Can I buy car in Germany and use in Netherlands? - 2023 (2024)

FAQs

Can I buy a car in Germany and bring it to the Netherlands? ›

If you move to the Netherlands, you can bring your car with you. You will need to register the car in the Netherlands. Your car will be issued with Dutch registration plates and you will need to pay tax. If you are coming to study in the Netherlands or are being seconded, different rules apply.

If you are not registered in the Dutch Personal Records Database (BRP), you can drive a car with foreign registration plates on Dutch roads for a maximum of 6 months. This is because you are entitled to an exemption under international law (information in Dutch). You do not need to apply for this exemption.

Can A Foreigner Buy A Car In Germany? Yes, of course, as long as you are a registered resident in Germany. Be aware that you will only be able to drive a car in Germany if your foreign license is valid in Germany. Check out our detailed guide below on whether or not you need to get a German driving license.

When you rent a car in Germany, you also have the option to drive your car rental to a surrounding country in Europe and drop it off at a different station.

You can bring out-of-country rentals into Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Gibraltar, Great Britain, Ireland, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain.

There are several reasons for this. First, Germany often has a larger selection of cars, which are also better maintained and more fully equipped. Thus, you may find a car in Germany that you cannot buy in the Netherlands. In addition, German cars are often a lot cheaper to buy than Dutch cars.

Tourists are allowed to drive in the Netherlands on a valid state license, preferably in combination with an International Driver's License which may be obtained in the United States through the AAA.

To sum up, you may drive in Germany with your American license for up to six months. Afterwards, you need to obtain a German license (with or without taking a German exam, depending on where you acquired your U.S. driver's license), unless a reciprocity agreement is in place.

The average price to ship a car from Germany to USA ranges from $1875 to $3590. The duty to import a car in the United States from Germany is 2.5% duty of the value of the vehicle, plus local charges in the US. The cars newer than 25 years older cannot be shipped and imported to the US from Germany.

How much is German car registration tax? ›

You must pay a vehicle tax (Kraftfahrzeugsteuer) every year. For most cars, it costs around 100€ per year. For motorcycles, it costs around 50€ per year. The maximum amount is around 375€ per year.

Select from over 300 new or pre-owned vehicles in stock, or build your very own BMW and order direct from the Factory in Munich.

Car manufacturing is one of the core industries of the German economy. Prices for new cars fluctuated somewhat during the specified time period, but generally grew. Most recently a new car cost 37,790 euros on average.

Within Europe, the general answer is yes, you can drive your hire car into a different European country from where you picked it up. However, you may find some restrictions depending on the: Country you rent the car from. Country/countries you want to take the car to.

With Avis' one-way car rental, you can do just that. Pick up your vehicle from one of our offices across Europe and drop it off at a different location at the end of your trip. It's quick, easy and efficient, and it means you can plan your journey exactly as you please, without having to drive full circle.

Can you return a car in a different country? In some cases, yes. This is most common in Europe, where crossing borders is fairly easy. Usually, rental companies will let you cross borders with the rental car, but a cross-border fee may be also applied in addition to the one-way rental fee.

Renting and Driving a Car in Europe

In order to rent or lease a car in Europe, non-Europeans need a valid driver's license from their home state or province. Although the legal driving age is 18, drivers usually must be over 21 (sometimes even older) to rent a car.

In Germany, there is a mandatory minimum of unlimited third-party liability insurance required when you rent a car. This will be included in the base price of your rental agreement, however we highly recommend purchasing fully comprehensive cover with your rental car.

Can I take a rental car out of Germany? ›

Many car rental suppliers will allow you to travel outside Germany without charging additional car rental fees, although there are specific cases in which restrictions or charges may apply. Most commonly, traveling to Eastern Europe with a rental car out of Germany has very specific requirements for this to be allowed.

1. Denmark. All three of the most expensive countries in this ranking are European, and Denmark takes pole position as the most expensive of all countries in our index.

Mechanically, German cars are better than most, according to critics. Reliability issues aside, German cars are ideal for those craving speed and comfort, and the peace of mind that they only have to change vehicles on average every 200,000-250,000 miles (with proper maintenance).

Here are some key points you should take into account: Living costs in Germany: 800 – 1200 EUR/month. Living costs in the Netherlands: 800 - 1200 EUR/month.

If you have a valid license from your home state, you can drive in European countries for up to 90 days without further documentation. However, once you have spent more than 90 days in Europe and wish to continue driving there, it is recommended that you get an International Driver's License (IDL).

Many countries do not recognize a U.S. driver's license, but most accept an International Driving Permit (IDP) that you can get from the AAA (American Automobile Association) before you leave. IDPs may not be valid the whole time you stay abroad and/or may only be valid with a U.S. or local license.

General Information. During a stay in the USA of up to one year it is possible to use the German driver's license to drive a vehicle. However, due to possible language barriers (the driver's license contains entries and instructions in German only), an international driver's license is recommended.

Registration, Inspection and Insurance

If your stay in Germany is only temporary you can drive your imported motor vehicle for a period of up to 6 months with your home license plates and registration. A registration document with a German translation is required. And you'll have to show proof of insurance.

After taking up normal residence, your foreign driving licence entitles you to drive or ride motor vehicles for six months only; however, it can still be exchanged for a German driving licence after that period under simplified conditions.

Which country is the cheapest to import a car in Europe? ›

Poland has emerged as the cheapest EU country to buy cars so it will be no surprise if more and more Germans cross the country's eastern borders to buy cars."

New Cars (Neuwagen)

You can usually find someone at the showroom who speaks English, and German law generally prohibits the freewheeling bargaining that is so common in other countries. So, in theory, what you see on the sticker is what you should have to pay for the car.

They're more because the list price is set higher because they're “premium” cars. All cars are more expensive in Germany. One thing might be prices in Germany already include 19% VAT. In Germany the price on the display is the price you pay (like in the us you can try to negotiate but normally i wouldn't expect much).

When the car has nearly no emission the car tax is 15%, then there is a 21% percentage for low emission cars. All other cars have a 25% of the Dutch catalogue value added to their income.

Example: If you buy a car in June for 19,000 €, you can claim 3,000 € each as operating expenses for linear depreciation from year 1 to year 5 inclusive. The interest, if you financed the purchase price by credit. (You cannot claim the repayment instalments as tax-deductible).

The German law for Insurance Premium Tax is Versicherungssteuergesetz, VersStG. German IPT is based on the premium charged to the insured. This includes any additional fees such as drafting costs. The IPT is charged to the policy holder, based upon the date of payment of the insurance premium.

Nonresidents may import a vehicle duty-free for personal use up to (1) one year if the vehicle is imported in conjunction with the owner's arrival. Vehicles imported under this provision that do not conform to U.S. safety and emission standards must be exported within one year and may not be sold in the U.S.

How Much Will Shipping My Car To Germany Cost? The average cost of shipping a car from the US to Germany is between $900 – $1300 and can take 12 to 30 days to ship (depending on port of departure).

What car brand do Germans prefer? ›

Most popular car brands by ownership share Germany 2020-2022. Volkswagen was the most popular car brand in Germany thus far in 2022, followed by Opel and Mercedes-Benz. All three car brands originated in Germany and are among the names responsible for making the German automotive industry a global player.

The estimated shipping time of your vehicle to: The East Coast is approximately 6-8 weeks. The West Coast approximately 8-10 weeks.

It couldn't be easier to ship your new BMW home at the conclusion of your trip. There are 12 convenient drop-off locations throughout Europe. Just drive your vehicle to the location of your choice. All vehicles depart from Bremerhaven, Germany to a U.S. port.

The full name, Bayerische Motoren Werke – or Bavarian Motor Works – is a bit of a mouthful after all (➜ Read more: The BMW name and its history). And, as the above would indicate, it is German – Bavaria is a state in the south of Germany – the initials just happen to be the same in English.

Can A Foreigner Buy A Car In Germany? Yes, of course, as long as you are a registered resident in Germany. Be aware that you will only be able to drive a car in Germany if your foreign license is valid in Germany. Check out our detailed guide below on whether or not you need to get a German driving license.

Typically, German cars (Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, VW) are among the most expensive car brands to repair and maintain.

In terms of affordability, German car brands are more expensive. This is due to the overall quality of the car, how it is produced, and the name of the brand itself. A lot of the most highly sought-after luxury and performance cars are from the German car companies that we listed above: Audi, BMW, and Porsche.

The duty to import a car in the United States from Germany is 2.5% duty of the value of the vehicle, plus local charges in the US. The cars newer than 25 years older cannot be shipped and imported to the US from Germany.

Registering your car in the Netherlands

Take the foreign registration certificate and a valid identity document to the appointment, as well as any supplementary documents like a Certificate of Conformity (CoC), a foreign vehicle inspection report or any other documents belonging to the car.

It couldn't be easier to ship your new BMW home at the conclusion of your trip. There are 12 convenient drop-off locations throughout Europe. Just drive your vehicle to the location of your choice. All vehicles depart from Bremerhaven, Germany to a U.S. port.

Can you drive a car with US plates in Germany? ›

Registration, Inspection and Insurance

If your stay in Germany is only temporary you can drive your imported motor vehicle for a period of up to 6 months with your home license plates and registration. A registration document with a German translation is required. And you'll have to show proof of insurance.

The import tax charged on a shipment will be 19% on the full value of your items.

So, can a foreigner living in the Netherlands buy a car in the first place? The simple answer is yes, although the process can seem a little daunting. There are a lot of practical aspects to consider and it can be difficult to know what platforms and dealerships to trust.

Average prices of used cars sold through trademark trading have been historically higher than freely traded used cars, but have also experienced an upward trend, reaching an average price of 21,250 euros in 2021. The average price for a used car across all markets stood at 15,740 euros in 2021.