Buying an Imported Car in the Netherlands: Checks and Costs

Buyer's Guide · Reading time: about 10 minutes

Buying an imported car can save you money or give you access to a model you cannot find locally, but it adds steps that a Dutch purchase does not have. If you live in the Netherlands and buy a car abroad, you must register it with the RDW, pay the applicable taxes and arrange insurance before you can drive it legally. The smart order is to check the car first, price the Dutch costs second, and only then pay the seller.

This guide walks you through that order: what counts as an import, what to verify before you transfer money, what the registration process looks like, which taxes apply and how to avoid the most common surprises.

TL;DR

• Buying abroad and living in the Netherlands means you register the car with the RDW, pay motor vehicle tax, get Dutch plates and take out at least third-party liability insurance.
• BPM (the registration tax on passenger cars) applies to imported cars, and VAT can apply as well if the car is nearly new.
• Before paying, match the VIN on the car to the VIN on the foreign registration certificate, and check mileage, theft status and damage history.
• Cars from outside the EU also need a customs declaration, customs duties and VAT on top of BPM.
• Run a free plate or VIN check first, so you know what you are dealing with before you travel or transfer a deposit.

Table of Contents

• What counts as an imported car
• Why people buy imported cars, and where the risk sits
• Step 1: Check the car before you commit
• Step 2: Price the Dutch costs before you pay
• Step 3: Register the car with the RDW
• Insurance: arrange it before you need it
• Warning signs when you buy abroad
• Special cases
• Our perspective
• Check the car with CarTrace
• FAQ
• Sources

What counts as an imported car

There is no single glossy definition that every reader needs, so here is the practical one we use in this guide: an imported car is a car that was first registered and used in another country and that you now want to register in the Netherlands. That covers three very different situations.

A car from another EU or EFTA country. This is the most common case. A used Volkswagen from Germany, a Peugeot from France or a Volvo from Sweden falls here. There are no customs checks at the border, but the car still has to be inspected and registered by the RDW, and BPM may be due. The RDW explains this route on its page about importing a vehicle from a European country.

A car from outside the EU. A Japanese, American or British car belongs here. On top of the steps above, you need a customs declaration at the point of entry and you pay customs duties and VAT. Dutch Customs describes this for passenger cars, vans and motorcycles, and the BPM return still applies.

A car that was already driven in the Netherlands. Some cars that look imported are simply Dutch cars that spent time abroad, or cars that were exported and come back. The history will tell you which, which is exactly why a history check matters.

One hard limit: because of sanctions against Russia, it is currently prohibited to buy a passenger car, van or motorcycle in Russia and import it into the EU.

Why people buy imported cars, and where the risk sits

The reasons are usually practical. The same model may be cheaper in a neighboring country, the specification you want may be more common abroad, or a seller in another country has simply listed a better example. These are all legitimate reasons, and plenty of imports are perfectly good cars.

The risk is not that imports are bad. The risk is that you know less. You cannot easily walk around the car, the seller's paperwork is in another language, and the usual Dutch safeguards, such as a quick plate lookup you already know how to read, do not cover the whole story. The problems that matter most are:

• Mismatched or incomplete paperwork, which delays registration or blocks it.
• Mileage you cannot verify, especially when the car has crossed a border and the odometer history is spread across countries.
• Theft or financing issues that never show up in a Dutch lookup because the car was never registered here.
• Unrepaired or poorly repaired damage, which has direct consequences for your registration.
• Dutch costs you did not budget for, mostly BPM.

Each of these can be reduced with a few checks done in the right order.

Step 1: Check the car before you commit

Start with what you can do from your sofa. You need the license plate or the VIN from the advert. If a seller will not share either one, treat that as an answer.

Run a plate or VIN check

A plate or VIN check shows whether the car has a recorded history, whether mileage readings are consistent and whether the car is flagged as stolen. CarTrace combines national and European registers, inspection databases and theft registers on one platform, so a car that has lived in more than one country does not leave you with five separate lookups. You can start with the free license plate check, which covers RDW data, inspection (APK) information and stolen status for Dutch plates. For a closer look at what the official Dutch data does and does not tell you, read our explanation of the RDW license plate check and our guide to the RDW's OVI vehicle information system.

Theft is the check that cannot wait. If you are unsure how it works for a foreign car, our guide on how to check if a used car is stolen explains the free VIN route step by step.

Check the registration certificate against the car

This is the single most important physical check, and it comes straight from the RDW. When buying a vehicle abroad, make sure the registration certificate is complete and that the VIN on the vehicle matches the VIN on the certificate. Do it in person or, if you cannot be there, ask the seller for clear photos of the VIN on the car itself (usually at the base of the windscreen and on a plate in the engine bay or door frame) next to the document, and have someone you trust confirm it on site.

Also confirm that the name on the certificate is the name of the person selling to you. If it is not, ask for the paperwork that explains why.

Ask the right questions about damage

Damage deserves its own line because it changes what happens in the Netherlands. The RDW warns that buying a damaged vehicle abroad requires an additional technical inspection in the Netherlands, which costs money and tends to delay your registration certificate. If a price looks too good, ask directly whether the car has ever been in an accident, and compare the answer with the history report.

Verify mileage and inspection history

A low odometer reading is the oldest selling point in the used market and the easiest to question. Look for a consistent trail: service records, inspection certificates and any mileage recorded at earlier checks. The RDW can accept a valid foreign periodic technical inspection (PTI) certificate from an EU or EFTA country if you provide proof, so ask the seller for that certificate early: it is both a legal convenience and a mileage data point.

If you want to go further than documents, a mechanical check is worth the money on any car you cannot easily inspect yourself. Our article on the pre-purchase car inspection explains what it costs and how to use the report, and the guide to checking engine, brakes, battery and tires tells you what a mechanic should look at.

Step 2: Price the Dutch costs before you pay

The advertised price abroad is rarely the price you will pay in the end. The main Dutch cost is BPM, and you should know roughly what it will be before you agree to buy.

BPM

You must pay BPM for an imported car. The Tax Administration also notes that BPM is due when you register a new or used passenger car imported from abroad, and that since 1 January 2025 plug-in hybrids fall under the regular passenger car rates. The amount depends on the car, so use the Tax Administration's BPM calculator and explanation with the exact model, and do it before you buy. An older used car often carries a lower BPM than a younger one, so the difference between two similar adverts can be larger than the difference in sticker price.

VAT on nearly new cars

If the car was first used less than 6 months ago or has driven less than 6,000 km, you must also pay VAT. This catches people who buy a near-new demo car abroad and assume the foreign price includes everything. If the car is that young, ask the seller how VAT is handled on the invoice and confirm the treatment with the Tax Administration before paying.

Customs duties for cars from outside the EU

For a car from outside the EU, the Dutch Customs page says you need a customs declaration at the point of entry and must pay customs duties and VAT, in addition to filing the BPM return. Add shipping, insurance in transit and the inspection to your budget as well. Check the rules on the Customs page for your exact situation, because they differ by vehicle and origin.

Other costs worth listing

When you compare an import with a similar Dutch car, add these lines to the foreign price. Our buy, finance or lease cost comparison is useful for the next step: seeing what the car costs you over several years, not only on the day you buy it.

Step 3: Register the car with the RDW

The RDW sets out the route for a car from a European country. In short: make an appointment for an RDW inspection and bring the foreign registration certificate and valid ID. If the car is subject to BPM, you submit a BPM declaration, and once it is approved you receive a new registration certificate.

A workable order looks like this:

1. Confirm the paperwork before you leave the seller: complete foreign registration certificate, VIN match, and any inspection certificate.
2. Pay and take the car only once the checks are done and you have a written bill of sale.
3. Book the RDW inspection and bring the foreign registration certificate and valid ID.
4. Submit the BPM declaration if the car is subject to BPM, and wait for approval.
5. Receive your Dutch registration certificate.
6. Pay motor vehicle tax, get your registration plates and insure the car, with at least third-party liability cover, as the government's guidance describes.

A note on driving in the meantime: the RDW says that people relocating to the Netherlands may only drive with foreign number plates for a short period before applying for a Dutch registration number. That page is about people moving to the country, so a buyer who lives here should check the RDW's current rules for their own case before driving the car home on foreign plates.

Insurance: arrange it before you need it

You cannot finish registration without insurance, because the government's guidance says you must take out at least third-party liability insurance once you hold the registration certificate. The practical consequence is that you should speak to an insurer before the purchase, not after. Ask three things:

• Will they cover the car as an import, and do they need the foreign registration certificate, the VIN or the Dutch plate first?
• Does the premium change for your model, age and mileage?
• What cover do they offer between collecting the car and getting Dutch plates?

The answers differ per insurer, so we do not give a single rule. What we can say is that an insurer will price the car based on its data, so a clean history report is a useful document to have in your hands when you ask.

Warning signs when you buy abroad

Some signs are worth walking away for, however attractive the price:

• The seller avoids the VIN or the original registration certificate. Without both, you cannot do the RDW's most basic check.
• The seller's name does not match the certificate, and there is no clean explanation.
• Pressure to pay a deposit before you see the car or a request to pay through a channel you cannot trace.
• An unusually low price for the age and mileage, combined with vague answers on damage.
• A mileage that does not fit the service record, inspection data or the wear on pedals, seats and steering wheel.
• Delivery offered by someone else, with payment before the car arrives.

If you buy through a dealer, ask for the same documents. A reputable seller is comfortable with a history check. For general advice that applies to any used car, our used car checklist from advert to registration covers the steps in order.

Special cases

Imported electric cars

Electric imports bring the same registration steps, plus battery questions. Battery health, charging equipment and warranty terms across borders all matter. Our article on buying a used electric car in the Netherlands lists the twelve things to check first, and most of them apply equally to an import.

Low-emission zones

Older diesel cars, which are common in cross-border listings, may face restrictions in some Dutch cities. Check whether your car can enter before buying with our guide to low-emission zones in the Netherlands.

Cars from Japan and other non-EU countries

A car from outside the EU adds shipping, customs and a longer timeline. The paperwork is also more complex, and the history is harder to trace because data from the origin country does not flow into European registers the same way. If you go this route, build in extra time and a larger budget, and ask any importer to show you the full list of costs in writing before you commit.

Our perspective

We see the same pattern again and again: people spend hours comparing adverts and minutes checking the car. With an import, that balance should flip. The price gap between a Dutch and a foreign listing is real, but it is the smaller part of the picture. The larger part is whether the car is what the advert says, whether it can be registered without delay, and what BPM will add.

That is why we built CarTrace around one idea: put the registers, inspection databases and theft registers in one place, so a buyer sees mileage, history and warnings together instead of piecing them together from different sites. Our AI advisor, Leo, reads the same data and flags what deserves a question to the seller. None of this replaces a mechanic or the RDW's own checks. It makes sure you walk into both of them knowing where to look.

Our advice is simple. Check before you travel, price the Dutch costs before you pay, and treat a missing document as a reason to stop rather than a detail to fix later.

— Mo

Check the car with CarTrace

A basic plate check is free, and it is the quickest way to see whether a listing holds up. For a deeper look, our plans add the full report, ongoing monitoring and analytical features. The full car report is currently free during our launch period, so check the pricing page for the current terms.

You can also ask Leo, our AI car advisor, about any plate or VIN, or browse car models with prices, mileage and registrations to see what a typical example looks like before you contact a seller.

FAQ

Can I buy a car in another country and register it in the Netherlands?

Yes. If you live in the Netherlands and buy a car abroad, you must register it with the RDW, pay the applicable taxes and arrange insurance before you drive it legally. Cars from outside the EU also need a customs declaration, duties and VAT, and Russian-sourced cars are currently banned from import into the EU.

Do I pay BPM on an imported car?

Yes, BPM is due when you register a new or used passenger car imported from abroad. If the car was first used less than 6 months ago or has driven less than 6,000 km, VAT is due as well. Use the Tax Administration's calculator with your exact model to see the amount.

What documents do I need for the RDW inspection?

Bring the foreign registration certificate and valid ID to your appointment. If BPM applies, you submit a BPM declaration, and after approval you receive your new registration certificate. A valid foreign PTI certificate from an EU or EFTA country can be accepted if you provide proof.

What should I check first when buying an imported car?

Start with the VIN: it must match on the car and on a complete registration certificate. Then check theft status, mileage consistency and any damage history before you pay. A plate or VIN check takes minutes and is the cheapest way to catch a problem early.

Can I insure an imported car in the Netherlands?

Yes, and you must: at least third-party liability insurance is required once you have the registration certificate. Speak to an insurer before you buy, because terms and premiums differ and cover for the period before Dutch plates varies by company.

Sources

• What do I need to do if I want to import a car into the Netherlands? (Government of the Netherlands)
• Cars and motorcycles (Dutch Customs)
• Import tips (RDW)
• Importing a vehicle from a European country (RDW)
• Relocating to the Netherlands and bringing your vehicle with you (RDW)
• How do I calculate BPM for a passenger car? (Tax Administration)

Recommended

• Buying a used electric car in the Netherlands: 12 things to check first (2026)
• How to check a used car: the list from advert to registration