Registering an imported car in the Netherlands: RDW and COC
Updated 2026-08-14 · 6 min read
Registering an imported vehicle in the Netherlands means booking an RDW inspection to obtain a Dutch kenteken, and the Certificate of Conformity is what allows the RDW to accept the vehicle's European approval instead of testing it against national requirements. BPM, the Dutch registration tax, is calculated separately and depends heavily on the CO₂ figure the COC records.
How does the RDW import process work?
You book an appointment at an RDW inspection station, bring the vehicle and its documents, and the inspector verifies the VIN, checks the technical condition and matches the car against its European approval.
If everything matches, the vehicle is entered in the Dutch register and a kenteken is issued, with the registration card sent by post. The inspection is a formality when a COC is present and a much deeper exercise when it is not.
- Certificate of Conformity or another accepted proof of European approval
- The foreign registration document
- Proof of identity and a Dutch address, or a BSN
- The purchase invoice, needed for the BPM calculation
- A BPM declaration filed with the Belastingdienst
How does BPM relate to the COC?
BPM is levied on the vehicle's CO₂ emissions, and for a used import it is reduced according to a depreciation table. The CO₂ figure the tax office works from is the approved value, which is exactly what the COC states.
A missing or mismatched CO₂ value therefore costs money as well as time, because the Belastingdienst will fall back on a less favourable assumption. Having the COC in hand before filing the declaration keeps the calculation grounded in the vehicle's own approved data.
What happens without a COC?
The RDW can still register a vehicle without a certificate, but the inspection becomes an individual approval: the car is checked against Dutch requirements point by point, which takes longer, costs more and can require changes to lighting, mirrors or the speedometer.
For a vehicle that holds EU whole-vehicle type approval this is avoidable work. Ordering the certificate before the appointment turns the RDW visit back into a routine identity check.
Coceu obtains the original certificate from the manufacturer's official channel by VIN, delivered digitally and on paper for the appointment itself.
Key takeaways
- Dutch registration runs through an RDW inspection that issues the kenteken.
- A COC lets the RDW accept the European approval instead of performing an individual approval.
- BPM is calculated from the CO₂ value the COC records, so the document affects the tax owed.
- Without a COC the inspection is deeper, slower and may require physical modifications.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a COC to import a car into the Netherlands?
It is not the only accepted proof, but it is by far the simplest. With a COC the RDW inspection is a verification; without one it becomes an individual approval.
How long does RDW registration take?
The inspection itself takes about an hour, and the kenteken card follows by post within roughly a week once BPM is settled.
Is BPM due on a car imported from another EU country?
Yes. BPM applies to any vehicle first registered in the Netherlands, though used imports benefit from a depreciation reduction.
Can I drive on foreign plates while waiting?
Only briefly, and only if the foreign registration and insurance remain valid. Once you are resident, the vehicle must carry a Dutch kenteken.