Moving Your Furniture to Monaco: A Removals Guide (2026)
Moving furniture into Monaco is rarely difficult, but it is unusually particular. Streets are narrow, many buildings share a single lift, kerb space is scarce and the Principality has its own procedure for reserving parking for a removal vehicle. A move that would take one phone call elsewhere needs a little more planning here.
This guide walks through how to plan a removal to Monaco: choosing a removal company, comparing quotes, building access and lifts, the official parking reservation for removal vehicles, storage, insurance, and how to decide what to bring and what to sell or buy locally. It is part of our Moving to Monaco guide.
Start with what you will actually bring
The cheapest piece to move is the one you leave behind. Before asking for quotes, walk through your current home with the floor plan of your Monaco apartment in hand. Apartments in the Principality are often smaller than their equivalents in London, Paris or Milan, ceilings and lift cars can be lower, and large sectional sofas or long dining tables do not always fit.
- Bring: pieces with sentimental value, art, fine furniture that suits the new rooms, and anything hard to replace.
- Sell before you go: bulky items that will not fit, pieces that suit your old home but not a Mediterranean apartment, and duplicates.
- Buy locally: beds, everyday seating and outdoor furniture are often easier to source once you know the rooms, the light and the terrace.
If you are leaving a home on the Riviera, you can sell your designer furniture through Meubles Monaco, and our furniture valuation page gives a first idea of resale value. For model-by-model figures, the Riviera Designer Resale Report 2026 compares European asking prices with our own completed sales. Fewer pieces means a smaller vehicle, fewer hours and a simpler day.
Choosing a removal company
Look for a company that works in Monaco regularly. Local experience matters more here than size: a mover who knows the buildings, the parking rules and the timing of the Principality's major events will plan a smoother day. Our article on the best movers in Monaco lists established local and Riviera-wide firms.
When you speak to each company, ask:
- whether they will handle the parking reservation with the Monaco Police Municipale and supply a furniture lift if needed;
- how they pack and protect fragile, lacquered, glass or stone pieces, and whether they crate art;
- whether they disassemble and reassemble furniture, and hang mirrors and art;
- what insurance cover applies, on what basis items are valued, and how to declare high-value pieces;
- for an international move, how they handle customs paperwork.
Getting comparable quotes
Ask at least two or three companies for a written quote, ideally after a visit or a video survey. Give every company the same information so that the quotes can be compared:
- both addresses, floor levels, and whether each building has a lift, a service lift or neither;
- the distance from the nearest kerb to the building entrance, and any steps;
- a room-by-room inventory with dimensions of the largest pieces;
- the items that need special handling: pianos, marble tops, large mirrors, art;
- your preferred dates and any flexibility.
Check what each quote includes: packing materials, packing and unpacking, the furniture lift, the parking reservation fees, storage, insurance and reassembly. A lower price that excludes the lift or the permit is not a lower price.
Building access, lifts and service lifts
In Monaco, the building is often the real constraint. Contact the building manager or concierge at both addresses well before you book a date and ask:
- which days and hours removals are allowed;
- whether there is a service lift, and whether it must be booked;
- the internal dimensions of the lift car and its doors;
- whether lift walls and common areas must be protected, and whether a deposit is required;
- where the removal vehicle can stop, and whether there is a loading bay or car park access.
Large pieces that will not fit in the lift or the stairwell usually go in through a window or balcony using an external furniture lift (monte-meuble). Your mover will tell you whether one is needed after the survey.
Reserving parking for the removal vehicle
In Monaco, parking spaces on the public road for a removal are reserved through the Police Municipale of the Mairie de Monaco. According to the Mairie's removal reservation page and the Police Municipale's 2026 request form:
- The request must reach the service at least five days before the start of the occupation, not counting weekends and public holidays.
- Each space is 5 metres long, and you state how many spaces you need, the dates and the times.
- If a furniture lift will be used, a location plan must be attached.
- The daily rate is €33 per space (Arrêté municipal n° 2025-5830 of 25 November 2025). The authorisation is issued only once the fees are paid.
- For a vehicle over 7.5 tonnes gross weight, or over 18.75 m long, 2.60 m wide or 4.30 m high, a separate authorisation from the Direction de l'Aménagement Urbain is also required.
- The Police Municipale can put up the no-parking signs, but only for private individuals and companies based outside Monaco.
- During the occupation, a copy of the authorisation (the municipal order or the invoice) must be displayed behind the vehicle's windscreen.
The service can be reached at pmovp@mairie.mc. Most Monaco removal companies submit the request themselves, but confirm who is responsible and ask for a copy of the authorisation before moving day. Rates and forms can change, so check the current version with the Mairie.
Timing your move around Monaco's calendar
Major events, the Grand Prix above all, disrupt traffic and fill the diaries of movers across the Principality. Summer is also the busiest season for removals. Book early, avoid the event weeks if you can, and leave a margin for the permit. Our guide to key dates in Monaco in 2027 helps you plan around them.
Moving from abroad: customs
Monaco has a customs union with France and has been part of the European Union's customs territory since 1968. A move from another EU country is therefore treated differently from a move from the UK, Switzerland or further afield.
For a transfer of residence from outside the EU, French customs offers relief from duties on personal belongings under conditions that include: having lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, having used the goods for at least 6 months, bringing them in within 12 months of the move, completing form Cerfa 10070 with a dated and signed inventory in two copies, and not selling, lending or renting the goods for 12 months after entry. Ask your mover or a customs agent how this applies to a Monaco address. Our guide to moving to Monaco from the UK covers the wider post-Brexit steps.
Storage
Storage is useful when your lease starts after your removal date, when an apartment is being renovated, or when you are not sure yet what will fit. Several Monaco movers offer storage in or near the Principality. Ask about access to your items, how long the minimum period is, and whether insurance continues while goods are stored.
Insurance
Read the insurance terms in each quote carefully. Ask how items are valued, whether there is a cap per item or per box, and how claims work. Declare valuable pieces individually and photograph them before packing. If your home insurance also covers belongings in transit, compare the two.
After the move
Foreign residents who change address in Monaco notify the Direction de la Sûreté Publique. The documents listed include the termination of the gas or electricity contract at the previous address, the new lease registered with the tax authorities or the title deeds, and a gas or electricity bill or contract for the new address. Check the current list on Mon Service Public before you go.
This guide is general information rather than legal or tax advice. For your own situation, check with a professional adviser.
Removal checklist
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 8 to 12 weeks before | Decide what to bring, sell or buy locally. Measure the largest pieces and the new rooms. |
| 6 to 8 weeks before | Request two or three written quotes with the same inventory. Ask both buildings about removal hours and lifts. |
| 4 to 6 weeks before | Book the mover. Confirm who requests the parking reservation and whether a furniture lift is needed. |
| At least 5 working days before | Parking reservation request sent to the Police Municipale, with a location plan if a furniture lift is used. |
| 1 to 2 weeks before | Confirm the authorisation, the service lift booking and insurance values. Photograph valuable pieces. |
| After the move | Notify your change of address and check every piece before the movers leave. |
Furnishing what you did not bring
Once the boxes are in, you will see what the apartment actually needs. Our curated collection of pre-owned designer furniture is a good place to start. Pieces stay in the seller's home: you reserve for €25, view the piece in person, and at the viewing we send a payment link to complete the purchase. Collection is then arranged with the seller, and we can recommend trusted local transport partners. Meubles Monaco does not move or deliver furniture itself.
If you would rather not furnish room by room, our sourcing service can look for specific pieces, and turnkey furnishing takes care of the whole apartment. For trusted local contacts, see La Liste.
Related reading: renting an apartment in Monaco and living just outside Monaco.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to park a removal van in Monaco?
To reserve parking spaces on the public road for a removal, a request goes to the Police Municipale of the Mairie de Monaco at least five days before, not counting weekends and public holidays. Most local movers handle it for you.
How much does it cost to reserve a parking space for a removal?
The 2026 rate is €33 per day for each 5-metre space, set by Arrêté municipal n° 2025-5830. Check the current rate with the Mairie, as it can change.
Can I use the building's lift to move furniture?
It depends on the building. Ask the building manager about service lift bookings, lift dimensions and protection of common areas. Large pieces often go in through a window with an external furniture lift.
Does Meubles Monaco move furniture?
No. We do not move or deliver furniture. We recommend trusted local transport partners, help with sourcing and turnkey furnishing, and let you sell the pieces you will not take.
Last updated: October 2026
