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Before moving to Costa Rica, you better first decide if shipping your household to Costa Rica is what you really want to do. Maybe you want to put your belongings in storage first, rent for a while, and see if you like Costa Rica. Then, the next decision is to buy or rent a property, hopefully with someone in our network, because that’s what we do for a living. Others want to start with everything new in their new home country, and a garage sale might be a great option for them.
Before you move, get rid of all that old stuff and clutter. You don’t want to pay your mover to ship the belongings you don’t need to your new home in Costa Rica. Did you know that you have to pay import taxes when shipping your household to Costa Rica?
See if you need to purchase new furniture before moving as it might be cheaper than in Costa Rica or if it is unique to you. Think hard about bringing your car or buying another one and shipping it to Costa Rica. At the end of this blog is a list of companies that can ship your household to Costa Rica from your home country.
Buying new furniture
Maybe it’s now an excellent time to change all your furniture for something more tropical and outdoor. Even though you’ll have to pay import tax, shipping for tropical furniture in Miami and then sending it to your mover is another option. Your real estate agent can recommend where to buy new furniture in Costa Rica or even take you shopping for one day!
Is shipping your household necessary?
If you plan to just bring a suitcase with your shorts, T-shirts, and flip-flops, there is no need to contact a mover or shipping company. Of course, you can pay the airline for the extra bags; also check out that option. But if you plan to bring everything you’ve accumulated during your lifetime, you better read on.
It is important to have a moving company in Costa Rica that understands
- how to do the paperwork, how to get your household through customs,
- how to keep the import taxes low,
- and get you installed in your new home in Costa Rica.
So start by contacting the moving company(ies) of your preference and tell them where you live. Then, they will tell you which moving company you should contact in your home area to ship your household to Costa Rica. Nonetheless, are you afraid to forget anything you cannot live without?
A Mover in your area
The Costa Rican moving company should recommend one or several movers in your home area. You must contact them to get a quote for shipping your household to Costa Rica. They all belong to movers associations, and they work within these networks like LACMA, an association of movers in Latin America and the Caribbean. There is also the Household Goods Forwarders Association of America, or AMSA, American Moving & Storage Association. Ensure you tell the company you hire who they should work with in Costa Rica because you need someone to get it through customs and take it to your new home.
Shipping your household to Costa Rica
Between your mover in your hometown and the one in Costa Rica, they will get you organized. They will make the packing list of your cargo and have it double-checked by the supervisor of the moving company. Then they will have that person sign off on it, so there is a person responsible if there are any mistakes made.
Ensure each item is on this list so you will not have any trouble when your container gets to customs in Costa Rica. The mover will also inform you when they will ship your household to Costa Rica. They will let you know when the ship will leave port and when your container will arrive in Costa Rica. That way, you can make your travel plans accordingly.
You also want to list things you will need before the container with your belongings arrives at your new home in Costa Rica because you might be camping for a while.
From door to door?
You can hire a moving company from door to port or door to door. You probably want your mover in Costa Rica to take your belongings to your new home, unless you want it stuck in customs for months. Tell the moving company about the access to your house. They need to know if the container can get to the house and be parked up front. Or if everything needs to be moved with smaller trucks.
How much do you have?
You have several options for size:
- D-container of 58″ x 41″ x 45″
- A 20-foot container
- A 40-foot container
- or even consolidate your cargo with someone else’s.
Your choice depends on how much space you need to ship your household to Costa Rica.
Insurance
Decide if you want to ensure it or not; this might bite you in the butt later. You have a choice of insuring your household during the journey or not. That is entirely your choice. Customs in Costa Rica will calculate your taxes based on Cost – Insurance – Freight (C.I.F.). If you undervalue your household for tax reasons, you can save some money if nothing gets lost or damaged.
Costa Rican customs
No matter which shipping or moving company you use, they depend on the Costa Rica Customs Department. When your container arrives in Costa Rican territory, it will go into the fiscal warehouse at the port of arrival. Your moving company in Costa Rica can pick your container up at the fiscal warehouse in port first. Then, they can move it to a fiscal warehouse in San Jose, although some movers have their own.
This sounds really easy, but it rarely is. Do not expect a smooth operation. Find a pleasant and comfortable place to live while you get your container through customs, and they will deliver it to your new home in Costa Rica.
Bill of lading
At the fiscal warehouse in San Jose, customs will check your whole household against your bill of lading.
You will be charged taxes when you import your household. So please make sure you put the word USED in front of EVERY item when making your packing list. That is where your packing lists become very important. Make sure the number of pieces is on your packing list. The bill of lading should be EXACT, as this can get you into trouble because they will withhold the larger and more expensive pieces like your appliances so that they can charge you more taxes.
A bed, for example, is not one piece; it could be 4 or 5 pieces. And you want to list it accordingly.
Who to use for moving your household
I put Charles Zeller of Ship to Costa Rica at the top of my list because he and his children have shipped households for expats from anywhere in the world to Costa Rica and back for 45 years. Edwin at Winmovers is another good option for you.
There are several other companies with which I don’t have any experience. So you need to do your own due diligence. Before shipping your household to Costa Rica, we recommend you first look for a home to buy because you want something to move your household into, right? Contact any affiliated real estate agent from coast to coast for professional assistance.
