Exporting a Car from Netherlands 2026: RDW Export Plate, BPM Refund and Customs

Exporting your Dutch-plated car: the RDW process step by step

Taking your car with you when you emigrate is administratively heavier than most people expect. The vehicle must be deregistered (uitgeschreven) in the Dutch kentekenregister at the RDW (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer), the BPM (Belasting van personenauto’s en motorrijwielen) refund must be applied for at the Belastingdienst, the motorrijtuigenbelasting (MRB) ends on the export date, and the destination country imposes its own registration, taxes and road-worthiness checks. Plan 2-3 months end-to-end.

The 2026 RDW reform digitised most steps but kept the physical handover of the kentekenbewijs and the export plates (uitvoerkenteken). The export kenteken is white with a black border, valid for 14 days, and obtained at any RDW location or authorised expediteur for EUR 13. During those 14 days you may drive the vehicle in the Netherlands and abroad to reach the destination, with mandatory groene kaart insurance.

RDW deregistration: the export procedure

Step 1: book an export appointment at RDW. Use rdw.nl or visit a RDW keuringsstation in person. The fee for export afmelding is EUR 16.55 (2026). Bring the original kentekenbewijs (Deel 1A and 1B, or the new credit-card-format kentekencard plus tenaamstellingsverslag), the vehicle itself for VIN verification, your Dutch ID, and the bewijs van uitschrijving from the gemeente if available.

Step 2: receive the uitvoerverklaring. The RDW issues a Verklaring van Uitvoer (export certificate) and confirms the export in the kentekenregister. From this moment the vehicle is no longer registered in the Netherlands. The MRB stops automatically; any prepaid quarterly MRB is refunded by the Belastingdienst within 6-8 weeks.

Step 3: get export plates. The white-bordered uitvoerkenteken is mounted in place of the regular plates. It is valid for 14 days only. If your destination is far (Spain, Portugal, Italy) you may need an extension or a transport on a tow truck — the export plates are often refused entry by some EU countries beyond their initial 14-day window unless extended.

Step 4: register in the destination country. Within typically 30 days of arrival, register at the local DMV equivalent (Spanish DGT, French ANTS, German Zulassungsstelle, Belgian DIV). Bring the Verklaring van Uitvoer, the original kentekenbewijs, a CoC (Certificate of Conformity) from the manufacturer, an apostilled bewijs van uitschrijving, and the destination tax-residence document.

BPM refund: claiming back the Dutch luxury tax

BPM is the registration tax paid when the vehicle was first registered in the Netherlands. The 2026 BPM is approximately EUR 0 for fully electric vehicles, EUR 0-4,000 for hybrids, and EUR 8,000-30,000 for petrol/diesel vehicles depending on CO2 emissions. On export, you can reclaim the residual BPM (rest-BPM) — the portion that has not been depreciated against the BPM-depreciation schedule.

Process: file the BPM refund application with the Belastingdienst within 13 weeks of the RDW export afmelding. Use the BPM-65 form (Verzoek teruggaaf BPM bij uitvoer) and attach: original kentekenbewijs, Verklaring van Uitvoer, copy of foreign registration certificate (issued post-import), and a recent dealer-grade taxatierapport for vehicles older than 6 years.

Refund amount: the Belastingdienst applies the wettelijke afschrijvingstabel, which sets BPM depreciation by age. For example, after 1 year the residual BPM is approximately 84%, after 3 years 54%, after 5 years 36%, after 9 years 13%. Refund is paid within 8-13 weeks to your Dutch IBAN — keep the account open. Foreign IBAN refunds are technically possible but trigger manual review and add 4-6 weeks.

Cost overview for typical export scenarios

Destination-country specifics: registration in EU/EEA

Spain (matriculación)

Register at the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) within 30 days of empadronamiento. Required: ITV (Spanish technical inspection, EUR 60-110), CoC, NIE/DNI, NIE-padrón certificate, Dutch Verklaring van Uitvoer apostilled. Spanish ITP/IEDMT registration tax: 4.75-14.75% of vehicle value depending on autonomous community and CO2. Average total cost EUR 800-3,500 plus annual circulación tax. Plates issued within 1-2 weeks.

Germany

Register at the local Zulassungsstelle within 6 months of residence. Required: HU (TÜV) inspection, eVB Versicherungsbestätigung, CoC, Verklaring van Uitvoer with apostille. Registration cost EUR 60-100 plus motor vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer) annually. Plates issued same day if appointment slot available.

France

Register through ANTS online (no physical visit needed). Required: contrôle technique (French TÜV equivalent), CoC, Verklaring van Uitvoer, attestation de domicile. Carte grise tax (taxe régionale) EUR 26-55 per CV horsepower depending on region. Process takes 2-4 weeks online; provisional plates valid in interim.

Belgium

Register at DIV within 30 days. Belgian BIV (taxe de mise en circulation) varies EUR 61-2,500 by CO2 and engine size. Belgian autocontrôle inspection required at vehicle age >4 years. The export-import mismatch with the Dutch BPM refund is the smallest of any neighbour because of bilateral procedure agreements; total reciprocal cost typically under EUR 500.

Special cases and pitfalls

Leased vehicles (operationele lease, financial lease)

Most Dutch lease companies (LeasePlan, ALD Automotive, Athlon) do not allow export. The contract requires return to the lease company at the end of the term. Early termination penalty is typically 50-90% of remaining lease payments. If you must leave, sublease via leasecover.nl or financiele lease overname platforms — but only with the lease company’s written consent.

Vehicles with hypotheek or pledge

If the car is financed (autohypotheek, financial lease), the financier holds the kentekenbewijs Deel 1B. Export requires their written approval. Refusal is common until the lien is repaid. Plan to refinance via a destination-country auto loan or pay off the Dutch financing before the move.

Older or low-value vehicles

For cars worth less than EUR 5,000 the BPM refund and registration costs may exceed the vehicle’s value. Selling in the Netherlands and buying abroad is usually cheaper. Use marktplaats.nl, gaspedaal.nl or a opkoper for quick disposal. The opkoper handles the RDW vrijwaring on the spot.

ANWB and roadside assistance

ANWB Wegenwacht Buitenland coverage continues to operate after emigration if you maintain ANWB membership at EUR 80-130 per year. The Dutch-plated car loses domestic coverage on export but the international card (Wegenwacht Internationaal) remains valid in 50+ countries until membership lapses or coverage is downgraded. Some emigrants keep ANWB primarily for the European-wide assistance network.

Coordinating car export with other emigration steps

The car export should follow rather than precede BRP deregistration (see our BRP guide). Coordinate with bank closure timing (see our bank guide) so that BPM and MRB refunds can land. Driving licence rules differ — see our licence guide.

Customs treatment of the vehicle as part of the household-goods move depends on whether it qualifies as a personal possession owned for at least 6 months pre-move (see our customs guide). EU intra-moves rarely need customs paperwork; non-EU moves (UK, Switzerland) require ATA carnet or EUR.1 origin documentation.