International Removals to USA from UK

If you are only shipping boxes or luggage to USA, we recommend you use our Excess Baggage Service for your move. Your belongings will be sent as part load in a shared container as 'groupage' with other customers. This saves you money as the cost of the container is shared by everyone.

For more details and to get an online quote visit our box shipping to USA page.

The cost of removals to USA from the UK vary considerably as it is such a large country. As we specialise in removals from UK to USA and have years of experience, we are able to offer the best prices.

Removal costs to USA from UK 2019 / 2020

To give you some guideline prices, removals to New York and the East Coast start from around £880 for a small move and £4695 for a full container (average 3 bedroom house). For Los Angeles and the West Coast, costs start from around £1355 for a small move and £5100 for a full container.

If you are moving to Orlando, Florida expect to pay around £998 for a small move and around £5155 for a 3 bedroom house / full container.

Prices for inland areas may be higher as your goods will need to be transferred further from the port.

These quotes are for a full removals service including packing and door to door delivery.

Obviously the exact cost will depend on many factors including the current exchange rate.

We recommend you use our online removal cost calculator or speak to one of our consultants for a more accurate estimate.

When is payment due and will I have to pay a deposit?

Our payment terms are 7 days before removal day and we require a £350 deposit when booking your removal.

Are there additional charges?

All of our estimates are quoted as a door-to-door service. This service includes standard custom clearance as well as other related charges. All related charges information will be clearly listed in your removals quote and explained to you by your Account Manager.

Sea freight shipping times from the UK to USA are around 2-6 weeks for a full container load (FCL) or 7-10 weeks for a shared container / groupage service (Sometimes called less than container load - LCL). In addition, you will also need to allow added time for customs clearance.

Usually it will take our professional packers 2-4 days to pack and load a shipping container.

• UK's leading specialist international removal company
• Help thousands of people move from UK to USA every year
• Over 37 years of experience as international removalists
• Independent family run moving company
• Fully accredited to the highest standards for international moves
• Achieved FIDI FAIM Top Performer Status
• Long serving removal staff with knowledge and expertise
• Staff training by BAR and FIDI
• Members BAR Advance Payment Guarantee Scheme

We do removals from anywhere in the UK (including London, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) to all destinations in USA.

Some of the popular cities in the United States we do removals to include:

New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Austin, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Columbus, Fort Worth, Charlotte, Detroit, El Paso, Memphis, Boston, Seattle, Denver, Washington, Nashville-Davidson

Moving to Regions of North America

Removals to Northeast United States:

New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)

Mid-Atlantic (New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania)

Removals to Midwestern United States:

East North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin)

West North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota)

Removals to Southern United States:

South Atlantic (Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, District of Columbia, and West Virginia)

East South Central (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee)

West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas)

Removals to Western United States:

Mountain (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming)

Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington)

Puerto Rico and other US territories

You can use our online calculator to get a quick estimate.

However, for a more accurate quote we recommend you book an appointment for a Home Survey or Video Survey with one of our International Removal Consultants. 

Not only will they be able to calculate your volume, but they will also provide free expert advice on packing requirements, the shipping process, customs and what you should and should not take.

The United States has some strict rules about what can and cannot be imported. This includes the usual contraband that you might expect, but can also cover consumer goods allowed in some countries but banned in USA for health and safety reasons.

It is therefore important you check the USA Border Services Agency website to avoid problems when your goods arrive.

Even for restricted goods inspection fees can apply.

For more details download our customs guide for removals to USA.

Regardless of how you travel into USA, you and your personal goods must pass through customs upon arrival. USA has a  list of items that are either prohibited or on restricted entry into the country, which you should observe before your consignment is shipped or risk facing refused entry or prosecution.

Also, you must ensure that you thoroughly clean any outdoor items before shipping.

Restricted Imports to USA where approval maybe required include

• Medicines & therapeutic drugs (must have prescription and no more than 3-6 months supply)
• Alcohol & wine will require a permit (importation is only allowed to certain states, please check)
• Bamboo, wicker or cane items
• Fishing knives and martial art weapons

Prohibited Imports to USA

• Seeds, plants and dried floral arrangements
• Raw untreated wood or bark
• Food and meats
• Endangered animal fur, skins, tusks or ivory
• Firearms (purchased and manufactured outside of the USA will require a firearms permit and CANNOT be shipped with household effects, they must be shipped separately through a firearms dealer
  

For more US customs information visit the USA Government website.

Artwork and Antiques

Items must be at least 100 years old before they will be classed as antiques and admitted duty free. Artwork shipped as part of a household effects consignment will be duty free provided it has been owned for a minimum of 12 months and is not for sale.

If the artwork or antique has been imported into the USA for resale then duty and taxes would apply.

As PSS are members of BAR your removal costs are covered by the BAR Advance Payment Guarantee Scheme. As a member of FIDI Global Alliance and having achieved FIDI FAIM top performer status, you can be assured that PSS and our partners in America have the highest standards of professionalism in international moves.

However, due to the nature of international removals and shipping, it is highly recommended that you take out a Maritime Insurance policy or Shipment Protection Cover. At PSS we offer and recommend Shipment Protection Cover which is very flexible and has a lot of advantages.

PSS International Shipment Protection Cover

Our policy is quick and easy to set up, simply complete our Shipment Protection valuation form with the items you would like to cover and their values.

Actual costs are calculated as a percentage of the value you wish to cover. These vary depending on whether it's self-packed or packed by professional overseas movers. For more information speak to one of our advisers.

Your Move Manager will advise you on what you'll need to do to prepare items for moving day, including which items need cleaning and disinfecting.

Please advise us beforehand if you decide to take additional items so we can ensure that they will fit on the container and also if necessary update your quote.

On moving day our professional and friendly international movers and packers will take care of everything for you. Typically for a full house overseas removal, they begin packing furniture on day one and your shipping container will arrive for loading sometime on day two.

For part container loads we will take your packed belongings to our depot for loading onto the container.

Our specially trained and experienced export packers will ensure all your belongings are speedily but carefully packed before being loaded into your shipping container. 4,000 miles by sea from UK to United States is a long journey so higher packing standards and different techniques are needed than used by a standard domestic removal company.

For delicate items and antiques we have even higher grade materials including custom made wooden crates if required.

For international furniture removals, items need to be wrapped and packed to a high standard to ensure they arrive at your new house in perfect condition no matter whether it's sofas, tables, chairs or other furniture.

We use export standard packing materials and professionally trained packers who specialise in international removals to ensure your furniture arrives in perfect condition.

It is recommended to use professional international removalists who are specially trained and experienced in export wrapping and packing for overseas furniture removals.

However, we do have an option available if you want to pack your belongings yourself.

We are able to help you ship vehicles overseas including cars, motorcycles, motorhomes and caravans to United States. They can be shipped in the same container as your household goods or separately.

There are a number of factors you need to consider when importing cars into USA, so we suggest you speak to one of our advisers or visit our USA vehicle shipping page for more information.

Your dedicated Move Manager will advise you on the required shipping documents and help you with their completion. Example documents required are:

• US Customs form 3299 
• Customs Supplemental Declaration for unaccompanied household effects 
• Removal inventory (PSS will prepare this if PSS are packing) 
• Power of Attorney form
• Copy of your passport and visa
• Valuation form for Shipment Protection cover
• Purchase receipts (only applicable if you are importing any newly purchased goods)

USA Customs Duties, Taxes and Other Fees

Customs duties and import taxes are the responsibility of the person shipping and will need to be paid separately to USA Customs, although the local shipping agent at your destination port may handle these for you.

In most cases immigrants and returning residents are allowed to import used household and personal effects into USA duty free. They will have need to have been in the owner's use and possession abroad for at least one year, and will keep on being used by the owner in the new residence.

You will need to check with your shipping company that you meet the criteria. There may, however, be other customs related charges and fees you need to pay.

• We will contact you before your container arrives at the port in USA; this is to ascertain your requirements regarding delivery. If you are not ready to take delivery we can arrange storage at extremely preferential rate.
• We recommend that you contact our agents immediately upon your arrival as you will be required to complete a customs form and produce your passport.
• All goods which arrive into USA are subject to American customs clearance.
• Shipper must have arrived in U.S. by the time the goods arrive. Failure to comply will result in clearance delays and possible additional charges at the port.
• Once we have received clearance we will make contact with you to arrange a suitable date to deliver your effects to your new home. Our crew will arrive at your new property and place your items in the rooms of your choice and unwrap and remove the packing material. 

Customs regulations and duties are subject to change so we suggest you check that you have the most up to date information. A FIDI Guide to USA Customs is available here.

If you don’t meet the criteria for household effects or your goods are deemed commercial imports then Customs Duty and other taxes may apply.

These fees will often be handled for you by the shipping company’s agent in USA and you will need to reimburse them before your shipment can be delivered.

PSS International provide a full door to door international removal service which includes delivery of items to your new home.

We will contact you before your container arrives in USA to ensure that we have all your relevant paperwork to enable us to start the customs clearance process as well as making sure that we have your correct requirements in place for delivery.

Once the customs clearance of your goods has taken place we can then arrange your delivery and the unpacking of your goods. Our crew will arrive at your new property and place your items in the rooms of your choice and unwrap and remove the packing material. If you are not ready to take delivery then we can offer competitive storage rates for your goods at one of our local USAn depots.

• Delivery to all locations in USA
• Dedicated FIDI regulated international movers in USA
• Dedicated import clerk in USA
• Customs clearance
• Up to date information on delivery & customs clearance process
• Trained import delivery removalist team (by professional USAn movers and packers)
• Unpacking of all furniture & removal of any packaging materials on the day of delivery

This is not a problem as all we will require is a contact address and contact details. The delivery address can be advised at a later date or when you arrive.

If required, we can also arrange storage of your household goods and personal effects in USA whilst you arrange your new home. Once you're ready our local movers will be able to deliver your belongings.