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Importing a Car to Belgium: Complete 2026 Guide | AutoLink M.A.T

26 Aug 2026

# Complete Guide to Importing a Car to Belgium

Buying a car abroad can give you access to more vehicles, different specifications and sometimes significantly better prices than limiting your search to Belgium.

Germany, the Netherlands, France and other European countries offer enormous used-car markets. Buyers looking for something more specific may even consider vehicles from the United States or other non-EU countries.

But finding the car is only the first part of the process.

Before you can legally drive an imported vehicle in Belgium, you may need to deal with:

The exact procedure depends heavily on where the vehicle comes from.

This guide explains the complete process in clear language.

Updated: August 2026

> This article focuses on vehicles purchased abroad for registration in Belgium. Different rules can apply when bringing your own vehicle to Belgium as part of a change of residence.

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# First: EU Import vs. Non-EU Import

This is the most important distinction to understand.

There are essentially two categories.

Car purchased inside the European Union

Examples:

Because the vehicle is already within the EU customs territory, you normally do not pay import duties when transferring it from another EU member state to Belgium.

VAT treatment depends primarily on whether the car is considered new or used for VAT purposes.

Car purchased outside the European Union

Examples:

A vehicle arriving from outside the EU normally has to pass through customs.

For a standard passenger car imported into Belgium, this generally means:

10% import duty + 21% Belgian VAT, subject to the particular vehicle, origin and applicable customs rules.

There may also be considerably more work involved in obtaining European or Belgian technical approval.

Let's look at both situations separately.

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# Part 1 — Importing a Car from Another EU Country to Belgium

For most Belgian buyers, this is the simpler type of import.

Imagine you find a car in Germany that you want to register in Belgium.

The process will generally look like this:

Find car → Check documents → Purchase → Transport → E705 → Inspection → Insurance → DIV registration → Taxes

Let's go through it step by step.

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# Step 1: Check the Car Before You Buy It

Do not start thinking about import paperwork only after paying for the vehicle.

The safest import starts before the purchase.

Check:

Vehicle identification number

Confirm that the VIN/chassis number on the car matches the documentation.

Registration documents

Make sure the seller has the complete original foreign registration certificate.

Some countries issue registration certificates in multiple parts.

You may need all original parts later in Belgium.

European type approval

A vehicle with normal European type approval is generally much easier to register than a vehicle manufactured for another market.

The European type-approval information can normally be found on the foreign registration documentation.

Certificate of Conformity

If available, obtain the Certificate of Conformity — COC.

This document contains technical information about the vehicle and can make the Belgian inspection and registration process considerably easier.

Service history

Check:

Accident history

Ask whether the vehicle has suffered previous accident damage.

A low purchase price isn't necessarily a good deal if significant repairs are waiting for you after the vehicle arrives.

Equipment

Verify the equipment yourself.

Online advertisements are not always perfectly accurate.

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# Step 2: Make Sure the Purchase Document Is Complete

You should receive an invoice or purchase agreement.

For a professional seller, this will normally be an invoice.

For a private seller, a purchase agreement or receipt can be used.

The documentation should clearly identify:

The Flemish authorities also recommend including important technical vehicle information in the purchase document.

Never underestimate the importance of the original documentation.

A missing registration certificate can turn an otherwise simple import into a difficult administrative problem.

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# Step 3: Understand the VAT Rules

This is one of the most misunderstood parts of buying a car in another EU country.

For VAT purposes, the European rules distinguish between a new and a used/non-new vehicle.

A vehicle is considered new for this purpose if:

It has travelled no more than 6,000 km

OR

It is supplied within six months of its first use.

This means a car with 20,000 km that is only four months old can still be considered new for VAT purposes.

Likewise, an eight-month-old car with only 4,000 km can still fall into the new-vehicle VAT category.

For a vehicle to be considered non-new, it generally needs to satisfy both conditions:

More than six months since first use

AND

More than 6,000 km.

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Buying a Used Car as a Private Individual

When a private Belgian buyer purchases a qualifying used vehicle from a VAT-registered seller in another EU country, Belgian VAT normally isn't charged again. The VAT treatment occurs in the country of purchase, and some used-car dealers may sell under a margin scheme.

When buying a qualifying used vehicle from another private individual, there is generally no VAT due in Belgium or the country of purchase.

The situation can be different for businesses and VAT-registered buyers.

If you are purchasing through a company, clarify the VAT treatment before paying the seller.

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# Step 4: Bring the Car to Belgium

You now have to physically move the vehicle.

There are generally two approaches.

Option 1: Transport the Vehicle

You can use:

This is often the simplest solution because you don't need to arrange foreign temporary registration for the journey.

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Option 2: Drive the Vehicle to Belgium

Depending on the country, temporary or export registration plates may be available.

For example, some countries offer temporary transit/export plates specifically designed to move vehicles internationally.

These plates usually need appropriate insurance.

Do not simply put random plates on the vehicle or assume the seller's plates remain valid.

Check the rules of the country where you purchase the vehicle before driving it away.

The Flemish government specifically notes that an imported vehicle can be transported by trailer/transporter or driven using valid temporary/transit plates obtained in the country of purchase.

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# Step 5: Declare the Vehicle and Obtain the E705

Once the vehicle has arrived in Belgium, one of the most important administrative steps is the E705.

The E705 is an electronic customs signal.

It allows the DIV — Belgium's Vehicle Registration Service — to verify that the vehicle is fiscally permitted to be registered in Belgium.

The old physical 705 customs sticker has effectively been replaced by this electronic system.

The E705 itself is free.

Private individuals can request it electronically through MyMinfin, while VAT-liable persons are required to use the electronic E705 application.

Typically you will need documents such as:

Without the E705 being in order, the Belgian registration process cannot normally be completed.

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# Step 6: Technical Inspection in Belgium

For the typical purchase of a used foreign vehicle that you are importing and registering in your name, the vehicle will need to pass the applicable Belgian inspection procedure.

In Flanders, imported vehicles with European approval generally follow the appropriate used-vehicle inspection procedure.

You should bring the complete original foreign registration certificate.

Useful additional documentation can include:

If a recent foreign inspection meets the applicable conditions, the procedure may sometimes be simplified.

Vehicles without normal European type approval can require a validation or individual-approval procedure.

This distinction is extremely important.

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# European Type Approval Can Save You a Lot of Trouble

Suppose you're comparing two cars.

Car A

Originally produced for Germany and has European type approval.

Car B

Originally produced for the American market, was later imported into Germany and now happens to have German registration.

Both cars are technically coming from Germany.

But that doesn't necessarily mean both cars will follow the same Belgian homologation procedure.

Where you're buying the car isn't always the same as the market the car was originally manufactured for.

Always check the technical approval status before purchasing unusual vehicles.

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# Step 7: Insure the Vehicle

Before normal Belgian registration, the vehicle needs insurance.

You generally provide the registration application documents to your insurance broker or insurance company.

The insurer can often submit the registration electronically to the DIV.

If the electronic registration isn't possible, a complete application may need to be submitted directly to the DIV.

The current federal registration procedure specifically directs imported-vehicle buyers to contact their insurance intermediary for insurance and registration.

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# Step 8: Register the Car with the DIV

The DIV — Dienst voor Inschrijvingen van Voertuigen / Direction pour l'Immatriculation des Véhicules — is responsible for vehicle registration in Belgium.

Once your:

are in order, the vehicle can be registered.

You will then receive the Belgian registration certificate and, where required, a Belgian number plate.

Belgian residents are generally required to register vehicles that they put into circulation in Belgium, subject to specific legal exceptions.

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# Step 9: Pay Registration Tax and Road Tax

Buying and registering the vehicle also creates regional tax obligations.

This is important because vehicle taxation is not identical throughout Belgium.

Rules differ between:

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Flanders

In Flanders, the one-time registration tax is known as:

Belasting op Inverkeerstelling — BIV

For normal passenger cars, the calculation considers factors including:

After registration, the tax administration generally calculates the amount based on the vehicle information received through the registration system.

There is also an annual road tax.

---

Brussels

Brussels also charges a one-time registration tax and annual road tax.

The calculation system differs from Flanders and can depend on factors including engine power, vehicle age and vehicle category.

---

Wallonia

Wallonia has its own registration-tax calculation system.

Since July 2025, its passenger-car registration tax calculation includes several factors such as vehicle power, CO₂, mass, fuel/energy type and age, with indexed values.

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# Important: Calculate Taxes Before Buying the Car

This can prevent a very expensive surprise.

A powerful vehicle that appears to be a bargain abroad could generate a significant Belgian registration tax.

The purchase price difference might disappear once you calculate:

Purchase price + transport + inspection + registration + taxes + necessary repairs

Always calculate the total cost first.

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# Part 2 — Importing a Car from Outside the EU

Now the process becomes more complicated.

Examples include importing from:

The process can generally be summarized as:

Buy → Export → Transport → Customs → Duties & VAT → E705 → Homologation → Inspection → Insurance → DIV → Taxes

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# Step 1: Check Whether the Vehicle Can Actually Be Registered

This is perhaps the most important advice in this entire article.

Do not assume every foreign vehicle can easily be registered in Belgium.

A car built for the American market may differ from its European equivalent.

Differences can involve:

Sometimes modifications are relatively straightforward.

Other times, obtaining the required approval can become expensive.

Flemish authorities explicitly warn that not every vehicle from a third country can necessarily be successfully imported and approved.

This should be investigated before you buy the vehicle.

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# Step 2: Purchase and Export the Vehicle

You will normally need:

For a US vehicle, for example, documentation may include the vehicle title and bill of sale/invoice.

The exact documents depend on the country of origin.

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# Step 3: Ship the Vehicle to Europe

Vehicles can be transported internationally using methods such as:

RoRo — Roll-on/Roll-off

The vehicle is driven onto a specialized ship.

Container transport

The vehicle is loaded into a shipping container.

The best method depends on:

Remember that the advertised shipping price isn't necessarily the complete logistics cost.

There may also be:

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# Step 4: Customs Clearance

A vehicle entering the EU from a third country must go through customs.

When the vehicle enters through Belgium, customs formalities are normally completed through a customs representative.

The customs representative submits the import declaration and helps complete the necessary customs process.

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# How Much Import Tax Do You Pay?

For a normal passenger car imported from outside the EU into Belgium, the general rates are:

Import duty: 10%

VAT: 21%

Import duty is generally calculated on the vehicle's customs value, which includes the vehicle value plus relevant costs up to the EU border.

Belgian VAT is then calculated on a broader base that includes the customs value, import duty and applicable additional costs to the destination.

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# Example: Importing a €20,000 Car from the USA

Let's use a simplified example.

Vehicle purchase price: €20,000 Shipping to Europe: €2,000

Approximate customs value:

€22,000

Approximate 10% import duty:

€2,200

Subtotal:

€24,200

Approximate 21% VAT on that simplified base:

€5,082

That already gives approximately:

€29,282

And we still haven't included possible:

This is why you should never compare:

€20,000 US car

against

€29,000 Belgian car

and conclude that you're automatically saving €9,000.

Compare the complete landed and registered cost.

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# Step 5: Obtain the E705

Once customs formalities have been completed and the relevant duties and VAT have been dealt with, the E705 can be created.

The E705 confirms to the registration authorities that the customs side of the vehicle is in order.

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# Step 6: Homologation / Individual Approval

This is one of the biggest differences between an EU vehicle and a non-EU vehicle.

A vehicle manufactured for a non-European market may not have European type approval.

In Flanders, a third-country vehicle intended for use on public roads may require an individual approval certificate.

The process verifies that the vehicle satisfies applicable technical requirements involving areas such as:

In some cases additional testing can be required.

The Flemish authorities warn that missing European technical approvals can lead to additional tests and potentially substantial costs.

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# US Cars: Be Particularly Careful

US vehicles can sometimes offer excellent opportunities.

But they need more due diligence.

Before purchasing, investigate:

Title status

Check whether the title is:

Accident history

Auction vehicles frequently have previous damage.

That doesn't automatically make them bad purchases.

But the purchase price should reflect:

European compliance

Do not assume that because the same model is sold in Europe, the American version automatically satisfies European technical requirements.

Parts

Some components can differ between US and European versions of apparently identical vehicles.

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# What About Cars from the United Kingdom?

Since the United Kingdom is outside the EU customs framework, buying a vehicle there should not simply be treated like buying one in Germany or the Netherlands.

Customs and VAT considerations can apply.

Technical approval can also be relevant.

For vehicles without European approval, the exact approval procedure may depend partly on when the vehicle was registered in the UK and its technical status.

Check the specific vehicle before purchasing rather than assuming all UK cars follow the same route.

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# Complete Document Checklist

The exact documents depend on the vehicle and origin, but you should normally expect to deal with some combination of:

Purchase documents

Vehicle documents

For non-EU imports

Belgian documentation

Keep originals safe.

Do not throw away foreign documentation after the vehicle arrives.

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# How Long Does Importing a Car Take?

There isn't one universal answer.

A straightforward European vehicle with:

can be substantially simpler than a non-EU vehicle requiring individual approval.

Delays can occur because of:

Rather than choosing a vehicle based purely on the lowest price, consider the complexity of the complete import.

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# How Much Does It Cost to Import a Car to Belgium?

There is no single fixed amount.

Your total cost can include:

Vehicle purchase price

*

Transport

*

Temporary/export plates if applicable

*

Transport insurance

*

Customs duties for non-EU vehicles

*

VAT where applicable

*

Customs representative

*

Port costs

*

Technical modifications

*

Homologation

*

Inspection

*

Registration

*

BIV / regional registration tax

*

Annual road tax

The correct number to compare with a Belgian vehicle is therefore:

# Total cost on Belgian plates

Not simply the foreign advertisement price.

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# Common Mistakes When Importing a Car

Mistake 1: Buying Before Checking the Documents

A great price doesn't help when essential registration documents are missing.

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Mistake 2: Looking Only at the Purchase Price

A foreign vehicle should be compared based on its complete cost in Belgium.

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Mistake 3: Assuming EU Country = EU Specification

A US-spec car registered in Germany is still potentially a US-spec vehicle from a technical-approval perspective.

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Mistake 4: Ignoring BIV

Especially with powerful or high-emission vehicles, registration taxation can materially affect whether the deal makes sense.

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Mistake 5: Driving the Car Home Without Correct Plates or Insurance

Make sure the vehicle is legally registered and insured for the journey or use professional transportation.

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Mistake 6: Not Checking Vehicle History

Importing doesn't make mechanical or accident history less important.

It makes proper due diligence even more important because the seller may be hundreds or thousands of kilometres away.

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Mistake 7: Assuming Every US Auction Car Is Cheap

An auction purchase might look inexpensive until you add:

Auction fees + inland US transport + shipping + port charges + customs + VAT + repairs + homologation + Belgian registration costs.

Calculate everything before bidding.

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# When Does Importing a Car Make Sense?

Importing can make sense when:

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# When Does Importing NOT Make Sense?

Importing isn't automatically the smart choice.

It may not make sense when:

Sometimes the best import decision is not to import the car.

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# EU vs Non-EU Import: Quick Comparison

| | EU Vehicle | Non-EU Vehicle | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- | | Customs declaration | E705/fiscal declaration | Full import customs procedure + E705 | | Import duty | Normally no | Generally 10% for passenger cars | | Belgian VAT | Depends on new/used status and transaction | Generally 21% | | European type approval | Usually | Often not | | Homologation complexity | Usually lower | Potentially much higher | | Transportation | Road/transporter | Often international shipping | | Technical inspection | Applicable procedure | Inspection + potentially individual approval | | Registration | DIV | DIV | | Regional registration tax | Yes | Yes | | Overall complexity | Moderate | Higher |

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# Should You Import the Car Yourself or Use a Specialist?

It is absolutely possible to import many vehicles yourself.

For a straightforward EU purchase, an experienced buyer with the correct documentation may be comfortable handling:

The value of using an import specialist becomes greater when:

The important thing is that the service should provide more than simply moving paperwork around.

A good import partner should help determine whether the deal itself makes sense.

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# How AutoLink M.A.T Can Help

At AutoLink M.A.T, we help customers with the process of sourcing and importing vehicles into Belgium.

Depending on the vehicle and country, this can include:

Our approach starts with calculating the complete cost, not simply showing you a cheap advertisement abroad.

Because a car that costs €3,000 less in another country isn't automatically a better deal.

What matters is:

What will this vehicle cost when it is ready to drive legally in Belgium?

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# Thinking About Importing a Car?

Found a vehicle in Germany, the Netherlands, France, the United States or another market?

Before purchasing it, send us the vehicle details.

AutoLink M.A.T can help you understand:

That allows you to evaluate the complete deal before committing your money.

AutoLink M.A.T — Your Global Auto Link

[Request an Import Assessment]

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# Frequently Asked Questions

Do I pay import tax when buying a car in Germany and bringing it to Belgium?

Normally there is no customs import duty when moving a vehicle from another EU member state such as Germany to Belgium.

VAT treatment depends on whether the vehicle is considered new or used and on the type of seller and buyer.

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What is an E705 in Belgium?

The E705 is an electronic customs signal allowing the DIV to verify that an imported vehicle is fiscally cleared for registration in Belgium.

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Is the E705 free?

Yes. The Belgian federal authorities currently describe the E705 itself as free.

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When is an EU car considered new for VAT?

A vehicle is considered new for VAT purposes when it has travelled no more than 6,000 km or is supplied within six months after its first use.

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Do I pay Belgian VAT on a used car bought in Germany?

For a private buyer purchasing a qualifying used vehicle, Belgian VAT is generally not charged again. The exact VAT treatment depends on whether the seller is a private individual, normal VAT dealer or margin-scheme dealer.

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How much tax do I pay importing a car from the USA?

For an ordinary passenger vehicle imported into Belgium from outside the EU, the general rate is 10% customs duty followed by 21% VAT, with the taxes calculated according to the applicable customs-value rules.

Additional costs such as shipping, customs handling, homologation and registration also need to be considered.

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Can I drive a car from Germany to Belgium after buying it?

Potentially, but the vehicle must have valid registration/transit plates and insurance that legally cover the journey.

Alternatively, the vehicle can be transported by trailer or professional transporter.

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Does an imported car need technical inspection in Belgium?

For a typical newly purchased used vehicle being imported and registered in Belgium, the applicable Belgian inspection procedure must be completed. The exact procedure depends on the vehicle, approval status and region.

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Do I need a Certificate of Conformity?

A COC is extremely useful for vehicles with European type approval and can simplify the process. Whether it is specifically required depends on the vehicle and registration procedure.

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Can I import a damaged car from the USA?

Potentially, but customs clearance is only one part of the process. The vehicle must ultimately satisfy the applicable Belgian technical and approval requirements before normal registration.

The repair cost, title status, parts, homologation and registration requirements should therefore be investigated before purchase.

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Is importing a car cheaper than buying in Belgium?

Sometimes.

The only reliable way to know is to compare:

Belgian market price

against

Foreign purchase price + transportation + taxes + customs + inspections + homologation + registration + repairs.

Importing is worthwhile when the final result — not just the advertisement price — is better.