Importing, country by country
Importing a car — what applies in the destination country
Buying a car across a border means importing it. What that involves is decided not by the country of sale but by the country where it gets registered. Here it is per destination: process, duties, papers, inspection.
29 destination countries
German-speaking countries
Switzerland
Importing a car into Switzerland
Customs clearance, vehicle tax, import VAT and the MFK inspection: the route from border to Swiss plates — and the two items that undo the price advantage.
Kantonales Strassenverkehrsamt
Technical inspection: Motorfahrzeugkontrolle (MFK)
Germany
Importing a car into Germany
From an EU purchase to German plates: registration office, COC, insurance confirmation, VAT on new vehicles, and the full inspection when papers are missing.
Örtliche Kfz-Zulassungsbehörde (Zulassungsstelle)
Technical inspection: Hauptuntersuchung (HU)
Austria
Importing a car into Austria
From an EU purchase to Austrian plates: NoVA, the approval database, registration at the insurer, and the §57a inspection.
Zulassungsstelle beim Versicherer
Technical inspection: §57a-Begutachtung (Pickerl)
Liechtenstein
Importing a car into Liechtenstein
A customs union with Switzerland, EEA not EU: why a car from Buchs arrives duty-free and one from Feldkirch does not — and how registration runs.
Amt für Strassenverkehr
Technical inspection: Motorfahrzeugprüfung
Rest of the single market
France
Importing a car into France
From an EU purchase to the carte grise: quitus fiscal, certificate of conformity, contrôle technique and the ANTS application.
Agence nationale des titres sécurisés (ANTS)
Technical inspection: contrôle technique
Italy
Importing a car into Italy
Nationalisation step by step: Motorizzazione Civile, the PRA entry, IPT and the revisione — and why Italy keeps two registers instead of one.
Motorizzazione Civile
Technical inspection: revisione
Netherlands
Importing a car into the Netherlands
Registration with the RDW, the BPM declaration to the Belastingdienst and the APK: the route to Dutch plates — and how residual value is evidenced.
RDW (Dienst Wegverkeer)
Technical inspection: APK (algemene periodieke keuring)
Belgium
Importing a car into Belgium
Vignette 705, the pre-registration inspection, the WebDIV application and a registration tax assessed regionally: the route to Belgian plates.
DIV — Dienst voor Inschrijving van Voertuigen / Direction pour l'Immatriculation des Véhicules
Technical inspection: autokeuring / contrôle technique
Luxembourg
Importing a car into Luxembourg
Registration through the SNCA, a contrôle technique before first registration and a road tax based on CO₂: the route to Luxembourg plates.
Société Nationale de Circulation Automobile (SNCA)
Technical inspection: contrôle technique
Spain
Importing a car into Spain
From purchase to Spanish plates: Jefatura de Tráfico, the ITV, the registration tax and the papers without which the appointment is wasted.
Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico (DGT)
Technical inspection: Inspección Técnica de Vehículos (ITV)
Portugal
Importing a car into Portugal
From arrival to Portuguese plates: the customs declaration, vehicle tax, the inspection and registration at the IMT — and where the sum turns.
Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (IMT)
Technical inspection: Inspeção Periódica Obrigatória (IPO)
Ireland
Importing a car into Ireland
From an EU purchase to Irish plates: vehicle registration tax, the NOx levy, motor tax and the NCT — and why the purchase price does not lower the tax.
Revenue (Office of the Revenue Commissioners)
Technical inspection: National Car Test (NCT)
Greece
Importing a car into Greece
The arrival declaration at customs, registration tax, the ΚΤΕΟ test and registration at the transport directorate — the process and the items attached to it.
Διεύθυνση Μεταφορών και Επικοινωνιών (Υπουργείο Υποδομών και Μεταφορών)
Technical inspection: ΚΤΕΟ (Κέντρο Τεχνικού Ελέγχου Οχημάτων)
Cyprus
Importing a car into Cyprus
Cyprus is an island and drives on the left: shipping, a CO₂-based registration fee, the MOT and the right- or left-hand-drive question before you buy.
Τμήμα Οδικών Μεταφορών (Department of Road Transport)
Technical inspection: Τεχνικός Έλεγχος Οχημάτων (MOT)
Malta
Importing a car into Malta
Shipping, the registration value set by Transport Malta, tax by CO₂ and vehicle length, the roadworthiness test — and left-hand traffic.
Awtorità għat-Trasport f'Malta (Transport Malta)
Technical inspection: Vehicle Roadworthiness Test (VRT)
Sweden
Importing a car into Sweden
Ursprungskontroll at Transportstyrelsen, registration inspection, insurance and plates — the process in the order Sweden insists on.
Transportstyrelsen
Technical inspection: Kontrollbesiktning
Denmark
Importing a car into Denmark
Toldsyn, the registreringsafgift assessment at Motorstyrelsen, syn and plates: why in Denmark the car's value, not its price, decides the sum.
Motorstyrelsen
Technical inspection: Syn
Finland
Importing a car into Finland
Käyttöönottoilmoitus, autovero at Verohallinto, registration inspection and entry at Traficom — the Finnish route in its fixed order.
Liikenne- ja viestintävirasto Traficom
Technical inspection: Katsastus
Estonia
Importing a car into Estonia
Tehnoülevaatus, the registration charge at Maksu- ja Tolliamet, insurance and entry at Transpordiamet — the route to Estonian plates.
Transpordiamet
Technical inspection: Tehnoülevaatus
Latvia
Importing a car into Latvia
Tehniskā apskate, the operation tax, OCTA insurance and entry at CSDD — the route to Latvian plates and the order it has to happen in.
Ceļu satiksmes drošības direkcija (CSDD)
Technical inspection: Tehniskā apskate
Lithuania
Importing a car into Lithuania
Techninė apžiūra, the CO₂-based registration charge, compulsory insurance and entry at Regitra — the route to Lithuanian plates.
Regitra
Technical inspection: Techninė apžiūra
Poland
Importing a car into Poland
Excise duty, sworn translation, the przegląd techniczny and the wydział komunikacji: the route from an EU purchase to Polish plates, step by step.
Wydział komunikacji
Technical inspection: Przegląd techniczny (badanie techniczne)
Czechia
Importing a car into Czechia
Individual approval, the STK inspection with emissions test, sworn translation, and the recycling contribution assessed by emission class.
Registr silničních vozidel
Technical inspection: Technická kontrola (STK) mit emisní měření
Slovakia
Importing a car into Slovakia
Individual approval at the district office, technical and emissions tests, sworn translation, and the entry fee assessed by kW and age.
Okresný dopravný inšpektorát (ODI)
Technical inspection: Technická kontrola und emisná kontrola
Hungary
Importing a car into Hungary
The originality check, registration tax at NAV, the műszaki vizsga, and registration at the Kormányhivatal — the process in its fixed order.
Kormányhivatal okmányiroda
Technical inspection: Műszaki vizsga
Slovenia
Importing a car into Slovenia
The DMV tax by CO₂, identification and condition assessment, the tehnični pregled, and registration at the upravna enota.
Upravna enota
Technical inspection: Tehnični pregled
Croatia
Importing a car into Croatia
The special tax at the customs administration, single-vehicle approval, the tehnički pregled, and registration at the interior ministry.
Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova (policijska uprava)
Technical inspection: Tehnički pregled
Romania
Importing a car into Romania
Sworn translation, RAR identification, the ITP test, fiscal registration at the town hall, and registration at DRPCIV.
Direcția Regim Permise de Conducere și Înmatriculare a Vehiculelor (DRPCIV)
Technical inspection: Inspecție tehnică periodică (ITP)
Bulgaria
Importing a car into Bulgaria
Sworn translation, the annual technical inspection, presenting the car to the traffic police, and the tax declaration at the municipality.
КАТ (Пътна полиция)
Technical inspection: Годишен технически преглед (ГТП)
This overview is not a substitute for information from the competent authority. Rates, fees and deadlines change; the office that registers the car is always the binding source.