Removals to the Canaries
Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote

What is it like moving to the Canary Islands?

Moving from the UK to the Canary Islands combines a road leg to a mainland port with a sea-freight crossing. The Canaries sit outside the EU VAT area and use their own tax, IGIC, so the goods are cleared through Canary customs on arrival, which is where the change-of-residence relief is claimed.

The Canary Islands are the longest single-route move on our network — the goods cross from UK to Spanish mainland (via Eurotunnel + France overland or direct ferry to northern Spain), travel under customs transit to a mainland port such as Cádiz or Huelva, then take a sea-freight crossing to the Canaries, where they are cleared on arrival. The sea leg makes this the longest route we run, and your written quote sets out the delivery window.

The Canary Islands are part of Spain (and the EU) but have their own customs zone — the IGIC (Impuesto General Indirecto Canario) replaces standard Spanish IVA, and the customs paperwork at island arrival is slightly different from mainland Spain. We handle the Canary-specific aduana process; the implications for UK movers are manageable but worth understanding ahead of time.

Tenerife is the largest Canary destination — Santa Cruz de Tenerife (the capital), the southern-coast resort strip (Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Las Galletas), and the Orotava-Puerto de la Cruz northern-coast traditional town. Gran Canaria is similar — Las Palmas (the capital), the southern Maspalomas resort coast, and the inland villages.

The smaller islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro) are quieter destinations with smaller UK communities. Each has its own ferry connection from the larger islands; we coordinate the inter-island leg as needed.

Two things set the Canary leg apart. The first is customs: the islands are inside the EU customs territory but outside its VAT area, so goods arriving there are declared to Canary customs on their own import declaration, and the change-of-residence relief is claimed under the Canary rules rather than against IVA. The second is handling: at the mainland port the goods usually move from the lorry into a container or onto a trailer for the crossing, so they are handled once more than on a mainland move, and we pack and inventory with that in mind. For the smaller islands, a further inter-island ferry is booked from Tenerife or Gran Canaria once the goods have cleared.

Which Spanish paperwork applies
in the Canary Islands?

• Oficina de Extranjería de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: for Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura.
• Oficina de Extranjería de Santa Cruz de Tenerife: for Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro.
• Cabildos (island governments) in each island: for some practical formalities.
• Ayuntamientos in each Canarian municipality: for padrón.

Routes to the Canary Islands
from your UK origin

Common questions
about moves to the Canary Islands

• How do I get my goods to the Canary Islands?

  The goods travel by road to a mainland port under customs transit, cross by sea freight, and are cleared through Canary customs on arrival, which is where the change-of-residence relief is claimed. The sea leg makes it a longer move than mainland Spain; your written quote gives the delivery window.

• Is the Canary Islands customs zone different from mainland Spain?
• Can you reach the smaller Canary islands (La Palma, La Gomera)?
• Is the south Tenerife resort coast a regular destination?

Official sources for a move to the Canary Islands

Rules and appointment systems change. Check these before you rely on anything above; your coordinator works from the same pages.

• GOV.UK: Living in Spain
• Agencia Tributaria: relief on household goods when you move your residence
• Spanish Consulate in London: NIE
• Cita previa for immigration appointments (extranjería)
• Gobierno de Canarias

Further reading

The detail behind this route, written for Spain moves specifically.

• Bringing your car from UK to Spain Vehicle import rules — registration, ITV, matriculación
• Best time of year to move to Spain Seasonal considerations for UK→Spain moves
• Healthcare in Spain for UK movers SNS, S1, private cover — the Spanish healthcare system