Your car in the Netherlands: bringing it and what it costs

If you bring your own car it has to go onto a Dutch registration. And once it does, you pay road tax every quarter — an amount set by the car itself, not by how much you drive.

Bringing your own car to the Netherlands

If you bring your car, you may only drive it on foreign plates temporarily. After that it has to be on a Dutch . You arrange that at an inspection station — you must be 18 or over and registered in the .

How the inspection works

1
Book an appointment at an RDW inspection station

You do this online with your DigiD. Are your foreign plates no longer valid? Then request a one-day registration so you can drive to the inspection legally.
2
Come to the inspection yourself

Nobody else can submit the application for you. Arrive 15 minutes early; the inspection itself takes 25 to 55 minutes.
3
Bring your documents

The complete original foreign registration certificate and valid proof of identity. A is optional, but it sets the CO2 figure used for . Moving house with the car? Bring the document from the showing it counts as household goods.
4
Did your car come from a left-hand-traffic country?

Then its mirrors and lighting have to be adapted for driving on the right before it can be approved.

What registration costs

Vehicle identification €58.50
Registration certificate €50.00
Registration in your name €13.10
Recycling fee €22.50

RDW fees; check them on rdw.nl before booking an appointment. BPM comes on top of these.

And then

Once everything is approved you receive your registration certificate within 5 working days, and the letter with your registration code about two working days later.
Request the exemption from the Tax and Customs Administration before the inspection if the car is part of your household move. If the car is liable for BPM, you file a declaration afterwards.
From the moment the car is in your name it must carry — and you start paying .
Most cars also need a valid . A foreign inspection certificate that is still valid can sometimes be accepted by the RDW on request.

Road tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting)

As soon as a car is registered in your name you pay (MRB), usually per quarter. The amount does not depend on how much you drive but on the car itself — which catches a lot of expats out. Four things set the bill:

Weight

MRB is based on your car's kerb weight. Heavier cars pay significantly more; a large SUV easily costs a multiple of a small hatchback.

Fuel type

Diesel and LPG carry higher rates than petrol. Fully electric cars get a discount: since 1 January 2026 they pay 70% of the normal rate, an arrangement currently set to run through 2028.

Province

On top of the national part come (opcenten). Each province sets its own rate, so the same car costs slightly more in Noord-Holland than in Drenthe.

Particulate surcharge

Diesel cars with high particulate emissions pay an extra fixed amount per quarter ( ), rising with the weight of the car.

Work out what a car costs you per quarter with the Belastingdienst's calculator before you buy — especially if you are weighing up petrol, diesel and electric.

Frequently asked questions

How much road tax will I pay for my car?

It depends on your car's kerb weight, its fuel type, the province you live in and, for diesels, a possible particulate surcharge. There is no flat rate: work it out up front with the Belastingdienst calculator.

Do I pay road tax on an electric car?

Yes, but at a discount. Since 1 January 2026 fully electric passenger cars pay 70% of the normal rate. That arrangement currently runs through 2028.