Registration of a UK vehicle in Germany

mereconcord0q

Member

Member since 29 March 2023

mereconcord0q

29 March 2023 12:12:10

mereconcord0q

29 March 2023 12:12:10

Hello fellow expat's, I wonder if you can give me some assistance.

ive lived in Germany for over 12 months, I have a German registered car but it's currently off the road, needs major repairs, I have another car which is still registered in UK, I'm considering bring this vehicle over, so I'm looking on advice about registration in Germany, I spoke to my local garage who can do the HU/TUV inspection and I've requested the CoC from the vehicle manufacturer, I've read that so long has I've owed the vehicle for over 12 months that I should be exempt from import tax, can anyone give me guidance on how I get the required documentation to prove I am not liable for import duty and which office I need to apply at to obtain the relevant German documentation to be able to register my vehicle in the German system.

thank you in advance for any assistance

Mark

beppi

Germany - Singapore Expert

Member since 08 August 2010

World Citizen

Germany & Singapore Expert

beppi

29 March 2023 19:30:51

14818

beppi

29 March 2023 19:30:51

14818

World Citizen

From what I've heard, registering a non-EU car here in Germany is quite complicated and may involve costly hardware changes to get it to confom with German standards. That's not worth it for a used car. Better buy a cheap second hand car for the time until your German one is fixed - or become member of a car sharing scheme, which are surprizingly efficient (and cheaper than owning one yourself).

SimCityAT

Expert

Member since 08 April 2014

World traveler

SimCityAT

29 March 2023 19:41:51

10539

SimCityAT

29 March 2023 19:41:51

10539

World traveler

From what I've heard, registering a non-EU car here in Germany is quite complicated and may involve costly hardware changes to get it to confom with German standards. That's not worth it for a used car. Better buy a cheap second hand car for the time until your German one is fixed - or become member of a car sharing scheme, which are surprizingly efficient (and cheaper than owning one yourself).
-@beppi

For instance the headlights....... Those that have thought about importing a car to Austria, in the end, haven't bothered because it was too much of a pain with the paperwork and changing things at an added cost unless it was a brand-new car.

TominStuttgart

Germany Expert

Member since 19 March 2012

Stuttgart

TominStuttgart

29 March 2023 20:07:29

2619

TominStuttgart

29 March 2023 20:07:29

2619

Stuttgart

I would ask officials about this. The UK is no longer in the EU. Importing a car into the EU usually means a 10% import duty and 19% value added tax.

There is an exemption for one who has a car solely in their name from outside the EU where they lived at least 12 months, are now giving that foreign residency up and are starting a new residency in Germany. But the vehicle should come when the person moves and I don't know if it is too late now that you are already here for 12 months. Ad it doesn't have to do with how old the car is; that doesn't even make sense. I am posting a link in English about the situation but as it is not an official government site one can't say how reliable it is.

https://www.howtogermany.com/pages/import-car.html

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