Questions about importing a car from Germany

Use our search engine to find your ideal car. You can choose our standard search function, which lets you easily filter by make, model, price, year of manufacture and mileage. Would you like to search more specifically? Then click 'advanced search'. This gives you extra filter options, such as transmission, fuel type, power, colour and equipment. Didn't find what you were looking for? Create a search request via our website or the chatbot. You can also search yourself via platforms such as autoscout24.de, mobile.de or official Gebrauchtwagen websites of car manufacturers. In many cases we can also import vehicles offered there for you. Have you found an interesting car? Then paste the link of the vehicle at 'Direct an online BPM calculation' on our website and leave your details. We will then contact you as soon as possible to discuss the possibilities.

All cars you find on our website are offered via official brand dealers or verified sellers in Germany. This means they are usually young, well-maintained vehicles with a transparent origin. We carefully select these cars based on quality, dealer reliability and completeness of the vehicle data. The price listed with each car on our website is in most cases a 'road-ready on Dutch registration' price. This price includes the purchase, our import package and the BPM. So you know in broad terms what to expect in terms of total costs, without surprises afterwards. With some cars it may happen that the BPM is not yet included in the price. This is because the original German advertisement does not state CO2 emission data, and these are essential for a correct BPM calculation. In such a case our import advisors can quickly and without obligation carry out a BPM calculation for you as soon as you submit a request. This way you still get immediate insight into the full costs of the car. Each advertisement on our site contains the most important specifications of the vehicle, including the year of construction, the mileage, the option list and the photos of the vehicle. Are you seriously interested in a specific car? Then our import advisors can further map out the car for you. They check, for example, the current condition, damage history, maintenance history, dealer reliability and any other particulars of the vehicle. This way you get a complete picture of the car before you decide to proceed with the purchase. At Das Import, transparency comes first. We are happy to help you make a well-considered choice, with a clear cost overview and professional advice from experienced import experts.

Germany has a wide range of nearly new cars. They are often cheaper to purchase, more richly equipped with options, have a lower mileage and are supplied with a warranty.

Of course! Send us the link of the car and we will look into the options. Our advice is to focus especially on offerings from official brand dealers: that provides the most certainty about history, mileage and warranty. With a suitable (brand) dealer we can arrange the entire import process for you via our car import service packages. Please note: we do not offer our full service with every seller, and we do not do so with private sellers. In those cases we can help you with the Registratie package. More about our packages: https://www.dasimport.nl/auto-importeren/auto-import-service-pakketten.

We advise against the purchase of vehicles from private sellers, as we consider that too risky. With private sellers, the history of the car is often difficult to verify, and there is less legal protection than with a brand dealer. Have you set your heart on a particular car? Send us the link, and we will see if we can find it through an authorised dealer. If the car is still only for sale at a private seller, then we offer you our Registratie package: you arrange the purchase and the transport, and we take care of the importing and registration in the Netherlands.

We go through this step by step for you: - We read out the advertisement and assess whether the stated mileage is logical in relation to the age and use of the car. - Where possible we request the service booklet, invoices and other available documentation and check whether the registered mileages are logical and increasing. - For cars from official brand dealers we check, where possible, the digital service history linked to the VIN. - We look at available TÜV reports and ask the seller about the history, any damage, maintenance carried out and required, and warranties. Germany does not have a central mileage registration such as the Dutch NAP. That is why we preferably advise a car from an official brand dealer. The history there is usually better recorded and traceable, and the dealer has access to the brand-specific maintenance data itself. Moreover, an official brand dealer has its reputation and dealership to protect, which gives extra certainty about the information provided. Would you like even more certainty about the mileage, history and the technical condition of the car? Then, prior to purchase, we can have an independent pre-purchase inspection carried out. In that case the car is extensively checked on site before you definitively proceed to purchase. Would you like to have a specific car checked? Share the advertisement number or the link with us. Our import advisors will look into it with you without obligation.

When checking the maintenance, we take the entire investigation off your hands. We request the service booklet and the accompanying invoices and, for branded cars, we go through the service history. This gives you a clear and reliable picture: a complete brand dealer history generally retains its value better and is more reliable. Would you like to know what we can check for a specific car? Our advisors are ready to assist you, without obligation.

You do not need to have found the car yourself. First take a look at our current range at dasimport.nl; if the desired car is not among them, or if you are looking for a specific version with certain options, then our import advisors will search for you based on your wishes. In doing so, we take into account your budget, desired version, mileage and important options. Even when an advertisement has meanwhile been sold or a link no longer works, we will look along for you for a comparable example. In addition, you can set up a free automatic search assignment via dasimport.nl/zoekopdracht: you provide your criteria once and receive new offerings by e-mail daily that meet them. If, together with the advisor, you find a suitable car, then we arrange the follow-up via our car import service packages: https://www.dasimport.nl/auto-importeren/auto-import-service-pakketten. In most cases you buy directly from the German seller yourself; your import advisor explains how that works in your situation. Make a no-obligation request or call 088 088 3777.

No, that does not matter. We work with fixed prices for our import packages, regardless of where the car is located in Germany.

No problem! When you choose one of our car import service packages (Standaard, Versneld or Deluxe), we handle the import process from A to Z. Our import advisers speak fluent German and take the entire process off your hands.

'Unfallfrei' means that the car has no accident damage, whereby small cosmetic repairs may still be permitted. 'Nachlackierungsfrei' means that the car has never been resprayed. These terms are important with a German purchase, but not always unambiguous. That is why, in case of doubt, Das Import records in writing for you exactly what the seller guarantees, so that you know where you stand. Would you like to know more about this? Our advisors will gladly assist you, without obligation.

Yes, damage can affect both. Above-average wear and tear can lead to a lower BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax) through an appraisal, but at the same time it lowers the residual value of the car. Das Import assesses this per car and advises you honestly about it, so that you can make a well-considered choice. Would you like to know how this works out for your specific car? Our advisors will gladly take a look with you, without obligation.

Popular are the German brands Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Porsche, but also non-German brands such as Mini, Skoda, Volvo, Land Rover (including Range Rover), Kia and Hyundai. In absolute numbers, Volkswagen is by far the most imported brand (with the Golf and Polo at the top). Among the customers of Das Import, BMW is the most popular brand, particularly the 5 Series Touring, followed by Audi (such as the Q7, Q5 and A6).

Yes, a diesel can still be attractive in terms of price. A diesel engine is usually most economical if you are often on the road and drive long distances, and this applies sooner to larger cars such as SUVs. The recent Euro6 diesels are moreover much cleaner than diesels from ten or twenty years ago and more economical than comparable petrol cars, which means they emit less CO2. Due to their declining popularity, prices are often sharp. Das Import therefore still imports a relatively large number of diesels.

A Tageszulassung is a car that was recently (often a few days to weeks ago) registered by the dealer itself, usually to meet showroom or importer targets, and is subsequently sold on unused or virtually unused. The car is factory-new in terms of condition and mileage, but is already registered as 'used' — this often makes a considerable difference in price compared to the new price, while the full factory warranty simply carries over. Do note: for the BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax) this can indeed make a difference. If the car has driven fewer than 3.000 kilometres, it counts as new for tax purposes and no depreciation may be applied — you then pay the full gross BPM. For an electric or hybrid car this is often not a problem (little to no BPM), but for a petrol or diesel car this can make a big difference. The same applies to the VAT: if the car is less than six months old or has driven fewer than 6.000 kilometres, you as a private individual are also liable for 21% Dutch VAT upon import — that can easily mean 2% extra. Das Import checks this in advance, so that you will not be faced with any surprises.

Yes, a Vorführwagen (test-drive or demo car of the dealer) can simply be imported. Such a car has usually driven a limited number of test-drive kilometres and is otherwise in as-new condition, at an attractive discount off the new price. The factory warranty simply remains valid from the date of first registration. With this type of car Das Import checks the mileage and the warranty status extra carefully.

Reimport means that a car was originally intended for another market and was subsequently bought back and offered in Germany again, often because of price differences between countries. This says nothing negative about the condition of the car; it is purely a trade route. However, the language, navigation and sometimes the equipment may still be set to the original destination market — where necessary Das Import sets this to Dutch upon delivery.

An ordinary second-hand car (Gebrauchtwagen) is a car that has been used by a private owner and is subsequently sold. A Jahreswagen, on the other hand, has first been registered in the name of the dealership itself — often as a car used by an employee or manager — before it is resold after about a year. As a result, a Jahreswagen usually has few kilometres and a well-documented history, and is sometimes slightly more expensive than a comparable second-hand car of the same age, but it does offer more certainty about maintenance and use.

Das Import (importing cars from Germany to the Netherlands) is specialised in imports from Germany, and occasionally Belgium. For cars from other EU countries, such as Austria, we can in most cases also handle the import and registration process, but our services — including the complete car import service packages — are tailored to the German (and Belgian) offering and the brand dealers known there. Do you have a car in mind from another EU country? Please feel free to get in touch, and we will look into the possibilities.

'HU neu' or 'AU neu' means that the car has recently passed the Hauptuntersuchung (the German MOT) and/or the Abgasuntersuchung (emissions test). Such an inspection is usually valid for 24 months for a passenger car. This means that after import into the Netherlands the car can often still be driven for a considerable time without a new inspection, although in the Netherlands, just as in Germany, its own inspection term applies after the first registration.

Yes, this is possible in many cases but not always. Usually we can reserve a car in Germany for 24 hours. Should this be different, we will inform you about it immediately. If you are interested in a car from our offering, we advise you to request it directly from us. We will then contact the dealer to check whether the car is still available and reserve it for you where possible — that way you can be sure the car will not be sold to someone else while you make your decision.

It can happen that a popular car has already been sold at the moment you submit a request — especially with sharply priced or well-equipped cars, this sometimes goes quickly. If that is the case, we will let you know immediately and our advisers will actively help look for a comparable alternative, if desired with the same specifications and price range.

Some brands are less widely represented in Germany than others, particularly French and Italian brands such as Renault, Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat — these can be found, but to a lesser extent than German and premium brands. Non-German brands such as Volvo, Land Rover, Hyundai and Kia, on the other hand, are indeed widely represented at German (brand) dealers and are also imported a lot by Das Import.

Before we finalise a purchase for you, our import advisor verifies the actual condition of the car with the selling party and has this recorded in the purchase agreement; if any damage or signs of use are reported, photos of these can be requested. Our advisor examines the car beforehand in detail: the current condition, any damage history, but also matters such as odours (such as smoke or pets), warranties and maintenance history. For extra certainty, we always recommend looking at offerings from official brand dealers as much as possible — in Germany they are obliged to report known and relevant damage (particularly accident or structural damage and professionally repaired damage), especially if the car is offered as 'unfallfrei'. In case of doubt, we furthermore recommend an independent purchase inspection.

The supply on the German market is large throughout the year, but does fluctuate somewhat. Around the turn of the year, when many lease contracts expire and dealers renew their stock, a wave of nearly new used cars often becomes available. That does not mean you cannot find anything outside that period — at brand dealers alone it concerns a supply of more than 200,000 cars, so the choice is usually large enough.

A freier Händler is an independent, commercial car dealer who is not tied to a single car brand — this is therefore something other than a private seller. Depending on the seller, we can sometimes also offer our full car import service packages with a freier Händler; we assess this on a case-by-case basis. However, we always advise looking as much as possible at the offerings of official brand dealers, and we cannot guarantee the quality if you choose to do business with a freier Händler yourself. In all cases we can arrange the Registratiepakket for you.

Cars with a special build or configuration, such as a camper, a wheelchair transport vehicle or an armoured vehicle, can in most cases also be imported. For this type of vehicle, additional requirements often apply during the RDW (Dutch vehicle authority) inspection along with a separate BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax) arrangement. Our advisors assess for each vehicle whether and how import is possible.

An export registration (Ausfuhrkennzeichen) or a short-term registration (Kurzzeitkennzeichen) is a temporary German registration, intended to legally transport a car abroad — often including limited insurance tied to that purpose. Such a registration says nothing about the condition or origin of the car itself. If you choose our Registratiepakket and pick up the car yourself, we can arrange this temporary registration (including third-party liability insurance and green card) for you. Read the terms and conditions at https://www.dasimport.nl/auto-importeren/tijdelijk-kenteken-duitsland.

Yes. Even if an advertisement is no longer online, we can often still help you. Share the available documents, such as the advertisement, purchase agreement or registration details, with us. We will then look into which options are available to still import the car and which costs are involved.

Yes. If you have found a suitable car yourself, we can assess whether it is suitable and handle the further import process.

Before we finalise the purchase we check, among other things, the available vehicle documents, the maintenance history and the details of the car. Depending on the situation, additional checks or an independent purchase inspection are possible.

Yes. Based on your wishes we will search for a suitable car. In doing so we take into account your budget, desired specification and important options.

When drawing up the purchase agreement, an options list is usually added. If certain options are important to you, we can have these additionally checked. At official brand dealers, these kinds of processes generally proceed more professionally than at smaller dealers. That is why we advise choosing offers from official brand dealers where possible.

We can check the equipment and options and indicate whether important options are present.

Yes. We can indicate which languages and functions are available and whether any adjustments may be possible.

Yes. We can also assess advertisements from AutoScout24.

Yes. Even when a car is offered on another website, we can assess whether it is suitable to import.

That depends on several factors, such as the condition of the car, the maintenance history, the equipment, the asking price and the reliability of the seller. We are happy to assess this for you before you make a decision.

No. A lower purchase price is not always the most economical choice. The maintenance history, specification, condition of the car and the final import costs are also important.

There is no fixed limit for this. More important are the overall condition, the maintenance and the history of the car.

Yes. Nearly new cars can also be interesting to import. Please bear in mind, however, that with such cars, depending on the age and mileage, there may be particularities regarding the VAT and BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax). We are happy to inform you about this.

No. We only import cars that are roadworthy.

Yes. In many cases we can have this checked for you as part of the import process. Often we do this by having the car inspected at the seller and verifying the available history and documentation. In addition, there are other options, such as an independent purchase inspection. Our import advisors will be happy to inform you about the possibilities.

When this information is available, we can check this for you or advise you about it.

The best-known websites are Mobile.de and AutoScout24. In addition, there are various official brand dealer websites with an extensive range of used cars.

At official brand dealers, the vehicle, maintenance and mileage history are usually the most traceable. They work with professional systems from the manufacturer and can often provide more reliable information about maintenance, warranty and specification. The chance of unexpected discrepancies in practice is also smaller. That is why, wherever possible, an official brand dealer is our preference.

Yes. We regularly assist with the import of factory used cars from various car brands.

Are there no or hardly any suitable cars in our current range? Our import advisors would be happy to look with you to see whether a suitable car can still be found. Let us know your wishes via a no-obligation request, so that we can look with you in a targeted way. In addition, you can set up a free automatic search. This is especially useful when the desired car, version or combination of options is not currently available or hard to find: you enter your search criteria once, and as soon as new supply matches them, you receive this automatically by e-mail every day.

With the automatic search you set your search criteria once — for example brand, model, price, year of manufacture and mileage — and then receive new supply that matches them by e-mail every day. This function is especially useful when the desired car is not currently available or hard to find. Are there already suitable cars in our range? Then view those first; in addition, our import advisors would be happy to look with you personally and help you assess and import an interesting car. You can have a maximum of three searches at the same time — a fourth automatically replaces the oldest — and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of our e-mails. Tip: the more specific your search, the smaller the chance of results. With a common model (such as a Volkswagen Golf) you can therefore filter strictly on year of manufacture, price and options; with a premium or rarer model (such as a Porsche, Audi RS or BMW M) a slightly broader setting often works better.

In most cases you buy the car yourself from the seller in Germany; Das Import is the intermediary. You sign and pay yourself and in most cases you are also legally the buyer. That can be important for your warranty, your legal position and the lower German VAT. There are two situations in which we do buy the car ourselves and then deliver it on to you: - With financial lease. There is no other way: the leasing company only pays out the purchase amount to an RDW-recognised company. - If you are a private individual and the car is fiscally new (younger than 6 months or less than 6.000 kilometres). Such a car must be acquired net, so without German VAT, and as a private individual you cannot arrange that yourself with the German seller. Whether one of those exceptions applies to you is assessed by your import adviser. You will hear about that before you sign anything.

An import proceeds with us in fixed steps: 1. Request: you indicate which car you have in mind or what you are looking for. We read out the advertisement for you and check the details. 2. Quote: you receive a no-obligation statement with the costs of the package you have chosen. 3. Choice and purchase agreement: we check the purchase contract and the foreign registration papers, and the CoC document if available. 4. Payment: in most cases you buy directly from the German seller yourself. Your import adviser explains how that works in your situation. 5. Transport to the Netherlands. 6. RDW inspection and identification. The RDW forwards the details to the Tax Authority. 7. BPM declaration. After approval and paid BPM the Dutch registration is assigned. 8. Delivery of your car. Throughout the entire process we keep you informed at every step. Feel free to request a no-obligation quote.

That depends on the type of warranty on your car. - Manufacturer or brand warranty: this is brand-specific and applies EU-wide. You can simply go to a Dutch dealer of the same brand with it, including for warranty work. - Dealer warranty from the German seller: you handle this with the selling party in Germany, according to the terms stated in the purchase contract. Often you can also go to the Dutch brand dealer for this, but that depends on the warranty terms. The same applies to the statutory liability of the German seller (Gewährleistung); what has been agreed for this can be found in the German purchase contract. - Real Garant Elite warranty: in this case you follow the terms of that warranty. If you cannot reach an agreement with the German seller, Das Import can mediate. Would you like to know in advance which warranty applies to a specific car? Request a quote without obligation or contact one of our import advisors.

We regularly import fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids from Germany. Fiscally it differs per drivetrain: - Fully electric: no CO2 emissions, so the CO2-dependent part of the BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax) is eliminated. For the bijtelling (Dutch tax on private use of a company car) the rate is 17% in 2025 and 18% in 2026 up to a list value of EUR 30.000; on the excess 22%. - Hybrid and plug-in hybrid: the gross BPM and thus the residual BPM are lower than for petrol or diesel, but BPM remains payable. - Petrol and diesel: bijtelling 22%. Charging is not an obstacle: German cars use the same European charging standard (Type 2 / CCS) as in the Netherlands. Whether a car still has manufacturer or battery warranty differs per brand, year of manufacture and version. We read out the advertisement for you and look this up. Feel free to request a quote without obligation; an import advisor will calculate BPM and bijtelling for your specific car.

You receive from the German seller the original Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I (Fahrzeugschein) and Teil II (Fahrzeugbrief), together with the purchase contract or the invoice. If there is a COC (Certificate of Conformity, in German Übereinstimmungsbescheinigung), ask whether you can also get it. The RDW (Dutch vehicle authority) requests the complete original foreign registration certificate, so Teil I and Teil II, plus a valid identity document. The COC is not mandatory for the RDW, but we use it to substantiate the BPM: among other things, it states the CO? emissions. If you use one of our car import service packages, you do not have to worry about this: we take all contact with the dealer off your hands and inquire about all the required documents. If Teil II or the COC is missing, report this immediately to your import advisor. We will then find out how the document can still be arranged; this is customised work. For the quote, copies suffice, which you can send to [email protected].

Most mistakes arise at the start of the process. Pay particular attention to: - Documents: is the German registration certificate complete and is a COC document available? - History: damage history, number of previous owners, rental or lease history and the mileage are difficult to verify yourself. - Condition of the car: tyres, the next scheduled service and which warranty applies to you as buyer. - BPM: an incorrect or poorly substantiated declaration may mean that you pay too much or receive an additional assessment afterwards. - Costs you forget: RDW fees, licence plates, any BPM and other import costs. We inquire about these points with the seller for you as standard and read out the advertisement for you. If you use one of our car import service packages, you do not have to worry about this: we take all contact with the dealer off your hands and inquire about all the required documents. What applies to a specific car we can only say after we have requested it. Therefore, feel free to request a quote without obligation; an import advisor will then go through the process with you.

That depends on the package you choose. - If you choose Standaard, Versneld or Deluxe, we arrange transport to our location in Zaandam. Our transport is fully comprehensively insured, so you are not underinsured. - If you choose the Registratie package (registration package), you collect the car yourself or have it delivered yourself. You can bring the car to Zaandam 6 days a week during our opening hours, or we can collect it from you for a fee. If you drive the car over yourself on a temporary registration plate, please bear in mind that you can only take out third-party liability insurance on it; damage to your own car is then not covered. The moment of payment depends on the chosen package and the arrangements with the seller. Our import advisors will go through this with you in advance.

Yes, we can arrange these elements alongside each other for you, so that you have one point of contact. Trade-in: enter your car's details at https://www.dasimport.nl/inruil/inruilbod-opvragen, and you will receive an offer. In most cases you buy the imported car yourself directly from the German seller; the trade-in amount is then simply paid out to you and not offset against that purchase. Only with financial lease does Das Import purchase the car itself and the trade-in amount can sometimes be offset against the amount to be financed. Financing: a down payment and a final instalment at the level of the realistic residual value are among the options to lower the monthly amount. Insurance: during the import process we offer additional comprehensive cover, because insurers can only provide cover once there is a Dutch registration plate and reporting code. For the insurance thereafter we can, if you wish, put you in touch with our regular intermediary. Your import advisor will calculate the whole picture for you.

What you pay in total consists of the purchase price of the car, the BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax), the chosen service package, any VAT (in the case of a fiscally new car) and any optional accessories. Transport, RDW import, BPM declaration, number plates and registration are included in the packages Standaard (€ 1.699,99), Versneld (€ 1.899,99) and Deluxe (€ 2.399,99). If you choose the Registratie package (€ 699,99), then you collect the car yourself and we take care of the import and registration. All amounts include VAT. Whether importing turns out to be advantageous for you depends entirely on the model, the version, the age and the BPM of the car in question. This can only be assessed with a concrete car alongside. Send us the advertisement and we will calculate the total import costs for you without obligation, and an import advisor will compare it with the Dutch price.

In most cases you buy directly from the German seller yourself and you also pay for the car directly to them. You only pay after the purchase agreement has been drawn up and signed; this states the parties, make and model, the VIN, the actual mileage, the Erstzulassung and the warranty. What to pay attention to when making the transfer: - Transfer the amount to the account stated on the purchase agreement or invoice, and check whether the account holder is the same party as the seller. - State the VIN or the order/invoice number with the payment. - Keep the proof of payment; you will need it later in the process. In addition, you make a second payment to Das Import (car imports from Germany to the Netherlands) for the import service and the BPM (Dutch vehicle registration tax). We advise looking at offers from official brand dealers, so that this proceeds as safely as possible. We have by now done business several times with many German brand dealers; feel free to ask us about our experiences with a specific dealer. Your import adviser will explain in advance which payment is intended for what and how it works with any down payment for your car.