Sending your belongings to Iceland by sea
Moving to Iceland, going home after years in Canada, or sending boxes to family? Personal effects travel in a shared ocean container (LCL groupage) from our receiving warehouses in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to Reykjavik. You pay only for the space your boxes take, from USD 7 per cubic foot, and the carrier estimates 20–30 days in transit depending on the gateway and the city.
Personal effects to Iceland are accepted subject to carrier approval: before you pay, we send your packing list and passport copy to the carrier, and only then is the booking confirmed.
Iceland is not in the EU. People moving to Iceland can import used household goods free of duty and VAT when they have owned them for at least a year; Icelandic customs asks for an inventory and proof of residence. A commercial invoice is required for every shipment.
Iceland imports most of what it consumes, and shipping costs and import fees are high, so families moving here often ship their household goods. Strict rules apply to food, plants and animal products, and alcohol is heavily taxed. Reykjavík port is at Sundahöfn, close to the city centre, which makes collection simple for consignees in the capital region.
People moving to Iceland should get a kennitala, the Icelandic ID number, from Registers Iceland before the goods arrive, because customs clearance of household belongings is done under that number. The inventory can be in English, box by box, with used items marked as used. Alcohol, tobacco and vehicles have their own rules and are taxed separately from the household goods.
Winter weather can delay the coastal service and the roads to Akureyri, so households moving to the north of Iceland should allow extra time after the ship reaches Reykjavík.
Rates for household boxes to Iceland
| Destination | From Toronto | From Montreal | From Vancouver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavik | USD 7 / cu ft 20 days · min. USD 512.24 | USD 7 / cu ft 20 days · min. USD 512.24 | USD 9 / cu ft 30 days · min. USD 582.88 |
Example: moving boxes from Toronto to Reykjavik
A medium moving box of 18 × 18 × 16 inches holds 3.0 cubic feet; packed with clothes, books and kitchenware it weighs about 15 kg.
- 10 boxes (30 cu ft, 150 kg): USD 512.24
- 20 boxes (60 cu ft, 300 kg): USD 685.00
- The smallest shipment: USD 512.24
The totals include the A1 processing fee, surcharges and solar fee. The carrier charges by volume or by weight (1,000 kg per CBM), whichever is greater. From the Prairies, with trucking to the port included: Calgary USD 885.00 (via Montreal) and Winnipeg USD 885.00 (via Montreal).
Which Canadian gateway: 20 boxes to Reykjavik
- From Toronto: USD 685.00, about 20 days
- From Montreal: USD 685.00, about 20 days
- From Vancouver: USD 805.00, about 30 days
Toronto is both the least expensive and the fastest gateway to Reykjavik. Choose the warehouse you can reach; from other Canadian cities the calculator shows the lowest of the three.
Documents for personal effects
- Passport copy. The photo page of the shipper's passport. It must be valid (not expired) and the name must match the shipper on the booking and on the packing list. We accept a passport from any country, but no other ID.
- Packing list. Our fillable packing list (PDF) names the shipper and the receiver in Iceland and lists every box: contents, quantity, dimensions, weight and value. Number the boxes and write the same numbers on the list. "Winter clothes, 2 coats, 6 sweaters" is useful; "personal items" is not. Sign it before you upload it.
- Customs value. The total declared value of the shipment may not exceed CAD 2,000.
The carrier's tariff requires a passport copy and a complete, detailed packing list for every personal-effects shipment, and household goods must be professionally packed. More help: how to fill in the packing list.
Packing advice
Your boxes are handled several times: at the warehouse, in the container and at the terminal in Reykjavik. Use new, strong double-wall cartons and fill them completely so they do not collapse under the weight of others; seal every seam with packing tape. Put heavy items such as books in small boxes and light items in larger ones. Write the receiver's name and city in Iceland on two sides of every box. Many boxes can be strapped onto a pallet on ISPM 15 heat-treated wood; you or your mover prepare the pallet, A1 does not palletize.
What not to pack
The carrier does not accept vehicles or parts with fuel, food, plants, animals, medication, weapons, dangerous goods (aerosols, batteries, paint, flammable liquids), cash, jewellery or other valuables. If you are not sure about an item, ask us before you pack it.
Carrier conditions for Iceland
- Commercial Invoice Required
- Subject to ISPM 15 Packing Regulations
Insurance (optional)
Cargo insurance for personal effects is arranged through Marsh Canada (CargoCover): owner-packed goods, all risks, with a USD 300 deductible. To request it, sign the insurance coverage form and complete the valued inventory, then upload both on your booking page before departure. All forms: useful links and forms.
How to book
Calculate the price in the calculator above with the cargo type "Personal effects", accept the quote and upload the passport copy and the signed packing list on your booking page. After the carrier approves the shipment and confirms the destination charges, you pay and receive the labels and the warehouse delivery instructions. You deliver the boxes yourself: A1 does not offer pickup from your home.
Shipping to Iceland by service
A1 services from Canada: Ocean LCL shipping, personal effects, commercial cargo, air freight (on request).
Questions and answers
How much does it cost to ship 20 boxes to Iceland?
Twenty medium moving boxes (about 60 cu ft and 300 kg) from Toronto to Reykjavik cost about USD 685.00 including all A1 fees. Destination charges, duties and taxes are confirmed separately.
Which ID do I need to ship personal effects to Iceland?
A copy of the photo page of the shipper's passport: valid, not expired, and in the same name as the shipper on the booking and the packing list. A passport from any country is accepted; no other ID is.
Can A1 pick up my boxes at home?
No. You or a local mover deliver the packed boxes to our receiving warehouse in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver; the warehouse measures and weighs them and the final price follows those measurements.
Rates valid through December 25, 2026; totals include A1 fees of USD 265.00. Destination charges are confirmed by the carrier, duties and taxes are paid by the consignee, and transit days are the carrier's estimate.