The RUT deduction is a Swedish tax reduction on household services that cuts the labour cost of moving and move-out cleaning in half. You pay 50 percent of the labour, and the company claims the rest from the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). In 2026 the deduction is 50 percent, up to 75,000 SEK per person per year.
What is the RUT deduction?
RUT is a tax reduction for household services carried out in your home. The state covers half of the labour cost, up to an annual ceiling per person. It applies to the work itself, such as packing, carrying, transporting your belongings, and move-out cleaning. It does not cover materials like moving boxes, or storage of your things. For newcomers to Sweden, RUT is one of the reasons home services here can cost less than the sticker price suggests.
How much does RUT save you on a move?
RUT applies to the labour cost, not to materials or the value of your belongings. A moving company in Stockholm often charges between 1,000 and 1,800 SEK per hour before the deduction (rough 2026 estimates). After RUT, your real cost usually lands around 500 to 900 SEK per hour. On a smaller apartment move that can save you several thousand kronor.
Want to estimate the whole move rather than the hourly rate? Read our guide on what moving in Stockholm costs.
What counts as RUT for moving and move-out cleaning?
These usually qualify for RUT:
- Packing and unpacking your belongings
- Carrying, loading and unloading
- Transporting your belongings between two homes in Sweden
- Assembling and disassembling furniture as part of the move
- Move-out cleaning (flyttstädning) of the home you are leaving
These do not qualify: moving boxes and packing materials, storage of your things, and the value of the goods being transported. Move-out cleaning counts as a cleaning service and earns the same 50 percent deduction. See our guide on move-out cleaning and getting your deposit back.
Who qualifies for RUT?
To use RUT you must be at least 18, be liable to pay tax in Sweden, and have paid enough tax during the year. The work has to be done in your home (or a parent's home). In practice you need a Swedish personnummer, because the company reports the deduction to Skatteverket under your tax record. If you only have a samordningsnummer (coordination number), you generally cannot use RUT yet. The company doing the work must be registered for F-skatt.
How RUT appears on your invoice
You do not apply for anything yourself. The company subtracts 50 percent of the labour cost directly on the invoice, so you pay the lower amount, then reclaims the rest from Skatteverket using your personnummer. It is reconciled in your annual tax return.
ROT and RUT share a combined ceiling of 75,000 SEK per person per year, and ROT (home renovation) can be at most 50,000 SEK of that. Always check the current ceiling and your own situation with Skatteverket, especially if you buy several services in the same year. If you go over the ceiling or have not paid enough tax, you may have to pay back the difference.
Hembuddy brings together F-skatt verified moving companies in one place. See how moving with Hembuddy will work.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the RUT deduction in 2026? RUT is 50 percent of the labour cost, up to 75,000 SEK per person per year. ROT and RUT share that ceiling, and ROT can be at most 50,000 SEK of it.
Does RUT apply to moving? Yes. Packing, carrying and transporting your belongings between two homes in Sweden qualify for RUT. Moving boxes and storage do not.
Does move-out cleaning qualify for RUT? Yes, move-out cleaning is treated as a household service and earns the 50 percent deduction on the labour cost.
Do I need to do anything to get the deduction? No. A company with F-skatt applies RUT directly on the invoice and claims the rest from Skatteverket. You only need to make sure you stay within the ceiling. See our moving guides for related help.