Key regulatory update: Slovakia increased its standard VAT rate from 20% to 23% effective 1 January 2025. All VAT references in this guide reflect the current 23% rate. Slovakia is a member of the European Union and the Eurozone (currency: Euro). Customs administration is handled by the Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic (*Finančná správa Slovenskej republiky*).
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Guide Details
Household Goods
Documents
Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.
- Detailed and valued inventory list in Slovak and English, dated and signed by the owner of the goods; must include brand names and serial numbers of all electronic items
- Copy of passport
- Customs declaration (power of attorney for the customs agent to act on behalf of the owner)
- Sworn statement (*čestné vyhlásenie*)
- Original bill of lading (OBL), sea waybill (SWB), air waybill (AWB), or CMR (road consignment note)
- Slovak residence permit or residence application (if permit not yet issued), or bank guarantee / cash deposit
- Letter of employment on company letterhead, including the owner's date of birth and passport number; must include a statement that the employer will pay any applicable duties or taxes (for employees); for owners of private companies or self-employed persons, the company must be registered in Slovakia
- Lease agreement -- notarized original plus one notarized copy
- Confirmation letter proving the owner worked or resided outside the EU for more than 12 months (for returning Slovak citizens and qualifying non-EU transferees)
- Detailed and valued inventory in Slovak and English
- Copy of passport or EU national ID
- Proof of residence in Slovakia (lease agreement, employment contract, or residence registration)
- Power of attorney for the customs agent (though customs formalities are minimal within the EU)
- Accreditation card from the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or written confirmation of accreditation from the embassy
- Standard documentation as above
- Slovak national ID card (*občiansky preukaz*)
- Confirmation letter proving the owner worked or resided outside the EU for more than 12 months
Specific Information
Slovakia applies the EU Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief framework for imports from outside the EU. Household goods and personal effects may be imported duty-free and VAT-free from non-EU countries if all of the following conditions are met:
- The goods must have been used for a minimum of 6 months prior to import.
- The goods may not be sold and must be used solely for the owner's personal purposes for 12 months after import (the restriction period stated by the customs office).
- The owner must have lived outside the EU for more than 12 months prior to entry into Slovakia.
- The shipment must be imported within 6 months of the owner's arrival date in Slovakia.
For intra-EU moves (from one EU member state to another), there are no customs duties or VAT. Goods move freely within the EU single market. Normal Slovak VAT (23%) may apply to new goods purchased in lower-VAT EU countries only in certain commercial contexts; for personal household effects this is generally not an issue.
The letter of employment must explicitly state that the employer accepts responsibility for any applicable duties or taxes. This is a Slovak-specific requirement not commonly found in other EU countries.
The lease agreement must be a notarized original; a standard copy or scan is not sufficient. This document confirms the owner's intended place of residence in Slovakia.
All solid wood packing materials must comply with ISPM 15 phytosanitary treatment standards.
Prohibited & Restricted Items
Prohibited Items
The following items are prohibited from import into Slovakia:
- Illegal drugs and narcotics
- Commercial vehicles (within household goods shipments -- cannot be imported duty-free under ToR)
- Endangered species and their products as listed under the Washington Convention (CITES) -- including ivory, tortoise shells, coral, and reptile skins [CITES]
- Counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement
- Weapons and firearms without authorization [PERMIT REQUIRED]
- Pornographic material involving minors
- Goods subject to EU sanctions (currently includes many categories of goods of Russian and Belarusian origin)
Restricted / Dutiable Items
Intra-EU travel (no customs limits -- goods must be for personal use):
There are no legal quantity limits for goods moved within the EU, provided they are for personal use or as gifts and duty and tax have been paid in the EU country of purchase. Customs authorities may investigate shipments exceeding the following indicative quantities: cigarettes (800), cigarillos (400, up to 3g each), cigars (200), smoking tobacco (1 kg), spirits over 22% (10 L), fortified/sparkling wine (20 L), beer (110 L), still wine (90 L, of which no more than 60 L sparkling).
Arrivals from outside the EU (duty-free allowances for accompanied baggage, persons 17 and over):
By air or sea: cigarettes (200), cigarillos (100), cigars (50), or smoking tobacco (250 g); spirits over 22% (1 L) or fortified/sparkling wine (2 L); still wine (4 L); beer (16 L). By road or rail: cigarettes (200), cigarillos (100), cigars (50), or smoking tobacco (250 g); spirits (1 L) or wine (2 L).
Currency: Amounts of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent in other currencies) entering or leaving the EU must be declared at customs.
Cultural artifacts and objects of historical value: Subject to licensing requirements and applicable customs duties. Check with the destination agent for items with potential cultural significance.
Plants and plant products: Subject to phytosanitary controls. A phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin may be required for imports from outside the EU.
Firearms and ammunition: Require prior authorization. [PERMIT REQUIRED]
Importing a Used Personal Vehicle
Required Documents
- Technical license (*technický preukaz*) -- the vehicle's registration/technical document
- Original purchase invoice
- Technical specifications of the vehicle (dimensions, engine type, fuel type, tire specifications, etc.)
- All standard household goods documents listed above (passport, power of attorney, residence permit/application)
Specific Information
Motor vehicles imported from outside the EU as part of a transfer of residence must have been in the owner's personal use in the country of origin for a minimum of 6 months. Vehicles must be unregistered (cancelled from the foreign registry) before import into Slovakia for permanent import.
Vehicles must meet EU type-approval or be individually homologated to Slovak/EU road and emissions standards. Vehicles from non-EU markets (e.g., North American spec vehicles) typically require technical modifications and homologation before they can be registered in Slovakia. This process can be costly and time-consuming -- confirm with the destination agent before shipping.
For moves from other EU member states, no customs formalities apply, but the vehicle must be re-registered in Slovakia within the required timeframe after the owner establishes residence.
Customs duties on vehicles from outside the EU generally fall under the EU Common External Tariff. For ToR relief to apply to the vehicle, the same conditions as for household goods must be met (6 months' personal use, not for resale, imported within 6 months of owner's arrival).
Pets
- Valid EU Pet Passport (issued by an authorized veterinarian in the country of origin) confirming: ISO-compliant microchip (or clearly readable tattoo if applied before 3 July 2011), valid rabies vaccination **From EU member states:**
- ISO-compliant microchip (ISO 11784/11785) **From non-EU countries:**
- Valid rabies vaccination (administered after microchipping) **From non-EU countries:**
- EU-format animal health certificate issued by an official veterinarian in the originating country, within 10 days of entry **From non-EU countries:**
- Rabies antibody titre test (RNATT) -- required for pets from countries not on the EU approved list; blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination; titre result at least 0.5 IU/ml; test must be conducted at an EU-approved laboratory; pet may not enter the EU until 3 months after the blood draw date **From non-EU countries:**
Slovakia is an EU member state and follows EU rules on the movement of pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets).
Pets must be microchipped (ISO 11784/11785 compliant) and vaccinated against rabies. The microchip must be implanted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination -- if the chip is implanted after vaccination, the vaccination history is void for EU entry purposes and the vaccination sequence must be restarted.
The airline station manager in Slovakia must be notified at least 24 hours in advance of the animal's arrival. Pet imports are subject to inspection by veterinary authorities at the port of entry.
For moves within the EU, an EU Pet Passport issued in the origin country is the standard document and no additional permits are required.
Slovakia does not impose quarantine on pets entering from EU member states or from approved non-EU countries that meet all health requirements. Quarantine may be imposed on pets that do not meet requirements.
Other pets (birds, reptiles, rodents, etc.) are subject to CITES restrictions for protected species and may require additional import permits. Contact the destination agent and the relevant Slovak veterinary authority for requirements specific to non-standard pets.
Consignment Instructions
Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air, sea, and road shipments.
Slovakia is a landlocked Central European country. Most household goods shipments arrive by road (CMR) from other European countries, or by sea via Hamburg, Bremerhaven, or Rotterdam with onward trucking. Air freight is handled at Bratislava's Milan Rastislav Štefánik Airport (BTS) or Vienna International Airport (VIE), which is approximately 60 km from central Bratislava and frequently used for Slovakia.
The inventory must be in both Slovak and English, with serial numbers for all electronics. Non-Slovak inventories will be rejected or cause delays. Members should ensure inventories are prepared and translated in advance.
The power of attorney (customs declaration authorization) must be prepared by the destination agent and signed by the client before the shipment can be cleared. The destination agent should provide the correct form and instructions in advance of shipment.
For moves from outside the EU, the 6-month window from the owner's first arrival date in Slovakia is strictly enforced for the ToR duty-free exemption. If the shipment cannot arrive within this window, the client may be liable for customs duties and 23% VAT on the full CIF value.
The lease agreement must be a notarized original -- standard copies are not accepted. Clients should arrange notarization before departure if their lease is signed in Slovakia.
Cultural & Other Information
Slovakia is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Ukraine, and Poland. The capital and largest city is Bratislava, located on the Danube river at the tripoint of Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary. Slovak is the official language. Slovakia is a member of the European Union (since 2004), NATO, and the Schengen Area, and adopted the Euro as its currency in 2009.
Slovakia has a highly developed manufacturing economy, particularly in automotive production -- it has one of the highest per-capita car production rates in the world, with major plants operated by Volkswagen, Stellantis (formerly PSA/Citroën), and Kia. Bratislava is a growing hub for technology and professional services.
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