Register an imported vehicle or put a car in your name in the Netherlands

Imports go through an RDW inspection, while Dutch cars only need a change of owner

A vehicle bought in another country must be inspected and registered by the RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, before it gets Dutch plates. A car that is already registered in the Netherlands keeps its plate, but the registration has to be moved into your name, which the Dutch call tenaamstelling. Importing generally requires you to be registered at a Dutch address, and it can involve a separate vehicle tax return.

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How it works

Register or transfer a vehicle

Register a car you bought or imported, or transfer it to a new owner.

When you buy, import or sell a vehicle, its registration has to be updated. A first registration or an import usually requires proof of ownership, a valid technical inspection, insurance, your ID and proof of address; imports may also need customs or tax clearance and new plates. When you buy a used car within the country, the seller and buyer often complete the transfer together, sometimes online, at a post office or at a registration counter. Expect fees for plates and registration documents.

Also searched as

car registrationregister a carvehicle registrationimport a carchange of vehicle ownershipnumber platesregister an imported car

At a glance

Offices
22 offices in 21 cities
Book online
At 15 of 22 offices
Apply online
At 18 of 22 offices

Not every counter takes both

Counters for imports and owner changes

An imported vehicle needs an RDW inspection station, which usually asks you to book and pay online first. Changing the owner of a car that is already registered in the Netherlands is often simpler, and some counters take it without an appointment.

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Other countries

The same task in other countries

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Where to next

Counters for vehicle registration and transfer

Compare RDW inspection stations and plate counters city by city and check what each one accepts before you drive over.

Vehicle registration counters in the Netherlands

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