Importing vehicles

You can only register a vehicle in Denmark if the vehicle’s primary owner or user has a Danish address.

1. Before you import a vehicle

If you live in Denmark and import a vehicle with foreign number plates, you must:

• inform us by completing this online application before you import the vehicle.
• print your receipt as you need to keep it in your vehicle when your vehicle has foreign number plates.

Do not complete the form but go directly to the next step if:

• the vehicle has no number plates.
• you do not live in Denmark.

You have 30 days to register your vehicle. If you have not received a response within 30 days, you are no longer allowed to use the vehicle with foreign license plates in Denmark.

2. Have your car or motorbike inspected

The vehicle must pass an extended registration inspection (registration inspection and customs inspection) at a vehicle inspection centre.

For the registration inspection, you must present the vehicle’s original registration certificate.

The inspection must have been performed within the past four weeks when you request a valuation.

A list of approved vehicle inspection centres is available from the Danish Transport Authority (in Danish).

Approval for registration

If you do not have the vehicle’s original foreign registration certificate or parts of it, or if you only have a copy, you must apply to the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency for approval for registration of the vehicle.

To obtain this approval, you must provide documentation of the vehicle’s most recent registration abroad and proof that you own the vehicle (e.g. a sales contract or invoice for the purchase). You must attach this documentation when applying for approval for registration.

If you have imported a vehicle from the USA, you can document ownership with a Certificate of Title. You do not need to send the original proof of ownership, but you must attach a copy of the title when applying for approval for registration.

Apply for approval for registration (import) (form 21.115 - in Danish only)

Importing a vehicle from a country within the EU/EEA, the Faroe islands or Greenland

If you import a vehicle or motorcycle from a country within the EU/EEA, the Faroe Islands, or Greenland, you must submit the registration certificate to a number plate operator when registering the vehicle.

Please note that most registration certificates consist of both a part 1 and a part 2. You must submit both parts.

Importing a vehicle from a country outside the EU/EEA, the Faroe islands or Greenland

If you are importing a car or motorcycle from a country outside the EU/EEA, the Faroe Islands, or Greenland, you must send the original foreign registration certificate to the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency after the vehicle has passed the inspection.

Send the original registration certificate to:
Motorstyrelsen - the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency
Nykøbingvej 76
Bygning 45
DK-4990 Sakskøbing

Once the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency has received the foreign registration certificate, we will send you an approval to register the vehicle with Danish number plates.

If you do not have the vehicle’s original foreign registration certificate, please follow the instructions above under the section “Approval for registration.”

See list of countries within and outside the EU/EEA (only in Danish).

3. Request a valuation from the Danish Register of Motor Vehicles or via a private valuation business

1. Log on to E-tax (TastSelv)
2. Click 'Motor' (Motor) - 'Motorregister' (Register of Motor Vehicles)
3. Select 'Registreringsafgift' (Registration tax) and then 'Anmod om værdifastsættelse' (Request a valuation)
4. Complete the request and click 'Godkend' (Accept).
5. You can see your receipt in your ‘Meddelelsesarkiv' (Message archive) in E-tax.

The E-tax system is only available in Danish, and therefore we recommend that you have somebody to assist you with the Danish language.

Please state it in your request if you are a newcomer to Denmark or if your vehicle has foreign number plates.

If you do not have a Danish CPR and MitID

If you do not have a Danish CPR number (civil registration number) and MitID, you must ask for a valuation of your vehicle by contacting the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency.

• Write to us without logging on
• Select Motor vehicles
• Select Importing a vehicle
• Attach the registration certificate
• Fill in the screens and click Send.

Vehicles from non-EU countries

If the vehicle comes from a non-EU country and you have not previously submitted your registration certificate, you must send it to the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency (see step 2: Have your car or motorcycle inspected).

Special procedure for Harley Davidson

To import a Harley Davidson, you must send us photos of the right and left sides when you have requested a valuation. It is important that you quote the case number from the valuation.

• Write to us without logging on
• Select Motor vehicles
• Select Importing a vehicle
• Attach photos
• Fill in the screens – remember to quote the case number from the valuation – and click Send.

Decision

Private individuals can see our decision in E-tax under the heading 'Meddelelser fra Motorregistret' (Messages from the Register of Motor Vehicles).

Businesses can see our decision in 'Meddelelsesarkivet' (Message archive) in E-tax for businesses (TastSelv Erhverv).

If you do not have access to E-tax, we will send you the decision by regular post.

4. Pay registration tax

You can pay the vehicle registration tax either through an electronic money transfer via online banking or by bringing the payment line with you to your bank for a direct transfer.

If you pay via online banking, it may take up to seven days before you get a receipt. You will need the receipt to buy your number plates. 

5. Register your vehicle in the Register of motor vehicles and buy new number plates

You can register the vehicle and buy new number plates from a number plate provider.

Please bring the following documents and items with you:

• Foreign registration certificate if the imported vehicle is from a country within the EU/EEA, the Faroe Islands or Greenland and you have the entire foreign registration certificate. Please note that most registration certificates consist of both a part 1 and a part 2. Both parts must be presented.
• Authorisation from the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency if the imported vehicle is from a country outside the EU/EEA, the Faroe Islands or Greenland, or if the vehicle has been imported from an EU/EEA country, the Faroe Islands or Greenland, and you are only able to present parts of the foreign registration certificate.
• Foreign number plates, if you have them. Please note that the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency does not unregister your vehicle by the foreign authority.
• Photo ID.
• Insurance information
• Receipt from the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency for the paid registration tax (see step 4)..

Importing a car or motor bike for permanent use

If you live in Denmark and import a vehicle with foreign number plates, you need to follow the above 'Five steps to importing a vehicle'. Only you and your household are allowed to use the vehicle.

If the vehicle is imported by a business, only a permanent employee is allowed to use the vehicle.

Loan cars

You need to inform us before you enter Denmark in a loan car with foreign number plates.

Only the registered owner or user of the vehicle, or somebody else from the household, is allowed to use the vehicle.

For each Danish vehicle you have registered, you are only allowed to drive a foreign-registered loan car for 30 days within a 12-month period. You need to keep the loan contract from the garage in the vehicle.

Outside the EU

When you import a vehicle from a country outside the EU, you generally have to pay customs duties and VAT.

You need to report to a clearing agent to have your customs clearance made when you arrive at the first customs duties office in the EU. Next, you will have to pay customs duties and VAT at the customs duties office.

Once the customs clearance is made and you have paid customs duties and VAT, your vehicle is released.

Customs duties amount to 10% and VAT to 25% of the invoice price of the vehicle plus freight and costs.

In some cases if the vehicle is part of removal goods, the vehicle can be exempt from customs duties and VAT or reduced customs duties and VAT rates less than 10% may apply.

For further information in Danish on customs duties and VAT on used vehicles

Within the EU

You do not have to pay customs duties when you import a vehicle from another EU country. However, you will have to pay VAT at a rate of 25% if the vehicle is new.

If you want to know the registration tax in advance, you can choose to:

• calculate (approximate) vehicle registration tax in the Register of Motor Vehicles
  (Please note that the register and the calculator are in Danish, so we recommend that you do the calculation together with someone who understands Danish.)
• request a binding ruling on the registration tax

Some private valuation businesses advertise that they can settle your registration tax.

This does not apply to:

• used busses
• used camper vans
• vehicles older than 35 years (veteran vehicles for example)
• other special vehicles, for example rebuilt written-off vehicles or vehicles subject to certain conditions.

These businesses usually charge you a fee. We are unable to recommend specific businesses.

You cannot appeal against the decision made by a private valuation business.

If you have already registered your vehicle in the Register of motor vehicles

If you use a private valuation business, you do not have to register your vehicle in the Register of Motor Vehicles.

If you have already registered the vehicle, you need to cancel the registration by sending an e-mail to motorekspedition@motorst.dk.