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

As a private resident of the Netherlands, you can import a used passenger car from Sweden. Do not pay until you have checked the seller, debts, original documents and technical condition. Then choose between valid Swedish temporary registration and carriage on a vehicle transporter; driving the car yourself requires registration, insurance and recognition in every country on the journey to be confirmed in advance. Next, arrange 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 and motor vehicle tax (mrb). 123

Decide and check before paying

Compare the vehicle identification number (VIN/chassis number) with the original registration certificate. Check that the seller is the true owner and has the authority to sell the car, arrange for any loan to be settled, and carry out the authenticated debt check immediately before payment. Data may be delayed or omit enforcement costs; a prohibition on use or seizure remains possible, even if you are not the debtor. Registry, inspection, credit and debt data do not provide a complete accident and maintenance history, so check the evidence and physically inspect the car. Sign two identical contracts recording the parties, vehicle, mileage, condition, equipment, price, payment and promises. Cross-border governing law and remedies may require separate advice. 2954

According to the Dutch website, CarAudit is provided by Carvago Deutschland GmbH; the terms consulted apply from 1 August 2026. Sweden was included in the list of countries on 13 September 2026, but confirm availability for the specific location. The stated report turnaround of 48 hours after the inspection, excluding weekends and public holidays, is indicative. Access, time, weather and opportunities for a test drive may limit the inspection; it is not a guarantee, may miss hidden defects and does not handle import formalities. 1011

Swedish export and temporary registration

As a foreign resident, you can apply for temporary registration while the seller applies for deregistration for export. The application will be refused if the car is subject to a prohibition on use due to unpaid taxes or charges, if its last passed roadworthiness inspection is more than twelve months old, or if it is subject to a driving ban or reinspection order. The application file must include Swedish temporary traffic insurance OR, for the European Economic Area (EEA), a 30-day Dutch insurance certificate; roadworthiness evidence no more than twelve months old if this is not recorded in the register; the original Swedish registration certificate with the export notification signed by the seller; and the Swedish plates. The registration is valid for one month, cannot be extended, ends when ownership changes again and requires the car to leave Sweden. The decision, certificate and plates are sent to your address in Sweden; confirm the address and timing before departure and destroy the special plates after expiry. 1

An EEA-destination certificate provides insurance for 30 days. If the calendar month is longer, additional Swedish temporary insurance may be needed from day 31. Recognition also varies by country: check the Netherlands, every transit country and the territorial scope of cover. 1

Without temporary registration, deregistration for export requires the export notification, Swedish plates and evidence of actual permanent export, such as foreign registration, evidence from an authority or customs, or a professional transporter's certificate. A purchase contract, invoice or receipt alone is not sufficient. Until Transportstyrelsen has the complete file, the seller remains registered and responsible for tax and insurance, unless the car is officially registered as off road. The online change-of-ownership route requires Swedish identification or e-ID, which you may not have; a written notification requires the original latest Part 2 of the registration certificate. Neither route replaces deregistration for export. Do not rely on automatic notification by the Netherlands, and document who will manage the plates and evidence. Without case-specific evidence, do not count on receiving a Swedish tax refund yourself. 1295

Transport from Sweden to the Netherlands

RDW does not issue a number plate for the journey from Sweden. The RDW one-day registration, which was free on 13 September 2026, is valid only on the inspection date in the Netherlands, along the shortest route to RDW and home, and requires an appointment, printed evidence, white plates, Dutch insurance and a safe car. 313

The short-term BPM/mrb exemption is not a standard import route. It requires a vehicle with a foreign number plate that was made available abroad, advance online notification and no more than two consecutive weeks, once per vehicle and user in each twelve-month period. If the conditions are not met or the vehicle is used for longer, BPM and mrb are due from the first day of use in the Netherlands. 14

RDW, periodic roadworthiness inspection (APK), BPM, VAT and activation

The EU/EFTA route is available from the age of 18 and requires registration in the Basisregistratie Personen (Personal Records Database). Take valid ID and the complete original registration certificate; make a copy of it in advance for BPM. A certificate of conformity (CvO; internationally often CoC) is optional, but CO2 affects BPM. RDW identifies the car and assesses the documents, not its general technical condition; danger or damage can result in a prohibition on use. 3

Ask RDW to carry over a valid Swedish roadworthiness inspection, supplying the original inspection report, an entry on the registration certificate or a plate sticker; acceptance is not guaranteed. If the car is subject to APK requirements and then has neither accepted evidence nor an RDW APK, arrange the periodic roadworthiness inspection (APK) immediately after receiving the registration certificate to avoid a fine for delay. 3

Submit the BPM return only after RDW approval and electronic transfer of the vehicle data. For BPM, a car that is unused or barely used is new; at 3,000 km or more it is definitely used, but a lower mileage does not automatically determine its status. Gross BPM uses the RDW CO2 figure: new cars use WLTP; used cars from before 1 July 2020 follow the available NEDC/WLTP values, and no WLTP value exists for cars from before 2018. If CO2 is missing, for the period from 1 July 2020 to the present the page specifies 550 g/km for petrol and 395 g/km for diesel, for the period from 1 January 2015 to 1 July 2020 it specifies 507 g/km for petrol and 356 g/km for diesel, and for the period from 1 January 2009 to 1 January 2015 it specifies 350 g/km for petrol and 302 g/km for diesel, with the older value applying only when it is more favourable. 156

For a used car, you can compare permitted current and historical rates. The permitted depreciation methods are a Dutch trade price list, an appraisal report or the statutory table. Choose the most favourable permitted method. Do not assume that an ordinary car qualifies for an appraisal: conditions apply to the special case, the appraiser, roadworthiness and a report dated no more than one month before RDW, while the official page leaves it unclear which conditions must apply together and which are alternatives. 616

VAT-new means no more than six months since first use OR no more than 6,000 km; VAT-used requires more than 6,000 km AND supply after more than six months. For a VAT-new car, a private buyer pays Dutch VAT through the special intra-Community return. For a VAT-used car, the transfer itself does not create additional Dutch acquisition VAT, but dealer invoice and margin-scheme treatment may vary. 7178

Following RDW and tax approval, RDW sends the registration certificate within five working days and the full registration code two working days later, subject to postal delivery. Have the plates made by an RDW-approved manufacturer. For a vehicle subject to compulsory insurance, activate third-party liability insurance (WA insurance) from the moment it is registered in your name; the reporting code is the last four digits of the VIN. For a vehicle liable to mrb, registration in your name constitutes the mrb return; call the Belastingdienst if no bill arrives after one month. The amount depends on vehicle type, weight, fuel, environmental characteristics and province. 318

Cost breakdown without a misleading total

Each item was checked separately on 13 September 2026. Without vehicle details, a transport choice and quotes, a total cannot be responsibly stated; do not add alternatives together.

Chronological checklist

Keep evidence of every step and follow up on the Swedish deregistration for export.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drive from Sweden using a Dutch one-day registration?

No. It is valid only on the inspection date in the Netherlands and along the shortest route between RDW and home; arrange insurance, evidence, white plates and a safe car. 3, 13

How long is Swedish temporary registration for export valid?

One non-extendable month, or less if ownership changes again. The EEA certificate provides cover for 30 days; arrange supplementary cover if necessary and check recognition in every country on the journey. 1

Is the purchase contract enough for Swedish deregistration for export?

Without granted temporary registration, the purchase contract is not enough. The export notification, plates and evidence of permanent export are required, such as foreign registration, evidence from an authority or customs, or a professional transporter's certificate. 12

Does the Swedish debt check provide a complete vehicle history?

No. Carry out the check with the authenticated seller just before payment; data may be missing or delayed. Supplement the registers with evidence and a physical inspection. 2, 9, 5

Is the RDW import inspection a full technical pre-purchase inspection?

No. RDW identifies the car and documents, not its technical condition; danger or damage can result in a prohibition on road use. 3

Is a valid Swedish roadworthiness inspection automatically accepted as a Dutch APK?

No. Ask RDW to carry it over and provide the original evidence. If it is not accepted and RDW does not perform an APK, arrange an APK immediately after receiving the registration certificate. 3

When is the car considered used for BPM?

From 3,000 km it is definitely used; a lower mileage does not automatically determine its status. The separate BPM calculation also uses CO2, first registration and depreciation. 6, 16

When must a private buyer declare Dutch VAT?

If no more than six months have elapsed since first use OR the car has covered no more than 6,000 km. The special return then applies. VAT-used requires more than 6,000 km AND supply more than six months after first registration. 7, 17, 8

When will I receive the Dutch registration certificate?

After approval by RDW and the Belastingdienst, RDW sends the registration certificate within five working days and the full registration code two working days later, subject to postal delivery. 3

If you want an independent physical inspection before payment, first confirm package availability for the location in Sweden. The inspection may be limited by access, time, weather and opportunities for a test drive; it provides no guarantee and does not replace the RDW, BPM, insurance, number-plate or transport steps. 10, 11

Sources

1. Temporary registration when exporting used vehicles
2. Vehicle-related debts
3. Voertuig invoeren vanuit een Europees land
4. Buying a car from a private individual
5. Registration certificates
6. Hoe bereken ik de bpm voor een personenauto?
7. Wat zijn nieuwe of bijna nieuwe vervoermiddelen?
8. Auto kopen of verkopen: btw
9. Change of ownership
10. CarAudit: koop een tweedehands auto nooit blind
11. CarAudit-voorwaarden
12. Export and temporary registration
13. Eendagskenteken aanvragen
14. Vrijstelling bpm en mrb bij kortstondig gebruik
15. Ik koop een motorrijtuig in het buitenland - hoe zit het met de bpm-aangifte?
16. Bpm afschrijving gebruikte motorrijtuigen
17. Aankoop van nieuwe en bijna nieuwe vervoermiddelen uit EU-landen
18. Motorrijtuigenbelasting