor gear first.
- 2 weeks before it lands: C&E 1076 and documents go to Revenue.
- On arrival: Customs clearance, then delivery or storage.
- First 12 months home: Don’t sell, lend or hire out anything that came in tax-free.
Ireland to Australia removals
Moving out rather than home? Your things can come by sea, air or post, and Send My Bag and Seven Seas both collect in Ireland. On arrival, the Australian Border Force’s unaccompanied personal effects concession can let your things in without customs duty or GST. You must be 18 or over, and furniture and household goods must have been owned and used by you for 12 months before you leave for Australia. Book the shipping before you arrive, and clear it with a B534 form.
Every shipment gets a biosecurity assessment, with a close eye on wooden furniture and anything that’s touched soil, like bike tyres and golf clubs. Clean it all, because any treatment is at your expense.
Shipping a container to Ireland: FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a container from Australia to Ireland?
Sirelo puts a 20ft from Sydney at AUD 11,000 to 12,700 and a 40ft at AUD 20,000 to 23,000 (June 2026). AMC lists €8,000 to €11,500 door to door for a 3 bed house in a 20ft. Get your own quotes.
How long does it take?
Six to ten weeks at sea, depending on the port, or 8 to 14 weeks door to door.
Do I pay tax on my belongings moving home to Ireland?
Not if you qualify for Transfer of Residence relief: 12 months outside the EU, goods owned and used for 6 months, and form C&E 1076 sent to Revenue two weeks before they arrive.
Is it cheaper to ship or buy new?
It depends on what you own. Price up replacing your things in Ireland and compare that with your quotes. Sirelo suggests selling furniture and buying again on arrival, since volume drives the cost. New things bought just before you leave won’t come in tax-free, because the relief needs 6 months of ownership and use. Our shipping guide has a rule of thumb on what to sell and what to ship.
Can I ship to Australia from Ireland the same way?
Yes, see the section above. The big difference is that Australia’s concession needs 12 months of ownership and use for furniture and household goods, not 6.
Got a question about shipping, schools or car insurance? Ask the 36,000 plus members of Irish Expats Returning to Ireland on Facebook. ☘️
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Last checked October 2026.