Importing a used car from Italy to the Netherlands: steps, costs and documents

Short answer: before paying, check the seller, PRA status, vehicle and acquisition title. Have the car deregistered before permanent export. Choose carriage on a vehicle transporter unless the temporary plate, insurance and recognition in every transit country have been confirmed in writing. In the Netherlands, this is followed by the RDW import inspection, private motor vehicle and motorcycle tax (BPM), any value added tax (VAT), registration in the Netherlands vehicle register, number plates, insurance, motor vehicle tax (mrb) and, where necessary, a periodic roadworthiness inspection. A final total requires vehicle details and quotes. 1 2 3

Decide on title, tax and export before paying

This route is for you as a private resident of the Netherlands permanently importing one used passenger car from Italy.

Copy the complete Italian registration certificate for BPM and keep the original for the RDW. 3

Check the vehicle, seller and PRA status

Compare the vehicle identification number (VIN/chassis number), registration number, Documento Unico (Italian vehicle document), seller and original acquisition title. Check the seller's identity and their authority to sell the car. 4 5 6 Have the PRA confirm that the original, signed and, where necessary, authenticated acquisition title is sufficient for the chosen export route. 1 7 Request a current PRA visura (register extract) and, where necessary, an estratto cronologico (certified chronological extract). A fermo must have been lifted after the debt has been paid; in the event of an attachment, the applicable consent is required; if a mortgage is still in force, authenticated consent from the creditor is required. 2 4 5 6

MIT roadworthiness inspection data are limited. The official services do not prove accident-free condition, complete maintenance, true current mileage or mechanical quality; assess these separately. 4 5 6 13

Deregister the car in Italy before departure

Since 1 January 2020, radiazione per esportazione (export deregistration) from ANV/PRA before permanent export has been the ordinary rule. Surrender the number plates and registration documents; the export-endorsed Documento Unico is not valid for road use. Deregistration after export is a potentially penalised exception requiring evidence of foreign re-registration. 1 2

Italian vehicle tax stops from the tax period after the export endorsement; a pro-rata refund for the current period has not been established. Record how this is settled with the seller. There are no customs duties, but Dutch VAT and BPM remain separate. 2 14

Choose transport with cover for the entire route

The RDW does not issue a number plate for departure from Italy. Driving the car yourself after deregistration requires an Article 99 foglio di via (temporary driving permit) AND a temporary plate AND a technically suitable car AND third-party liability insurance. The route-specific foglio is valid for no more than 60 days to the stated Italian border or port; onward recognition, registration and cover remain unproven. Without written confirmation of the plate, policy and every transit country, use a carrier or trailer. 3 2 15 16

The free RDW one-day registration requires an appointment, printout, legible white plates, Dutch insurance and a safe car. It is valid only in the Netherlands on the inspection date, via the shortest route to the RDW and home. 17

Short-term BPM/mrb relief is exceptional: a foreign number plate, the vehicle having been made available abroad, advance online notification, no more than two consecutive weeks and once per vehicle/user in every twelve months. Otherwise, both taxes are due from the first day of use in the Netherlands. 18

Arrange RDW, taxes, inspection and activation

For the EU/EFTA procedure, you must be at least 18 and registered in the Dutch BRP. Take valid ID and the complete original registration certificate. The certificate of conformity (CvO; internationally often CoC) is optional, but CO2 affects BPM. The RDW identifies the car and assesses the documents; this is not a general technical inspection. Danger or damage can result in a prohibition on road use. 3

Ask the RDW to carry over a valid Italian periodic roadworthiness inspection, presenting the original report, registration-certificate endorsement or sticker; the RDW assesses this without any guarantee. If a car subject to APK requirements has neither accepted evidence nor an RDW APK, arrange the periodic roadworthiness inspection (APK) immediately after receiving the registration certificate; delay may result in a fine. 3

File the BPM return only after RDW approval and electronic transmission. For BPM, ‘new’ means unused or hardly used; at 3,000 km or more, the car is certainly used, but below that it is not automatically new. This test differs from VAT. 19 11

Gross BPM uses the RDW CO2 value. New cars use WLTP; for used cars from before 1 July 2020, measured or converted values determine NEDC/WLTP, and cars from before 2018 have no WLTP value. For unknown CO2, the period ‘1 July 2020 to now’ specifies 550 g/km for petrol and 395 g/km for diesel; the older, more favourable petrol/diesel pairs are 507/356 and 350/302 g/km. 11

A used car may compare permitted current and historical rates and apply depreciation using a Dutch trade price list, valuation report or statutory table; choose the most favourable permitted method. Do not assume eligibility to use a valuation report: conditions concerning special cases, the valuer, roadworthiness and a report dated no more than one month before the RDW appointment apply, while the AND/OR scope remains unresolved. 11 12

VAT-new means no more than six months since first use OR no more than 6,000 km; VAT-used means more than six months AND more than 6,000 km. VAT-new requires Dutch VAT and, for you, the special intra-Community VAT return. For VAT-used, merely transferring the car does not give rise to additional Dutch acquisition VAT, but dealer invoice or margin treatment may differ. 8 9 10

Following both approvals, the RDW sends the registration certificate within five working days and the registration code two working days later, depending on postal delivery. Have the number plates made by an RDW-approved manufacturer. Third-party liability insurance (WA insurance) is required from registration in your name; the reporting code is the final four VIN digits. Registration in your name constitutes the mrb return. No bill within one month? Contact the Belastingdienst. The mrb depends on vehicle type, weight, fuel, environmental characteristics and province. 3 20

Budget for known and outstanding costs

The fees are separate and were checked on 13 September 2026. Do not add alternative weight classes or modes of transport together, and do not produce a final total while items remain outstanding.

Follow the steps in this order

Use a pre-purchase inspection only conditionally

According to the Dutch website, Carvago Deutschland GmbH offers CarAudit; the displayed terms have been in effect since 1 August 2026. Italy appeared in the country list on 13 September 2026, but availability at the location must be confirmed before ordering. The stated 48-hour period after inspection, excluding weekends and public holidays, is indicative and depends on availability and circumstances. Access to the seller and car, the time available, the weather and whether a test drive is possible can limit the inspection. The inspection is not a warranty, does not promise to find hidden or unobservable defects and does not handle import administration. 21 22

Frequently asked questions

Can I drive the car myself after Italian deregistration?

Only with a foglio, temporary plate, suitable car and third-party liability insurance. Without confirmed transit cover, choose a transporter. 2, 15, 16

Must the car first be registered in my name?

Not always. An acquirer not yet recorded in the PRA can apply with the original title; the PRA confirms whether passaggio and IPT are required. 1, 7

Do PRA and MIT data prove the vehicle's quality?

No. They provide limited register, inspection and mileage information, not proof of accident-free condition, maintenance or mechanical quality. 4, 5, 6, 13

What should I take to the RDW?

Valid ID, the complete original registration certificate, a BPM copy made in advance, and any available CvO and original inspection evidence. 3

Is the RDW import inspection a pre-purchase inspection?

No. The RDW identifies the car and documents. Danger or damage can, however, result in a prohibition on road use. 3

When should I file the BPM return?

After RDW approval and transmission. CO2, the date of first registration, BPM use status, rate and depreciation determine the amount; VAT works differently. 19, 11, 12

When is the car VAT-used?

When more than six months have passed since first use AND it has covered more than 6,000 km. Otherwise, the special VAT-new return applies to you. 8, 9, 10

Does the RDW automatically carry over the Italian inspection?

No. Request an assessment with the original evidence. Without accepted evidence or an RDW APK, arrange an APK immediately after receiving the registration certificate. 3

When do the registration certificate, number plates and insurance follow?

The RDW states five working days for the certificate and two additional days for the code, depending on postal delivery. Dutch WA cover is required from registration in your name; after receiving the registration certificate, have the plates made by an RDW-approved manufacturer. 3, 20

What does the full import cost?

There is no universal total. BPM, VAT, IPT, transport, plates, insurance, documents, APK and mrb remain case-specific or subject to a quote. 1, 2, 7, 3, 11, 20

If availability at the Italian location has been confirmed in advance, you can consider CarAudit for a pre-purchase inspection. The scope and report turnaround time are not guaranteed; the service does not handle import formalities. 21, 22

Sources

1. Radiazione di un veicolo per esportazione all'estero
2. Radiazione per esportazione — informazioni utili
3. Voertuig invoeren vanuit een Europees land
4. Visurenet — visura della banca dati PRA
5. Crononet — estratto cronologico PRA
6. Verifica tipo documento e vincoli
7. Passaggio di proprietà — informazioni utili
8. Wat zijn nieuwe of bijna nieuwe vervoermiddelen?
9. Aankoop van nieuwe en bijna nieuwe vervoermiddelen uit EU-landen
10. Auto kopen of verkopen: btw
11. Hoe bereken ik de bpm voor een personenauto?
12. Bpm afschrijving gebruikte motorrijtuigen
13. Verifica revisioni effettuate
14. Belasting van personenauto's en motorrijwielen (bpm)
15. Codice della strada — Art. 99
16. Circolare protocollo 12666 del 2 maggio 2024
17. Eendagskenteken aanvragen
18. Vrijstelling bpm en mrb bij kortstondig gebruik
19. Ik koop een motorrijtuig in het buitenland - hoe zit het met de bpm-aangifte?
20. Motorrijtuigenbelasting
21. CarAudit: koop een tweedehands auto nooit blind
22. CarAudit-voorwaarden