What does it cost to import a car to Netherlands from Germany?

Full 2026 guide to importing a used car to Netherlands from Germany: exact documents, taxes and fees, step-by-step, and the traps that cost buyers thousands.

What paperwork do I need to import a car to Netherlands?

Foreign registration certificate (all parts); Invoice/contract; COC or type-approval data; ID

Importing a car to Netherlands from Germany

Importing to the Netherlands can be worth thousands — but the BPM tax is the trap everyone forgets. Here's when it pays and when it doesn't.

Paperwork difficulty: Complex

Documents you need

Foreign registration certificate (all parts)
Invoice/contract
COC or type-approval data
ID

What it costs

BPM

New-car CO₂ BPM × residual value. Choose the lowest of: depreciation table, koerslijst (trade price list), or an independent appraisal. Can be €0 on old low-CO₂ cars, or €5,000–15,000 on a 2-year-old high-CO₂ car.

RDW inspection

~€150

Transport

~€220–320 DE→NL (short haul)

Step by step

Buy the car and bring it home on German export plates or a trailer
Book an RDW identification/inspection appointment
File the BPM aangifte and pay it
Receive the kenteken (registration)
Insure the car

Top traps to avoid

⚠ Trap Forgetting BPM in the deal maths — a 2-year-old high-CO₂ car can carry €5–15k residual BPM.

⚠ Trap Using the flat depreciation table when a koerslijst or appraisal would be thousands lower.

⚠ Trap Driving unregistered/uninsured before RDW approval — the car can be seized.

The VAT rule that costs thousands

Across every corridor, one EU rule costs buyers thousands: a vehicle that is less than 6 months old OR has under 6,000 km counts as 'new' and VAT is due in your destination country at your rate — whatever the price, even from a private seller. And a 'VAT-qualifying' (ex-lease/company) car should be bought net by a VAT-registered business, not at the gross price. When in doubt, get the VAT treatment in writing before you pay.

Before you import

Figures are indicative for 2026 from official sources; regional and annually-indexed amounts change — verify before you commit. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.

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