Moving to Brussels from another EU country: your commune registration timeline
Your boxes arrive on a Saturday. On Monday, a different clock starts: the one your new commune runs. For EU citizens moving to Brussels, the registration rules are simple once you know which deadline applies to you. Here they are, in the order you will meet them.
Staying less than three months: report within 10 days
According to the Federal Public Service Home Affairs (IBZ), EU citizens who come for a short stay must report to the municipality where they are staying within 10 days of arriving. The commune then issues an Annex 3ter . Failing to report can lead to an administrative fine of 200 euros.
Staying more than three months: register within three months
If you are settling in Brussels for longer, you must register with the municipality where you live within three months of arriving in Belgium. While your application is processed, the commune issues an Annex 19 , proof that your application for a registration certificate is pending. The municipality also carries out a check of your residence.
Non-EU family members receive an Annex 19ter as proof of their pending application. Here too, missing the deadline can lead to a 200-euro administrative fine. All the details are on the IBZ page Registration and reporting obligation.
Moving again within Belgium: 8 working days
Some newcomers start in temporary housing and move a second time once they have found the right home. That second move has its own deadline: a change of address must be declared to the municipality of your new address within 8 working days of moving. One declaration can cover the whole household.
A local police officer then checks that you actually live there, within 15 days of the declaration. Depending on the municipality, you can declare in person, online or by written application. See the IBZ page Registering a change of address.
How to line up the paperwork with the removal
- Book the move first, register right after. The residence check works best when your furniture is in and you are actually living at the address.
- Not moving straight in? If your flat is not ready, your belongings can wait in our secure storage warehouse in Zaventem, for a short or long period.
- Street parking for the truck. On request, we handle parking reservations with the commune.
- Upper floors. Our furniture lift with operator brings furniture in through the window when the stairwell is too narrow.
Your move to Brussels with EXP MOVING
EXP MOVING is a family-run removal company based in Zaventem since 1990, handling national and international transport, packing, dismantling and reassembly of furniture. Read more in our article Moving to Brussels? EXP MOVING – Your Trusted Expat Partner, discover our moving services in Brussels, or ask for your free quote.
Rules checked on 28 October 2026 on ibz.be. The official pages and your commune remain the reference.
