{"id":455,"date":"2026-10-03T11:37:25","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T11:37:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/?post_type=ba_guide&#038;p=455"},"modified":"2026-10-03T11:37:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T11:37:25","slug":"buy-sell-car-netherlands-rdw-transfer","status":"publish","type":"ba_guide","link":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/?ba_guide=buy-sell-car-netherlands-rdw-transfer","title":{"rendered":"Buying or selling a car in the Netherlands: RDW transfer, checks and paperwork"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"ba-lead wp-block-paragraph\">Buying a car in the Netherlands is administratively simple only if you separate the jobs correctly: <strong>check the car, agree the sale, transfer the registration, insure it immediately, then keep the APK and tax obligations in order.<\/strong> The moment RDW records the vehicle in your name, the legal responsibilities move to you.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Before you pay<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"ba-checklist\"><li>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.<\/li><li>Check the registration card and registration code are valid before planning the transfer.<\/li><li>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.<\/li><li>Ask for maintenance invoices, service history, keys and any recent repair\/inspection documents.<\/li><li>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.<\/li><li>Put material promises in writing: known defects, included accessories, mileage, price, delivery condition and any dealer warranty.<\/li><\/ul>\n<div class=\"ba-callout ba-callout-warning\"><strong>Dealer versus private seller:<\/strong> 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&#8217;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.<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How the registration transfer works<\/h2>\n<p>The Dutch transfer is called <em>overschrijven<\/em>. 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&#8217;s transfer fee on 30 September 2026 is <strong>\u20ac13.10<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<ol><li>The seller provides the valid registration card plus full registration code, or the applicable older paper documents.<\/li><li>The buyer completes the transfer and receives the registration report. Keep the first part of the new registration code safely.<\/li><li>The buyer receives the <strong>vrijwaringsbewijs<\/strong> \/ certificate of indemnification and gives it to the seller. This is the seller&#8217;s proof that the vehicle is no longer registered in their name.<\/li><li>RDW posts the new registration card and the second part of the registration code to the buyer&#8217;s Dutch address.<\/li><\/ol>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Important 2026 identity rule for newcomers<\/h2>\n<p>Since January 2026, a transfer at a <em>kentekenloket<\/em> or an RDW-approved company requires a valid <strong>Dutch driving licence<\/strong>. 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 <a href=\"\/guide\/foreign-driving-licence-netherlands-validity\/\">foreign driving-licence guide<\/a> if you have only recently moved.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The instant the car is in your name<\/h2>\n<p>You become responsible for the vehicle&#8217;s obligations immediately:<\/p>\n<ul><li><strong>WA insurance:<\/strong> compulsory third-party liability cover must be in place from the moment the vehicle is registered in your name.<\/li><li><strong>APK:<\/strong> if the vehicle is subject to periodic inspection, the APK must be valid.<\/li><li><strong>MRB:<\/strong> transfer into your name also triggers the motor-vehicle-tax administration; the Tax Administration normally sends the bill automatically.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Selling a car safely<\/h2>\n<ul><li>Do not treat a payment screenshot as proof of cleared funds.<\/li><li>Do not give away the full registration code in advance of the actual transfer.<\/li><li>Complete the transfer while both parties can verify it.<\/li><li>Keep the <strong>vrijwaringsbewijs<\/strong>. Do not cancel insurance merely because the buyer has the keys; cancel after you have proof the vehicle is no longer registered to you.<\/li><li>Keep the sale agreement and proof of payment, especially for a private sale.<\/li><\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Used-car cost check before committing<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A practical Dutch used-car buying and selling guide covering RDW checks, mileage, statutory consumer rights, registration transfer, insurance, APK, MRB and the seller&#8217;s vrijwaringsbewijs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"template":"","ba_country":[2],"ba_topic":[419,412,126,411,418,417,416,415,413,414],"ba_audience":[427,426,255,284,261,17,308],"ba_section":[20,22,19],"ba_stage":[28,30,26],"ba_location":[],"class_list":["post-455","ba_guide","type-ba_guide","status-publish","hentry","ba_country-netherlands","ba_topic-apk","ba_topic-buying-a-car","ba_topic-car-insurance","ba_topic-cars","ba_topic-mrb","ba_topic-odometer","ba_topic-rdw-vehicle-check","ba_topic-registration-transfer","ba_topic-selling-a-car","ba_topic-vehicle-registration","ba_audience-car-owners","ba_audience-drivers","ba_audience-employees","ba_audience-families","ba_audience-newcomers","ba_audience-residents","ba_audience-students","ba_section-living","ba_section-money-costs","ba_section-moving","ba_stage-getting-established","ba_stage-living-stage","ba_stage-preparing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/455","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/ba_guide"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/455\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":456,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/455\/revisions\/456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=455"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ba_country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_country&post=455"},{"taxonomy":"ba_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_topic&post=455"},{"taxonomy":"ba_audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_audience&post=455"},{"taxonomy":"ba_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_section&post=455"},{"taxonomy":"ba_stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_stage&post=455"},{"taxonomy":"ba_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_location&post=455"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}