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MOVING TO ENGLAND • CALIFORNIA • BAY AREA • IAM MEMBER
Moving company to England from California: CG Moving Company, Inc. coordinates international household goods shipments from the Bay Area and California to England. As a member of the International Association of Movers (IAM), CG Moving Company works with a vetted IAM agent in England for customs clearance and delivery at the UK address. Federal operating authority USDOT 3907428. California intrastate authority CPUC MTR 0190922. City and County of San Francisco approved vendor no. 96965. Free survey and written estimate before any commitment.
International Association of Movers
Transfer of Residence documentation
Federal operating authority
CA intrastate authority
South San Francisco, CA
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Pacific. Moving to England from California. IAM member. HMRC ToR documentation. Free survey and estimate before booking.
CG Moving provides interstate moves from California. USDOT 3907428. Free survey.
CG Moving Company coordinates moves to England from California for Bay Area residents relocating to Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Turin, and the Amalfi Coast, and other UK destinations. International household goods shipments to England are arranged by sea freight from California ports. The IAM agent in England handles customs clearance and delivery at the UK address. Every England move begins with a free pre-move survey and a written estimate.
Moving from California to England involves several steps that differ from a domestic move: export packing to international standards, an inventory list for UK customs, sea freight booking to a UK port (typically Genoa, Livorno, or Naples), UK customs clearance, and delivery by the IAM England agent. CG Moving Company handles the California side. The England agent handles the receiving side.
The full international moving hub covering England, England, England, England, England, and other destinations from the Bay Area and California.
Export packing to international shipping standards. Required for all household goods shipments to England from California.
Bay Area residential pickup for England moves. The California side of the England move starts as a standard Bay Area residential move.
Specialty items in England moves: pianos, fine art, antiques, and high-value items needing specialist packing and export documentation.
CG Moving ships household goods from California to England with HMRC ToR documentation.
CG Moving Company handles the following aspects of a California to England move.
England is the only destination in this international silo that is not an EU member state. Post-Brexit, household goods imported to England from California are subject to UK customs rules administered by HMRC, not EU customs. The HMRC Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief is the primary mechanism for duty-free household goods importation to England. To qualify, the importer must have been living outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months and must be transferring their normal place of residence to England. The ToR application (Form ToR01) is submitted online to HMRC before the shipment arrives.
Form ToR01 is submitted online through the HMRC website before the shipment arrives at the UK port. The application requires: proof of the overseas address being vacated (such as a lease termination or utility bill), evidence of 12 consecutive months of residence outside the UK, a copy of the applicant's passport, and a detailed itemised inventory of all household goods in the shipment. CG Moving Company prepares the detailed inventory on the California side. The ToR application itself is submitted by the individual or their UK customs agent.
Most California to England moves use sea freight. Full Container Load (FCL) is a dedicated 20-foot or 40-foot container for your household goods alone, recommended for households above approximately 800 cubic feet. Groupage (LCL) is more economical for smaller volumes. Transit time from California ports (Oakland or Los Angeles) to UK ports (Felixstowe or Tilbury) is typically 18 to 25 days depending on the shipping route and vessel schedule.
Household goods from California to England arrive at one of two main UK ports. Felixstowe (Suffolk) is the UK's largest container port and handles the majority of transatlantic household goods shipments to England. Tilbury (Thames Estuary, near London) is used for shipments destined for London and the south-east. From the UK port, the IAM England agent arranges delivery to any English address: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, or elsewhere.
All household goods shipped to England from California must be export-packed to international shipping standards. CG Moving Company uses new double-wall cartons, custom crating for fragile or high-value items, and professional furniture wrapping. A room-by-room itemised inventory with descriptions and declared values is created during packing. This inventory is used for both the HMRC ToR01 application and the UK port customs declaration.
The IAM England agent receives the shipment at Felixstowe or Tilbury, handles HMRC customs clearance using the pre-approved ToR01 relief and the itemised inventory, and arranges delivery to the destination address in England. Standard delivery includes placement in the designated rooms. CG Moving Company tracks the shipment throughout transit and keeps the customer updated on the HMRC clearance timeline.
CG Moving handles every step: pre-move survey, COI, loading, and placement at destination.
A California to England move is coordinated in two stages: the California side, handled by CG Moving Company, and the England side, handled by the IAM agent in England.
1
The survey confirms the household goods volume (cubic feet or cubic meters), the destination city in England, the required delivery timeline, and the customer's HMRC ToR qualification status (12 months outside the UK, intended UK residence). The volume determines whether FCL or groupage is the recommended shipping method. The ToR status determines what documentation is needed for the duty-free HMRC clearance. The survey is completed in person at the California address or remotely.
2
CG Moving Company packs the household goods at the California address, creating a room-by-room itemised inventory with descriptions and approximate replacement values for every item. This inventory is used for both the HMRC Form ToR01 application and the UK port customs declaration. CG Moving Company provides the inventory in the format needed for the ToR01 application. All goods are packed to UK shipping standards. A Bill of Lading is issued by the freight forwarder.
3
The container is transported to the California port and loaded on the vessel. Transit time from California to Felixstowe or Tilbury is typically 18 to 25 days depending on the shipping route. CG Moving Company provides the customer with the vessel name and Bill of Lading number for tracking during transit. The IAM England agent is notified of the expected UK port arrival date.
4
The IAM England agent receives the shipment at the UK port (Felixstowe or Tilbury), presents the pre-approved ToR01 documentation to HMRC, clears customs, and arranges delivery to the destination address. The customer is notified when HMRC clearance is complete and given the expected delivery date. The IAM England agent contacts the customer directly for delivery scheduling.
England move costs depend on shipping weight, container type, HMRC ToR status, and destination city.
California to England moving costs are driven by shipment volume, the destination city in England, the shipping method. All are confirmed in the pre-move survey before the estimate is issued.
The primary cost driver. Volume determines whether FCL or groupage is appropriate. A two-bedroom apartment typically ships as groupage; a three-bedroom or larger house typically fills a 20-foot container. Volume is confirmed in the pre-move survey.
Barcelona (north-east), Livorno (Tuscany), or Bilbao (north) are the main receiving ports. The destination city in England determines which port is most practical and affects the final delivery distance from port to door.
Marine cargo insurance is available and recommended for all California to England shipments. Export packing to international standards is included in the quoted scope. Specialty items (pianos, fine art, antiques) require custom crating and additional documentation and are quoted separately.
Common factors that affect a California to England move estimate:
Shipment volume: determines FCL vs. groupage vs. air freight (quoted in the pre-move survey)
Destination city in England: determines port of entry and final delivery distance from port
UK customs (DGDDI): duty-free franchise confirmed when residency documentation is in order
Export packing: included in the California-side quote; required for all shipments to England
Marine cargo insurance: available and recommended for California to England shipments
Specialty items: fine art, pianos, antiques requiring custom crating and additional UK customs documentation
CG Moving Company reviews the shipment volume, UK destination city, residency status, and specialty items before preparing a written estimate. The estimate covers the California side of the move. England agent charges are confirmed by the England agent separately. No charges are added after the California-side estimate is agreed.
CG Moving has served the Bay Area since 2005. CPUC MTR 0190922. SF vendor 96965.
CG Moving Company, Inc. has coordinated California to England moves for Bay Area residents since 2005. As a member of the International Association of Movers (IAM), CG Moving Company has access to a vetted IAM agent network in England for HMRC customs clearance and delivery at the English address. Founded by Charlie Gonzalez in South San Francisco. Federal authority USDOT 3907428, MC 1441357. CPUC MTR 0190922. SF vendor no. 96965. CA small business cert. no. 1745559. CPUC MBE cert. no. 15050132.
GS-33F-0063X
CAGE 4PAJ1 | SAM.gov
California
State agency procurement
CPUC MTR 0190922
CA DMV MCP 0426662
No. 96965
City and County of San Francisco
USDOT 3907428
MC 1441357
C61/D34 No. 987530
Furniture installation
Call 888-508-7838 to book a free move survey. Written estimate before your move date.
Tell us the origin address in California, the destination city in England, your preferred move-out date, the number of rooms (approximate volume), and your UK residency or right-to-reside status for HMRC ToR documentation. Note any specialty items (pianos, fine art, antiques). The survey is completed in person or remotely. England move estimates are confirmed within 48 hours.
CG Moving Company handles the California side: pre-move survey, export packing, itemised inventory for HMRC customs, support with the ToR01 application documentation, loading and export documentation, and coordination with the IAM England agent. The England agent handles HMRC customs clearance and delivery at the English address. Marine cargo insurance is available and recommended.
Free England Move Survey across San Francisco and the Bay Area
CG Moving serves the full Bay Area. See all locations at /movers-near-me/california
CG Moving Company coordinates California to England moves from any Bay Area or California address. Pre-shipment storage at 1755 Mission Rd, South San Francisco, is available before the England sailing date.
San Francisco
Moves to England coordinated from all SF neighbourhoods. IAM member. USDOT 3907428. Export packing and UK customs documentation included. SF vendor no. 96965.
Peninsula / San Mateo County
Moves to England coordinated from South San Francisco, San Mateo, Redwood City, and the Peninsula. CG Moving picks up from any Peninsula address for England shipments.
East Bay
Moves to England coordinated from Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, and Alameda County. Bay Area pickup for California to England household goods shipments.
Silicon Valley
Moves to England coordinated from San Jose, Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale. Silicon Valley to England household goods shipments through Bay Area port.
Marin County / North Bay
Moves to England coordinated from San Rafael, Mill Valley, Sausalito, and Marin County. Marin to England household goods shipments.
Common questions about CG Moving services, licensing, COI, and costs answered below.
No. England left the European Union in 2020 (Brexit). Household goods imported to England from California are now subject to UK customs rules administered by HMRC, not EU customs regulations. The relevant relief for duty-free importation of household goods is the HMRC Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief, applied for using Form ToR01 online before the shipment arrives at the UK port.
HMRC Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief allows individuals transferring their normal place of residence to England to import household goods duty-free. To qualify, the applicant must have been living outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months and must intend to transfer their normal place of residence to England. The application is submitted online through the HMRC website using Form ToR01 before the shipment arrives. The ToR01 requires a list of all household goods being imported.
Form ToR01 is submitted online to HMRC before your shipment arrives at the UK port. Required information includes: proof of overseas address being vacated, evidence of at least 12 months residence outside the UK, a passport copy, and a detailed itemised inventory of all household goods in the shipment. CG Moving Company prepares the itemised inventory on the California side in the format needed for the ToR01. The ToR01 itself is submitted by the individual or their appointed UK customs agent.
Sea freight from California to England takes approximately 18 to 25 days on the vessel from Oakland or Los Angeles to Felixstowe (Suffolk) or Tilbury (Thames Estuary). The total door-to-door timeline from Bay Area pickup to delivery at the English address is typically 6 to 10 weeks, including pre-shipment preparation in California and HMRC customs clearance at the UK port.
Household goods from California to England most commonly arrive at Felixstowe (Suffolk), the UK’s largest container port. Shipments destined for London and the south-east may arrive at Tilbury (Thames Estuary, near London). The IAM England agent coordinates delivery from the UK port to any English address: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, and elsewhere.
UK import regulations restrict certain food products, plants, and agricultural items. Personal quantities of wine for private use are generally permitted as part of household effects within reasonable limits. Commercial quantities are not. Plant-based foods are subject to UK biosecurity rules post-Brexit. CG Moving Company advises on any known restricted items at the survey stage; the IAM England agent advises on the full UK customs restriction list.
Marine cargo insurance is not automatically included but is available and strongly recommended for all California to England shipments. The insurance covers the declared replacement value of the household goods for loss or damage during the sea voyage to Felixstowe or Tilbury. The premium and coverage terms are confirmed at the time of the California-side booking.
This page covers England specifically. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are part of the United Kingdom and follow the same HMRC ToR relief process for household goods importation. CG Moving Company can coordinate UK moves to Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish destinations through the IAM UK agent network. Call 888-508-7838 to confirm coverage for specific destinations outside England.
Call 888-508-7838 to book a free move survey. Written estimate before your move date.
Whether you are moving from San Francisco to London, from the Peninsula to Manchester, from Silicon Valley to Birmingham, or from anywhere in California to any English destination, CG Moving Company coordinates the California side of the England move from the pre-move survey through loading and export, including HMRC ToR documentation support. The IAM England agent handles HMRC customs clearance and delivery at the English address.
CG Moving Company is a member of the International Association of Movers (IAM). Federal operating authority USDOT 3907428, MC 1441357. CPUC MTR 0190922. SF vendor no. 96965. Pre-shipment storage at 1755 Mission Rd. CA small business cert. no. 1745559. CPUC MBE cert. no. 15050132. Every England move starts with a free California-side survey and a written estimate.
International moving services across San Francisco, the Bay Area, and California.
CG Moving Company, Inc.
1755 Mission Rd, South San Francisco, CA 94080
Phone: 888-508-7838
CPUC MTR 0190922 | USDOT 3907428 | CSLB C61/D34 No. 987530 | GSA GS-33F-0063X
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Pacific. After-hours and weekend international moving services scheduled on request.