{"id":457,"date":"2026-10-03T11:37:25","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T11:37:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/?post_type=ba_guide&p=457"},"modified":"2026-10-03T11:37:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T11:37:25","slug":"import-car-netherlands-rdw-bpm-moving-exemption","status":"publish","type":"ba_guide","link":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/?ba_guide=import-car-netherlands-rdw-bpm-moving-exemption","title":{"rendered":"Importing a car into the Netherlands: RDW, BPM and the moving-household exemption"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you live in the Netherlands and bring in a foreign car, the difficult part is not just getting Dutch plates. You may need RDW registration\/inspection, BPM tax, customs formalities, WA insurance, MRB and number plates<\/strong>. A car you already owned before moving can sometimes qualify for a valuable BPM moving-household exemption.<\/p>\n

EU\/EFTA car: typical route<\/h2>\n
  1. Register in the Dutch BRP if required for your route and book the appropriate RDW inspection\/identification appointment.<\/li>
  2. Bring the complete original foreign registration certificate and valid ID. A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is not always mandatory but can help establish technical\/CO\u2082 data.<\/li>
  3. If the vehicle has a still-valid EU\/EFTA periodic inspection certificate, ask RDW whether it can be accepted; bring the original proof.<\/li>
  4. After the RDW step, submit the required BPM declaration to the Tax Administration if the vehicle is BPM-liable.<\/li>
  5. After RDW and tax approval, receive the Dutch registration certificate and registration code.<\/li>
  6. Arrange WA insurance, number plates from an authorised plate maker and MRB.<\/li><\/ol>\n

    RDW says the Dutch registration certificate is normally sent within five business days after the relevant approvals, although post and tax processing can affect the overall timetable.<\/p>\n

    Moving to the Netherlands with a car you already own<\/h2>\n
    Potential major saving: BPM moving-household exemption.<\/strong> For a qualifying move from another EU country, the Tax Administration currently requires, among other things, that the vehicle forms part of your household goods, is used for the same purpose, has been owned and used by you for at least 6 months<\/strong> before the move, and that your normal residence was abroad for at least 12 months<\/strong> before moving. Apply within 12 months<\/strong> after the move.<\/div>\n

    Request the exemption before the RDW inspection<\/strong> when using the relocation route. Even with an exemption, BPM paperwork can still be required; the exemption does not mean you can ignore registration, WA insurance or MRB.<\/p>\n

    If you sell, rent or lend the vehicle within 12 months after the BPM exemption starts, the Tax Administration warns that BPM can become payable after all. Read the exemption decision carefully before disposing of the car.<\/p>\n

    What BPM is<\/h2>\n

    BPM is the Dutch passenger-car\/motorcycle registration tax. It is separate from annual MRB. For an imported passenger car or motorcycle, BPM can still be due on used vehicles; the Tax Administration currently states that an imported passenger car or motorcycle younger than 17 years and 10 months<\/strong> can be BPM-liable. Since 2025, zero-emission passenger cars are not automatically at a zero BPM rate either.<\/p>\n

    Used-vehicle BPM calculations can be technical and depend on the vehicle, first-registration date, CO\u2082 and the permitted depreciation method. Use the Tax Administration’s current BPM route rather than relying on an advertisement’s estimate.<\/p>\n

    Outside the EU\/EFTA<\/h2>\n

    Vehicles without an accepted European\/national type approval can require an individual RDW approval, and moves from outside the EU\/EFTA can also involve Customs before the RDW inspection. Technical modifications may be necessary for Dutch\/European requirements. Do not ship an unusual vehicle before checking whether it can realistically be registered.<\/p>\n

    Do not assume you can keep foreign plates indefinitely<\/h2>\n

    Your right to drive on a foreign registration, your Dutch tax position and the technical validity of the foreign registration are separate questions. Once you become resident in the Netherlands, BPM\/MRB rules can apply even when the foreign plate itself has not expired. RDW points movers to NetherlandsWorldwide for the live foreign-plate\/residence rules.<\/p>\n

    RDW relocation fees: current reference<\/h2>\n

    For the standard light-vehicle relocation route, RDW currently lists \u20ac58.50 identification, \u20ac50.00 registration certificate, \u20ac13.10 registration in a person’s name and \u20ac22.50 recycling fee \u2014 \u20ac144.10 in total before BPM, plates, insurance, any additional inspection work or customs costs<\/strong>. Treat these as a dated reference, not a permanent quote.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    How to register an EU\/EFTA or non-EU vehicle in the Netherlands, deal with RDW and BPM, and use the BPM moving-household exemption when eligible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"template":"","ba_country":[2],"ba_topic":[419,421,126,411,129,418,414],"ba_audience":[427,426,255,284,261,17,308],"ba_section":[20,22,19],"ba_stage":[28,27,26],"ba_location":[],"class_list":["post-457","ba_guide","type-ba_guide","status-publish","hentry","ba_country-netherlands","ba_topic-apk","ba_topic-bpm","ba_topic-car-insurance","ba_topic-cars","ba_topic-importing-a-car","ba_topic-mrb","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-moving-arriving","ba_stage-preparing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/457","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\/457\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":458,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/457\/revisions\/458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ba_country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_country&post=457"},{"taxonomy":"ba_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_topic&post=457"},{"taxonomy":"ba_audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_audience&post=457"},{"taxonomy":"ba_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_section&post=457"},{"taxonomy":"ba_stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_stage&post=457"},{"taxonomy":"ba_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_location&post=457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}