Moving to South Africa from the USA
*Updated September 2025
Concerned about taxes on your household items? We get it. Nobody wants unexpected tax bills. With SDC International Shipping, you’ll have clarity on which items are typically taxable and how to plan your shipment to minimize surprises. We’ll take the stress out of customs clearance and guide you through each step so you can focus on the move itself.
Let Us Take the Reins: Your Complete Move Solution
When we say we handle your entire move, we mean it. From household items to vehicles included with your home goods, plus delicate pianos and valuable artwork, we coordinate packing, documentation, export, import guidance, delivery, and optional storage. One dedicated logistics agent keeps you updated, answers questions, and makes sure timelines stay on track.
We provide transparent, itemized quotes that spell out what is included and how your shipment will be handled from door to door. Review the sections below for details on services, packing standards, customs expectations, and destination delivery. When you are ready, reach out with your inventory and timeline and we will tailor a plan to your needs.
Seamless Household Moves to South Africa
Depending on your budget and preferences, we offer door-to-port, port-to-door, or fully managed door-to-door service. Most families choose door-to-door for the simplest experience: we pack at origin, manage the international leg, guide you through import formalities, and deliver to your residence in South Africa—curbside or to the first accessible point inside the home based on access and building rules.
What we include for household moves
- Pre-move planning – We review your inventory, building access, elevators, parking, and any HOA or complex rules that can affect move day and delivery.
- Professional packing – Export-grade materials, item labeling, and room-by-room inventories keep your shipment organized and claim-ready if you opt for insurance.
- Custom crating for fragile items – High-value art, glass tabletops, chandeliers, and instruments receive tailored protection for ocean or air transit.
- Origin and destination coordination – We sync schedules for pickup, container loading, sailing/flight windows, customs clearance, and delivery times.
- Delivery and basic placement – We place labeled cartons and furniture in the correct rooms to speed up your first weeks in the new home.
- Optional storage – Short- or long-term storage at origin or destination if your residence is not ready on arrival.
Packing Perfection Matters
Most transit issues trace back to rushed or inexperienced packing. International moves involve long distances, multiple handoffs, and changes in climate, altitude, and humidity. We use moisture-resistant wraps, double-walled cartons, corner protection, cushioning matched to the item’s weight, and techniques that limit vibration during ocean travel. The result is a shipment prepared for a multi-stage journey rather than a short local truck ride.
Whether you need full-service packing or a hybrid approach—where we pack fragile items and you handle durable goods—our crews ensure inventories, labels, and room codes line up with your insurance coverage and your unpacking plan at destination.
Smooth Vehicle Shipping to South Africa
SDC policy: We ship cars only inside containers together with your household goods. We do not ship vehicles as a stand-alone service, and we do not offer RoRo (roll-on/roll-off). If you include a vehicle, we secure it inside your container with professional blocking and bracing, keeping your household contents and vehicle together in one consolidated move.
Typical steps when including a vehicle
- Ownership and registration review – We verify documents to align with import expectations and valuation standards.
- Condition documentation – Photos and notations at origin establish a clear record before loading and blocking the vehicle in the container.
- Compliance and timing – We align your vehicle paperwork with the household goods documents so both clear together and delivery remains consolidated.
- Insurance options – If you choose coverage, we ensure the policy reflects the vehicle’s declared value and storage/transit exposures.
Swift Delivery Solutions with Air Freight
Air freight is ideal for time-sensitive essentials—documents, work gear, a small set of clothing and home items, or anything you need to be productive while the main ocean shipment is en route. We help you decide which items make sense to fly versus sail, balancing timeline and budget. Air is faster and typically higher cost per unit of weight or volume, so we’ll right-size this option to keep the overall move efficient.
Cost-Effective and Secure Sea Freight Solutions
If time is not your top concern, ocean freight typically offers the best overall value for full households. While slower than air, it is remarkably safe when items are packed and stowed correctly. We plan container loading to minimize movement, isolate fragile items from heavy furniture, and protect against moisture. If you opt for coverage, insurance adds a financial safety net for the rare event of loss or damage.
Ocean options we coordinate
- LCL (Less than Container Load) – Ideal for smaller shipments that do not require a full container. Consolidation can add a bit of time but reduces cost for modest volumes.
- FCL (Full Container Load) – Best for larger households, direct routing, and predictable delivery windows once customs is complete.
- Storage – If your residence is not ready, we can arrange short-term storage before delivery for a smoother move-in date.
- Door-to-door or port-to-port – Choose the service tier that fits your budget and how much of the logistics you want us to manage.
Our goal is to keep your scheduling, routing, and customs formalities synchronized so there are no surprises between sailing and delivery.
Protect Your Move with International Transit Insurance
International moves involve multiple stages: packing, loading, ocean or air transit, unloading, customs inspection, and final delivery. Even with expert packing, factors like weather, vibration, handling, and moisture can introduce risk. International moving insurance helps protect your financial interests if the unexpected occurs.
How we help you choose coverage
- Coverage that mirrors your inventory – We align values and descriptions so coverage matches what you actually ship.
- Flexible scope – Insure the entire shipment or select high-value categories such as artwork, antiques, instruments, and specialty electronics.
- Documentation strength – Clear inventories and photos streamline any potential claim and shorten resolution time.
Our logistics agents can walk you through options and prepare documents before departure so your policy is active the moment your shipment leaves.
Expert Care for Your High-Value Possessions
Best-In-Class Artwork Shipping
Paintings, framed photography, sculpture, ceramics, and antiques benefit from tailored crating and packing. We build custom supports, use barrier materials to mitigate humidity shifts, and stabilize frames and glass. Cataloged labeling and condition reports keep everything traceable and well-documented from origin through delivery.
Stress-Free Piano Shipping
Pianos require specialized handling. We protect finishes, immobilize moving parts, cushion key mechanisms, and secure the instrument to minimize vibration during transit. At destination, we place the piano where you need it and coordinate additional services as required by the space.
Simplifying Customs Clearance for You
Customs procedures can seem daunting, but with organized documents and accurate inventories they are very manageable. We help you prepare a customs-friendly packing list and ensure your documents align with your immigration or residence status. Clear, consistent details reduce the chance of holds or re-inspections and keep your delivery timeline on track.
What we focus on for smoother clearance
- Detailed, readable inventories – Clear item descriptions and approximate values, with special attention to electronics and specialty goods.
- Aligned paperwork – We make sure names, addresses, shipment IDs, and dates are consistent across forms and bills of lading.
- Early identification of restricted items – If an item requires special handling or documentation, we surface that before loading.
- Proactive communication – Your logistics agent provides updates so you always know which step is next.
Popular Destinations in South Africa
South Africa offers sandy beaches, dramatic coastlines, rich wine country, mountain ranges, forests, and thriving urban centers. Many expats choose Cape Town for scenery and culture, Durban for warm waters and a relaxed pace, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) for coastal living and industry, and the Pretoria/Johannesburg metro for economic opportunity and connectivity.
Our import partners serve South Africa’s key ports, including Cape Town and Durban. Once your shipment clears, we coordinate final delivery to your new address and schedule placement so your essential rooms are ready first.
14 Years Building Our Reputation
“The team from SDC was efficient and professional. I was stressed going in, but once packing began it was clear they had everything organized. They took great care with fragile items, and everything arrived in excellent condition.”
“Coordinated, courteous, and on schedule. They navigated tight hallways with bulky furniture and kept us updated at each milestone. Couldn’t be happier with the result.”
Our Commitment to Excellence
What sets us apart is a simple promise: clear communication, careful handling, and accountability from the first call to final placement. Here is how that looks in practice:
Competitive, customized quotes – Every move is different. We tailor your plan and explain the inclusions so you can compare options with confidence.
Exceptional service – A single point of contact, proactive updates, and crews trained specifically for international standards.
Specialized expertise – From container loading patterns to custom crating, our methods are built for long-distance, multi-stage transit.
Ethical business practices – We put customers first and operate with transparency. Your timeline, belongings, and peace of mind matter to us.
Have questions or ready for a tailored quote? Call SDC International Shipping at 877-339-0267 or send us your inventory to get started. We’ll map timelines, service tiers, and coverage options so your move to South Africa is smooth from door to door.
