Importing a Dutch cars. Everything you need to know, step by step

Some people import a Dutch cars directly to their country or they buy it already imported to their country. It’s now wonder, as the Netherlands cars are considered to be well maintained, technically sound and reliable.

 

There always one recurring question, though: when and how do you have to register a foreign car? Learn more on how to formally check and register such car.

 

How to check Dutch cars?

The Netherlands, after Germany, France and Belgium, is the fourth most popular country which cars are imported. Let’s see how to do it on your own.

The Netherlands is not as popular as Germany in this matter. Nevertheless, cars from the Netherlands are steadily in demand. The possibility to check man information about them available in public registers encourages the potential buyers to purchase them.

 

 

There is the so-called Vehicle Report, which is a special vehicle history registration system conducted by the National Traffic Service – RDW. It is precisely via RDW that you unregister you vehicle if you want to bring it to our country – further in the article, you will learn how to do it. The Vehicle report allows checking the actual mileage, which is noted during each technical review, the so-called APK (Algemene Periodieke Keuring). The RDW and APK terms are useful to get familiar with before searching for you dream car from the Netherlands.

Aside from the order in papers or, in the contemporary reality, the electronic registers, cars from the Netherlands are also usually well maintained. The Netherlands is one of the richest EU countries, so people usually do not save on car service. There is also, of course, another side of the coin – high labour costs make it not always profitable to repair a car e.g. after an accident. Therefore, you need to be cautious if you’re interested in a car already imported from the Netherlands to Poland for trade, as some of the cars might be after an accident. Fortunately, you can check such cars in the NAP base or via the special autoDNA report for vehicles from the Netherlands. 

 

Where to look for a car from the Netherlands?

 

 

Dutch advertising services are also a good choice. You can also check offers of the agents who deal with importing cars from the Netherlands.

In case anyone longs for a traditional car exchange, you can check one in Beverwijk. It is there where one of the bigger car exchanges in Europe is located. Most of the agents head there, thanks to which Poland is number one when it comes to exporting the cars sold in Beverwijk. When you finally find and purchase a car, there are still certain formalities connected with preparing the car export from the Netherlands, i.e. importing it to your country.

 

What documents are required to taka the car out of the Netherlands?

In order to unregister a car registered in the Netherlands, firstly you need visit a RDW vehicle inspection station, or the RDW departments in the following cities: Zoetermeer and Veendam. Alternatively, you can use the services of an authorised company, e.g. at the car exchange in Beverwijk.

You can go alone or with the seller of the car to the chosen unregistering point. The most important documents you need to have after purchasing a car are the proof of purchase of the car and its vehicle registration book.

If the car was registered before December 2013, then it will have paper register documents. In such case, when unregistering the car for export, you need to have:

• proof of handover (tenaamstellingsbewijs – Deel IB).
• transfer certificate (overschrijvingsbewijs – if the former seller is present, then this document is not required).
• yellow license plates (kentekenplaten).
• valid identity card (geldig legitimatiebewijs).

When bringing a car out of the Netherlands manufactured before January 1st 2014 with a plastic registration card (kentekencard), you need to have:

• registration card (kentekencard, kentekenbewijs)
• handover code (tenaamstellingscode – if the former seller is present, then this document is not required);
• yellow license plates (kentekenplaten).
• valid identity card (geldig legitimatiebewijs).

 

Driving a car from the Netherlands back to your country

After purchasing a car from the land of tulips, there are two ways of bringing the car to your country.

 

 

Then, you return the yellow license plates and issue a fee (around 10 Euro) in order to receive exit plates, which are valid for 14 days. The car must also have a short-term MTLP insurance in order to exit the country legally. Often, such formalities can be completed by the seller.

The other way is transporting the purchased car on a tow truck. In this case, you can skip returning the license plates. All you have to do is use the service of a transporter who will safely bring your car from the Netherlands. Remember that the seller, aside from the purchase and sale contract, has to provide you with the set of keys, the vehicle card and the NAP document (confirmed mileage).

 

 

 

When the car is purchased from a company (a legal entity), you will need to get an extract from the Chamber of Commerce. This certificate must not be older than one year. You will also need a confirmation of the company signature on documents, if such has been used. After completing all the formalities, you will receive an export declaration of the car, as well as the white license plates.          

Cost and exporting the car by driving it

The unregistering procedure costs 10.3 Euro. Additionally, you will have to pay for the white exit plates (around 25 Euro) and for the insurance (around 120 Euro). In sum, the total cost might amount to around 155 Euro if you unregister the car for export yourself.

If you want to drive the car out of the Netherlands, it must have a valid APK inspection. Otherwise, the car must be exported on a tow truck (cost – at least a few hundred PLN). If the APK inspection expires e.g. after 10 days from the moment of exporting the car, then the white plates will also be valid for 10 days, instead of 14.

 

Translating the documents

You must bring translations of the Dutch documents required in the office in which you are going to register your car. You need to have the following documents translated by a sworn translator: the purchase and sale contract, purchase proof, vehicle registration book and all other documents which originally have been issued in the foreign language.

 

Technical review of the vehicle

Every vehicle, in order to be allowed to be driven on the road, must have a valid technical review (also, remember to have a valid insurance for your car). The first technical review has to be done after 4 years from the first registration, and then the next two are done every 2 years. For older cars the review should be done every year.

In order to have the first technical review done, you need to visit a service centre.

 

How to check a car from the Netherlands?

 

 

The autoDNA Vehicle History Report might contain i.a.:

• Information whether the car has been reported as stolen,
• Information about any possible accidents,
• service requests and actions concerning the specific model,
• pictures of the vehicle (if available),
• the last mileage reading (of certain cars),
• technical reviews data,
• information about disassembly,
• information about scrapping,
• information about the number of previous owners,
• information about the roadworthiness of the vehicle,
• the purpose of the vehicle (e.g. whether the car has been used as a TAXI),
• information concerning servicing action of the manufacturer.

 

Is it worth buying a Dutch cars?

The statistics show that people are very interested in used cars from the Netherlands.

The cars from this country are considered to be well maintained, as the Dutch do not save on the car service. However, you need to pay attention to their high mileages and the necessity of the end of the filler remake in case of the LPG cars.

 

 

Also read how to import a car from:

1. UK
2. Italy
3. Denmark
4. Sweden
5. Ukraina