The document most often put off in an international move, and the one whose shortcomings cost the most, is the inventory list. Known in German as the Umzugsgutliste and in French as the inventaire de déménagement, it is the single source that tells the customs officer what is in the truck, the insurer what has been covered and at what value, the mover how many boxes were loaded and delivered, and you which box to open in your new home when you are looking for something.
A good list reduces the number of boxes opened at customs, makes a damage claim provable and ends any argument over missing items at delivery. A poor list ("kitchen items - 12 boxes") holds the truck at the border and leaves the question "what was in that box?" unanswered when something is damaged. In this guide we cover the fields, the room-by-room method, the logic behind values and serial numbers, the language, the differences between ToR1, EU and Swiss formats, and a 12-line sample template.
Who Reads the Inventory List, and What Are They Looking For?
| Reader | What they look for | What happens if it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Customs authority (HMRC, Zoll, Douane, Tullverket) | That the goods are used personal effects, quantities and nature, any prohibited/restricted items, any new goods | Physical examination, boxes opened, relief questioned, delays |
| Insurer | Contents and declared value per box, description of electronics and fragile items, serial numbers | Damage compensation falls back to the CMR per-kilogram minimum limit |
| Mover | Number of boxes, volume, heavy/delicate items, furniture that needs dismantling | Wrong vehicle planning, count discrepancies between loading and delivery |
| You | Which box holds what in the new home; which box goes to which room | Boxes left unopened for weeks, items presumed "lost" |
Fields the List Must Contain
- Box/item number: a unique sequential number; unboxed furniture gets a number too.
- Room: the room the item came from; routing in the new home is done by this field.
- Contents: a countable description rather than a general category: not "books" but "novels and textbooks, 32 items".
- Quantity: number of pieces in the box, or set information ("dinner set, 24 pieces").
- Condition: used / new. Relief regimes cover used goods; new goods require a separate declaration.
- Declared value: on a second-hand market-value basis, totalled per box for insurance. The currency is that of the destination country, or whatever the customs authority requires.
- Make/model and serial number: for identifiable items such as televisions, computers, cameras, white goods, bicycles and musical instruments.
- Packed by: customer (PBO) or mover; insurance cover differs accordingly.
- Notes: fragile, keep upright, dismantled, existing damage.
The Room-by-Room Method
- Sort first, count second: separate your belongings into three groups: to take, to sell and to discard; the list is kept only for the first group.
- Assign a number range to each room: living room 1-20, kitchen 21-45, bedroom 46-60 and so on. The room can then be inferred from the box number, which makes routing in the new home easier.
- Write the line before you close the box: trying to remember "what was in there" afterwards is the list's weakest point.
- Take photos: each box open, and closed with its label; the serial-number label for electronics. The photos become attachments to any damage file.
- List furniture piece by piece: a dismantled wardrobe as "doors 4, side panels 2, shelves 6, fittings 1".
- Add the totals: number of boxes, number of items, total declared value and estimated volume go at the end of the list and must match the mover's loading report exactly.
Declared Value and Consistency with Insurance
The value field does two jobs: customs reads the personal-use nature of the goods from these figures, and the insurer takes the all-risk sum insured from the list total. There must be no discrepancy between the list and the insurance declaration. Undervaluing reduces compensation (proportional payment under under-insurance); overvaluing prompts customs to ask "is this new, is this commercial?". The right measure is what the same item would fetch on the second-hand market today.
Under CMR, the carrier's liability is calculated on gross kilograms; for light but valuable items (laptops, cameras) it does not come close to the real value. Showing valuable items on a separate line with their serial numbers is the precondition for all-risk insurance to cover them at their true value. For details, see our CMR vs all-risk insurance guide.
Which Language and Which Format? ToR1, EU and Switzerland
The list is prepared in the language of the destination country's customs authority; a Turkish list is not accepted. English for the UK; German for Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland (English is also accepted); French or English for France, Wallonia and the French-speaking cantons; English is sufficient for the Netherlands and Scandinavia. A bilingual (Turkish-English) column layout is the most practical solution.
United Kingdom: the ToR1 attachment
For the ToR1 application HMRC requires a list in English, itemised by box, showing that the goods are used. The value column is not compulsory but is kept for insurance and the CDS declaration; if there is a vehicle, it goes on a separate line with its chassis number. Adding boxes after the URN has been issued is problematic. Prohibited items (meat and dairy, plants, seeds) do not appear on the list; alcohol and tobacco are listed separately and explicitly.
EU countries: Übersiedlungsgut / biens personnels
For EU relief (12 months' residence outside the EU, goods used for 6 months, import within 12 months) a signed and dated list is required: the "Umzugsgutliste" in Germany and Austria, the "inventaire détaillé, daté et signé" in France. Every page is signed. New goods are shown in a separate section with their invoices; otherwise the relief on the whole list may be questioned.
Switzerland: together with Form 18.44
Switzerland is outside the EU; for relief, Form 18.44 (Erklärung für die Abfertigung von Übersiedlungsgut) is completed and a detailed list attached. Swiss customs tends to compare the list against the physical load, so matching box numbers is critical. The list may be in German, French, Italian or English. For everything about moves to Switzerland, see our guide to moving from Turkey to Switzerland.
Sample Inventory List Template
The template shows the first 12 lines for a three-bedroom home; in a real list every box and every piece of furniture has its own line.
| No | Room | Contents (TR / EN) | Qty | Condition | Declared value | Make / Serial no | Packed by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Living room | Televizyon 55" / TV 55" | 1 | Used | … | Make, model, S/N … | Mover | Original box, keep upright |
| 2 | Living room | Kitaplar, roman ve ders kitabı / Books | 32 | Used | … | — | Customer | Heavy box |
| 3 | Living room | Üçlü koltuk / 3-seat sofa | 1 | Used | … | — | Mover | Existing scratch on left armrest |
| 4 | Living room | TV ünitesi, demonte / TV unit, disassembled | 1 (7 pieces) | Used | … | — | Mover | Fittings bag in box 5 |
| 5 | Living room | Dekoratif objeler, çerçeveler / Decor, frames | 14 | Used | … | — | Mover | Fragile |
| 6 | Kitchen | Yemek takımı, porselen / Dinner set | 24 pieces | Used | … | — | Mover | Fragile, double layer of foam |
| 7 | Kitchen | Tencere ve tava / Pots and pans | 9 | Used | … | — | Customer | — |
| 8 | Kitchen | Kahve makinesi / Coffee machine | 1 | Used | … | Make, S/N … | Mover | Water tank emptied and dried |
| 9 | Bedroom 1 | Giysiler, kışlık / Clothing, winter | 1 box | Used | … | — | Customer | Wardrobe box |
| 10 | Bedroom 1 | Çift kişilik yatak ve baza / Double bed, base | 1 (2 pieces) | Used | … | — | Mover | Mattress cover fitted |
| 11 | Children's room | Oyuncaklar ve kitaplar / Toys and books | 1 box | Used | … | — | Customer | — |
| 12 | Study | Dizüstü bilgisayar ve monitör / Laptop, monitor | 2 | Used | … | Make, model, S/N … | Mover | Anti-static, upright; advised to carry in hand luggage |
Totals at the end of the list: number of boxes, number of unboxed items, total declared value, estimated volume (m³), date and signature. New goods go in a separate table under the heading "Section B", with invoices.
Special Items: Electronics, New Goods, Restricted Products
- Electronics: make, model and serial number are mandatory; since insurance covers physical damage only, a short video showing the item working before departure is useful.
- New goods: furniture and appliances bought within the last 6 months go in a separate section with their invoices; they may fall outside the relief and attract tax. For shipping new furniture, a separate declaration is made under our furniture shipping service.
- Prohibited and restricted: food (meat, dairy, honey), plants and soil, alcohol and tobacco, hunting equipment. Prohibited items do not go on the list; restricted items are written out explicitly.
- Documents and valuables: passports, title deeds, jewellery and cash travel in your hand luggage and do not appear on the list.
- Vehicle: a separate line with chassis number, registration plate and date of acquisition; see shipping a car to the UK.
Common Mistakes
- Generic descriptions: "household goods - 40 boxes", "kitchen items - mixed". Customs does not read this; it opens boxes.
- Trying to write up the contents after the box has been sealed; the main source of missing and incorrect lines.
- Sending a list in Turkish; a translation is awaited at the border and the truck stands still.
- Leaving the value column empty, or writing a total that differs from the insurance declaration; proportional compensation in the event of damage.
- Omitting serial numbers for electronics; the insurer cannot identify the item.
- Mixing new goods in among used goods; the relief on the whole list is put at risk.
- Not signing the list; EU and Swiss customs do not treat an unsigned list as a declaration.
- Adding boxes to the list after the URN or relief approval has been issued.
Case Study: A Family of Four from Izmir to Vienna
An academic living in Izmir is appointed to a permanent post in Vienna and moves with his wife and two children. During the video survey the home is walked through room by room and a number range of 1-78 is set: living room 1-18, kitchen 19-37, bedrooms 38-61, children's room 62-72, study 73-78. The list is in two columns, Turkish and German; two laptops, the television and the dishwasher are on separate lines with their serial numbers. A dining table bought three months earlier is shown with its invoice under the heading "Section B - Neue Waren". The total declared value is entered on the all-risk policy as the same figure; the list, signed on every page, is added to the file along with the Meldezettel and proof of residence. At Austrian customs only two boxes are opened, and the numbers match. VAT is paid on the dining table; the remaining 77 items are tax-free as Übersiedlungsgut. At delivery, all 78 numbers are counted. Tax on used goods: zero. Missing boxes: zero.
Why REG Transport?
- We build the list together with you during the video or on-site survey; volume, box count and insurance declaration all come from one document.
- A customs team that knows the UK ToR1, EU Übersiedlungsgut and Swiss Form 18.44 formats; the list is laid out for the destination country.
- Bilingual template (Turkish-English / Turkish-German); you check it, customs reads it.
- Box-by-box count and signed report at loading and delivery; CMR insurance included, optional all-risk cover on declared value.
- With professional packing, box contents are entered on the list by our crew; the "packed by owner" exclusion falls away.
- A single point of contact; written, itemised quote the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I prepare the inventory list myself, or does the mover do it?
If we do the packing, our crew writes the line as each box is sealed and you approve it. Boxes you pack yourself, you list yourself; we send you the template after the survey.
Do I have to fill in the value column?
It is not compulsory for customs in every country, but the all-risk sum insured is calculated from this total. If a box with no value entered is damaged, compensation falls back to the CMR per-kilogram limit.
Can the list be in Turkish?
No. It must be in the language of the destination country's customs authority, or in English. A two-column Turkish-English list is ideal both for your own checks and for customs.
Can I add boxes after the list has been prepared?
Before the relief application (ToR1 URN, EU declaration) has been filed, yes; afterwards it means a separate declaration and delays. The list is finalised before loading day.
Is one line enough for a piece of furniture?
For dismantled furniture, write the number of pieces ("wardrobe, 11 pieces + fittings"). The check for missing parts and the assembly at delivery are done against this line.
Let's Prepare Your List Together
Fill in the quote form to book a video survey; we will send you the bilingual template, build the list together and send a written quote the same day. Related guides: complete guide to moving household goods abroad, moving household goods from Turkey to the UK, moving household goods from Turkey to Germany, customs clearance and international household removals.
