Buying a car in the Netherlands is administratively simple only if you separate the jobs correctly: check the car, agree the sale, transfer the registration, insure it immediately, then keep the APK and tax obligations in order. The moment RDW records the vehicle in your name, the legal responsibilities move to you.

Before you pay

  • Run the free RDW registration check and compare the number plate, make/model, fuel, first-registration date, APK expiry and other public data with the advertisement.
  • Check the registration card and registration code are valid before planning the transfer.
  • Check the recorded mileage. RDW records mileage for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles and provides a mileage assessment/vehicle report; odometer fraud still occurs.
  • Ask for maintenance invoices, service history, keys and any recent repair/inspection documents.
  • For a higher-value used car, consider an independent pre-purchase inspection rather than relying only on a fresh APK. An APK is a roadworthiness snapshot, not a warranty or full mechanical inspection.
  • Put material promises in writing: known defects, included accessories, mileage, price, delivery condition and any dealer warranty.
Dealer versus private seller: if you buy as a consumer from a business, Dutch statutory conformity rules apply: the product must be what you could reasonably expect, taking age, price, mileage and the seller’s statements into account. A dealer/factory warranty is additional to those statutory rights. A private-to-private sale does not give you the same consumer-law protection, so documentation and inspection matter even more.

How the registration transfer works

The Dutch transfer is called overschrijven. A private buyer can transfer online with the DigiD app and ID check, at an RDW registration counter/location, or through an RDW-approved dealer. RDW’s transfer fee on 30 September 2026 is €13.10.

  1. The seller provides the valid registration card plus full registration code, or the applicable older paper documents.
  2. The buyer completes the transfer and receives the registration report. Keep the first part of the new registration code safely.
  3. The buyer receives the vrijwaringsbewijs / certificate of indemnification and gives it to the seller. This is the seller’s proof that the vehicle is no longer registered in their name.
  4. RDW posts the new registration card and the second part of the registration code to the buyer’s Dutch address.

Important 2026 identity rule for newcomers

Since January 2026, a transfer at a kentekenloket or an RDW-approved company requires a valid Dutch driving licence. If you do not have one, RDW says you can use the online transfer route where eligible or visit an RDW inspection station/service counter, where a valid passport or identity card can still be used. See our foreign driving-licence guide if you have only recently moved.

The instant the car is in your name

You become responsible for the vehicle’s obligations immediately:

  • WA insurance: compulsory third-party liability cover must be in place from the moment the vehicle is registered in your name.
  • APK: if the vehicle is subject to periodic inspection, the APK must be valid.
  • MRB: transfer into your name also triggers the motor-vehicle-tax administration; the Tax Administration normally sends the bill automatically.

You may drive after a successful transfer even while waiting for the physical registration card. RDW says you must carry the card after 14 days; when driving abroad, carry the registration certificate.

Selling a car safely

  • Do not treat a payment screenshot as proof of cleared funds.
  • Do not give away the full registration code in advance of the actual transfer.
  • Complete the transfer while both parties can verify it.
  • Keep the vrijwaringsbewijs. Do not cancel insurance merely because the buyer has the keys; cancel after you have proof the vehicle is no longer registered to you.
  • Keep the sale agreement and proof of payment, especially for a private sale.

Used-car cost check before committing

The purchase price is only part of the decision. Before signing, calculate at least: insurance, MRB, expected maintenance/tyres, APK/repairs, parking permit or street parking, fuel/charging and any financing. A cheap heavy diesel can cost substantially more to own than its sticker price suggests.