US Import

Importing a car from the USA to Belgium: the real numbers

You've found the car on cars.com or at a US auction and the price looks great. The number that matters is the one after shipping, customs, taxes, and homologation, and that's where most people underestimate badly. Here's what actually goes into it.

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The cost stack, piece by piece

  • Purchase price, plus any US dealer or auction fees
  • Inland transport to the export terminal
  • Ocean freight to the Port of Antwerp or Rotterdam (container or RoRo)
  • Import duty: 0% on US-origin vehicles since mid-2026, so this line is smaller than most people expect right now
  • 21% BTW, calculated on the CIF value (cost, insurance, freight), not just the purchase price
  • BIV, calculated on a depreciation basis tied to the car's age and CO2 data
  • Homologation and any required technical modifications
  • Local transport from the port or release point to your registration address
Real case

A BMW 328i from an Illinois dealer

A 2011 BMW 328i Coupe sourced from a dealership in Illinois came with a purchase price still under negotiation. Once we modelled it out: shipping including container loading to Rotterdam around €1,500, release in Rotterdam around €250, homologation plus modifications up to roughly €2,500 depending on what the car needs, and local transport from Rotterdam to Belgium around €150, before duty, BTW, and BIV. On a car like this, the fixed logistics and homologation costs alone often add up to more than people expect for a car in this price bracket, which is exactly why we split fixed costs from inspection-dependent ones before anyone commits to a purchase.

What you can price before buying, and what you can't

Some costs are fixed and knowable in advance: shipping, release fees, BTW, BIV, and duty are all calculable once you know the car's specifics. Others only become clear after a physical inspection, mainly the scope of homologation work, because it depends on exactly which lights, mirrors, and emissions documentation the car already has versus what needs to change. Anyone who quotes you a single flat number for "everything" before the car has been inspected is guessing.

Timeline

For a straightforward US import, six to ten weeks from agreement to the car being cleared and registered in Belgium is realistic, longer if the homologation dossier needs extra documentation from the manufacturer or a re-test.

If the dealer's asking price leaves little room after all of this, a lightly damaged car from a US auction can sometimes make more financial sense than a clean retail car, once you factor in the full landed cost. It's worth running both numbers before you commit.
Common questions
As of mid-2026, yes, US-origin vehicles benefit from 0% EU import duty. BTW and BIV still apply regardless.
On the CIF value: the purchase price plus insurance and freight to get the car to the EU, not just the sticker price.
For shipping, release, BTW, and BIV, yes. For homologation and modifications, only a range until the car has actually been inspected, because the scope depends on its exact condition and specification.

Disclaimer: Duty rates, tax calculations, and homologation requirements can change and depend on the specific vehicle. This page reflects the framework as we understand and apply it currently; we confirm exact figures per vehicle before you commit to a purchase.

Thinking about a US import?

Send us the listing and we'll build you a real cost breakdown, split into what's fixed and what depends on inspection, before you commit to anything.

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Full-service US sourcing and import starts at €200 excl. VAT for sourcing and clearance, €380 with a technical inspection included.