How to buy a car in the Netherlands: requirements, paperwork and costs

Before buying: where and which car

Where to look: AutoScout24, AutoTrack and the car section of Marktplaats. Many businesses in the sector are members of BOVAG.

New or used: a new car has a manufacturer's warranty and does not need an APK test until it is 3 or 4 years old; a used car is cheaper but requires checking history, mileage and condition. Registration tax (BPM) is paid when a car is registered in the Netherlands for the first time; when you buy one that already has a Dutch registration you do not pay it again.

Registration, documents and driving licence

The kenteken is the registration number and stays with the car. Its documents are the kentekencard (card) and the tenaamstellingscode, a 9-digit code posted to the registered owner; older cars may have a paper kentekenbewijs in several parts.

• To put the car in your name you must be registered in the BRP, with a residential or postal address in the Netherlands (RDW). If you are not yet, start with municipal registration.
• Online: with the DigiD app with identity check. Without DigiD, at an RDW point with your passport or identity card.
• With a paper kentekenbewijs it cannot be done online.
• Driving licence: with one from an EU country you can drive; if you obtained it while already registered in the Netherlands, you must exchange it. With a licence from outside the EU, you can generally drive for up to 185 days after you start living here. Check your case with RDW.

Checking registration, mileage and history

• RDW kentekencheck on ovi.rdw.nl (free, with just the registration number): if it says the transfer is not possible (“Tenaamstelling mogelijk? nee”), you cannot put it in your name. If it is listed as stolen, do not buy it and tell the police.
• Mileage: the RDW mileage check shows the assessment of the last recorded reading. Winding back the odometer is fraud (tellerfraude). In ads, look for the NAP logo.
• Recalls (terugroepacties): the kentekencheck shows them if RDW knows about them, but manufacturers are not obliged to report them.
• Maintenance: ask for the service book or the manufacturer's digital service record.
• VIN: it must match the one on the documents.
• Mechanical condition: if you do not know about cars, ask an independent garage for a pre-purchase inspection.

The APK, the Dutch roadworthiness test

The APK is the compulsory periodic technical inspection. According to RDW, for passenger cars:

The expiry date is shown in the kentekencheck, “vervaldata en historie” tab. You can take the test up to 2 months early without losing days. When buying, check that the APK report is there.

Transferring the registration (overschrijven)

There are three ways (RDW):

• Online, on the RDW website: the buyer logs in with the DigiD app with identity check. Payment by iDEAL or Wero.
• In person, without an appointment, at a kentekenloket, at the RDW offices in Veendam or Zoetermeer or at an RDW inspection station.
• Through the business, if you buy from an RDW-recognised trader.

The seller provides the kentekencard and the tenaamstellingscode. The RDW fee is €13.10 (checked on 17-10-2026), the same everywhere. Afterwards you receive the tenaamstellingsverslag (keep it: it contains the first part of your new code) and the vrijwaringsbewijs, which you give to the seller as proof that the car is no longer in their name. The new kentekencard and the second part of the code arrive by post.

Compulsory insurance and cover

According to RDW and the motor insurance law (WAM), the car must have third-party liability insurance (WA) from the moment it is in your name, even if you do not use it. RDW checks its register and, if it is missing, the CJIB sends you a fine. Arrange it before the transfer: the insurer will ask for the meldcode (the last 4 digits of the VIN, shown on the kentekencard).

The exact conditions depend on each policy: compare them before signing.

After buying

• Motor vehicle tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting, MRB): paid by the person in whose name the car is; putting the registration in your name counts as the tax return and the Belastingdienst sends you the bill. The amount depends on the type of vehicle, weight, fuel, emissions and your province: work it out with the official tool. You can pay monthly by direct debit or quarterly by invoice.
• APK: note the expiry date.
• Maintenance: follow the manufacturer's schedule and keep the invoices: they help when you sell.
• Fuel or charging: compare petrol stations; with an electric car, check whether you can charge at home or at nearby public points.
• Parking: in many cities you pay, and resident permits (parkeervergunning) are issued by the municipality, sometimes with a waiting list. Check your municipality's website before buying.
• Low-emission zones (milieuzones): some cities do not allow older diesel cars in. Check your registration.
• Fines: traffic fines are collected by the CJIB. Driving without insurance, with an expired APK or with unpaid tax also leads to penalties.

Selling the car later

It works like buying, in reverse: you give the buyer the kentekencard and the tenaamstellingscode, the transfer is done and you keep the vrijwaringsbewijs. Until then, the insurance, tax and fines remain in your name. Afterwards, tell your insurer.

Importing a car from Spain

Importing is not the same as buying here. If you bring a car with a Spanish registration, according to RDW you book an appointment at an RDW inspection station, bring the car (with a one-day plate, eendagskenteken, if you drive it there) and the complete original foreign registration document, and you must be registered in the BRP. You will also have to declare registration tax (BPM) with the Belastingdienst. Check the procedure and current fees at RDW: importing from the EU before deciding: it may not be worth it.

The real cost of owning a car

We do not give monthly amounts: they depend on the car, where you live and how you use it. Work out your own figures with this table.

Printable checklist

To print it or save it as a PDF, use “Print” in your browser (Ctrl+P, or Share → Print on a phone): the guide prints without menus.

• RDW kentekencheck on ovi.rdw.nl: can it be transferred? Is it listed as stolen?
• APK expiry date (“vervaldata en historie” tab).
• RDW mileage assessment and NAP logo.
• Vehicle identification number (VIN) matches on the car and the papers.
• Kentekencard and 9-digit tenaamstellingscode (or the complete paper kentekenbewijs).
• Service book or the manufacturer's digital service record.
• Test drive and, if possible, an inspection at an independent garage.
• WA insurance arranged for the moment the car is in your name.
• Payment by bank, not in cash.
• Vrijwaringsbewijs for the seller and tenaamstellingsverslag for you.
• Motor vehicle tax worked out with the Belastingdienst calculator.
• If you live in a city: parking and low-emission zone.