How to buy a car in the Netherlands?

At MrWheelson we love to help people in the Netherlands to do the best deal possible when it comes to buying a car. To do exactly that, we look abroad for the best deals. We would like to help you with the right information so that you can do the best deal for your situation. We already helped a lot of car buyers that just arrived in the Netherlands and are prepared for all your questions. 

RDW – Department for Transport

When you buy a car in the Netherlands it needs to be registering in your name at the RDW, the ‘RijksDienst voor het Wegverkeer,’ in English ‘Department for Transport’. They register the ownership so the government does exactly know who is responsible for every vehicle. When you buy a car at MrWheelson we take care of the Dutch license plates. 

Tenaamstelling - Registration

When you want register the car on your name (‘Tenaamstellen kenteken’ In Dutch) with a foreign driver license, then you have to go to the RDW yourself to register the car on your name. This has to be done at one of the RDW office's in Zoetermeer, Den Bosch or in Veendam. Also you can go to one of the other RDW check stations in the Netherlands. Here you will find the complete list. You need to bring your passport, foreign driver license and the ‘Uittreksel basisgegevens’ including your BSN (BurgerServiceNummer) from your local government (max. 3 months old). If you have already transferred your driver license to a Dutch driver license then registration is easy and MrWheelson will take care of this.

APK - MOT

The technical check of cars is called APK (MOT) and stands for ‘Algemene Periodieke Keuring’. When a vehicle is 4 years old it needs its first check, after 2 years again, another check after 2 years and after that every year. Is it older then 30 years, then you need to go every two years and when the car has celebrated it’s 50’th anniversary than you don’t need to have the check done anymore. You can find the APK schedule here.

Autoverzekering - Car insurance

Car insurance is obligatory in the Netherlands. You can choose between base coverage (WA dekking, Wettelijke Aansprakelijkheid) and all-risk coverage. The base coverage only covers the costs of the damage of the other vehicle, all-risk coverage also covers the damage on your own car. There is also a middle type of insurance that is called ‘WA Extra’ it is limited casco with coverage for theft, burglary and the weather.

When you drive a year without damage you will receive a bonus, a discount on your insurance cost. When you drive a damage then you will receive a malus, you have to pay extra for your car insurance. When you sell your car then the ‘bonus’ is valid of you buy a new car within 12 months.

Wegenbelasting - Road tax

As soon as a car has been registered in your name you have to pay road tax. You will automatically receive an invoice for this with the possibility to have it deducted automatically from your bank account. The road tax, in Dutch ‘Wegenbelasting’ or ‘Houderschapsbelasting’ depends on the province where you have registered the car, the weight, fuel and type of vehicle. The road tax in the Netherlands can differ from € 0 per month (electric cars) till e.g., € 260 per month for a Mercedes Benz G Wagon with a diesel engine.

Want to know how much road tax you have to pay? Check this website. 

BPM – Registration tax

When you buy a car that already has a Dutch license plate, then you don’t have to worry about the BPM. If you want to buy a car that is currently doesn’t have Dutch license plates, then you have to pay BPM. BPM is a luxury registration tax that has to be paid before you receive the Dutch yellow license plates. The BPM is based on the first registration date of the car, type of vehicle, co2 emissions and the fuel type. It can be up to 180 thousand euro’s when you register a brand-new Lamborghini and zero when you register an electric Tesla. The prices on MrWheelson include this BPM so that you know how much the car is going to cost in the Netherlands.

Rijbewijs - Driver license

If you move over to the Netherlands, you can use your driver license for 6 months after registration. An EU or EFTA driver license can be valid for up to 15 years. If it’s no longer valid you have to transfer it to a Dutch driver license at your local government. 

Easy to convert are European driver licenses from Austria, Italy, Finland, Slovakia, France, Slovenia and Ireland. Also easy are the EFTA countries like Iceland and Norway. During to conversion process, you don’t have a valid driver license and you can’t drive on the Dutch road. This process can take up tot 2 – 3 weeks. 

More information about converting your driver license and about the 30% rule, you can find here.

Verkeersboetes – Traffic fines

Traffic fines are high in the Netherlands. 

Some examples:

·      Parking in a reserved disabled parking space: €310

·      Holding a phone in your hand while driving: € 350

·      If the brake system does not comply with the requirements: € 250

·      Not wearing seatbelt: € 150

·      Driving 39 km/h too fast on highway: € 440

·      Four faulty tires: €500

·      Driving 20km/h too fast in the city: € 210

·      Blocking an intersection: €250

Parkeerkosten – Parking costs

Parking can be very expensive in the Netherlands. If you park in the center of Amsterdam you pay € 7,50 per hour. Day and night. Average parking costs are about € 3,00 per hour. The fine for parking and not paying is about € 100,00. A parking app is perfect to use in the Netherlands.

Tankstation – Fuel station

Fuel is expensive in the Netherlands. That’s why a lot of people drive small cars in combination with a hybrid engine. Most expensive is petrol with about € 1,90 - € 2,30 per liter, after that you will find diesel for € 1,70 - € 2,10 per liter. The cheapest is liquid gas (LPG) for € 0,90 - € 1,30. At the highway you pay about 20% more than the small unmanned off-highway fuel stations.

Auto inruilen – Trade in

If you have an old car, it is common that you trade it (part exchange) in when you buy a car in the Netherlands. Often even when it doesn’t have a Dutch license plate. Please be honest about the condition of your current car and make photo’s. Not only of the good sides, but especially from the scratches and dents.

If you choose MrWheelson as supplier of your next car you don’t have to worry about most of the things above. We help you buy your next car.

Bijtelling - Tax for private us of a car

In the Netherlands you have to pay taxes if you use our company car for private use. This called 'bijtelling' depends on the year the car was registered, the new price (fiscale waarde), the fuel and the co2. This is a reason that electric vehicles are very populair in the Netherlands.

Example:

When you use our company car for more then 500 km a year for private use then you have to pay for a recent petrol powered car 22% 'bijtelling'. That means that you have to pay income tax over 22% of the new price of the car.

When you drive a car with a new price of € 100.000 then you have to add € 22.000 to your income. If you pay the max income tax (49,5%) then you pay € 10.90 tax per year of € 907,50 a month.

You pay less when the car is electric, here you can find more about the 'bijtelling' of electric cars.

Over here you can find more information about this 'bijtellings' tax.

Finding a car is easy at MrWheelson. We offer ten more than hundred thousand cars that come from trustworthy car dealers in Europe. You can find these cars with the right description and right price on our website, and you can easily buy it online.

Because we don’t own the cars ourselves, we can advise you independently. We stand next to you when you buy your car, we help you buying it, instead of selling it to you. And we are happy if you have found the perfect car and have done the best deal possible.

1.     You can buy your next car easily online.

2.     We also take care of leasing and trade in vehicles.

3.     Cars from abroad often have lower mileage, are better equipped and have a lower price.

4.     Don’t worry, we take care of all the hassle, transportation and Dutch license plates.

5.     We speak perfect English, German and Dutch

There are a few things that you should know when you own a car in the Netherlands. 

-       We pay a road tax that you don’t pay on electric vehicles (till 2024), is low for hybrid and gasoline fueled cars, and expensive for cars with diesel engines. The heavier the car, the more you pay. Don’t want to pay road tax? Choose an electric car. But check the current situation, tax rules change often. You have to pay the road tax, even if you don’t use the car. 

-       When a car is registered on your name you are also obliged to take care of the APK (MOT) and have to pay for the insurance.

-       Parking is expensive in the Netherlands and traffic fines are high. If you have any questions about buying a car in the Netherlands, don’t hassitate to contact the MrWheelson team. We have a lot of experience with this. Even with tax-free purchase of cars for buyers with diplomatic status