Paying cash for a car in 2026: the €3,000 limit for dealers

Can you pay cash for a car in the Netherlands in 2026?

At a dealer, only below €3,000: since 1 January 2026, traders may not accept or make cash payments of €3,000 or more. Between private individuals, cash is still allowed. For large amounts, though, an instant bank transfer is much safer.

The cash ban (contantverbod) is part of the Dutch anti-money-laundering act, the Wet ter voorkoming van witwassen en financieren van terrorisme (Wwft), and was introduced through the Wet plan van aanpak witwassen. The goal is to make it harder for criminals to launder cash through expensive purchases such as cars (FIU-Nederland, the Dutch financial intelligence unit).

What exactly does the €3,000 cash ban cover?

Anyone who buys or sells goods professionally may not accept or pay €3,000 or more in cash. In the car trade, that means dealers, car buyers and traders. The limit applies to the cash part: up to €2,999.99 in cash is still fine, with the rest paid through the bank (Bureau Financieel Toezicht).

The key points:

• Buying and selling. The ban works both ways. When a dealer buys your car, it can't pay you €3,000 or more in cash either.
• No splitting. You can't get round the ban by paying in instalments or spreading the payment across several people. Linked payments are added together.
• Part cash is allowed. If a car costs €8,000, you can pay up to €2,999.99 in cash and the rest by bank transfer or debit card.
• Goods, not services. Services are not covered by this ban for now (FIU-Nederland).
• Fines for the trader. A breach can lead to an administrative fine (BFT).

Until the end of 2025, traders in goods had reporting obligations under the Wwft. For them those obligations lapsed on 1 January 2026, and the ban took their place (FIU-Nederland).

Who can pay what in cash?

Does the €3,000 limit apply to a trade-in?

Yes, to whatever part is paid in cash. When the dealer offsets the value of your old car against the price of the new one, no cash changes hands for that part. If you pay the difference, no more than €2,999.99 of it can be cash.

Example: you buy a €15,000 car and the dealer gives you €6,000 for your old one. You pay €9,000 on top, of which at most €2,999.99 can be cash; the rest goes by bank or card. It works the other way round too: if your trade-in is worth more than the car you're buying, you receive any difference of €3,000 or more by bank. If in doubt, ask the dealer how the payment will appear on the invoice.

Can you pay cash when buying from a private seller?

Yes. The ban doesn't apply to transactions between private individuals (FIU-Nederland), so you can pay a private seller entirely in cash. That isn't always wise: large cash sums are risky for both buyer and seller.

• Counterfeit notes. Checking banknotes during a street-side viewing is hard.
• Robbery. Carrying a thick envelope of cash, or keeping it at home, makes you a target.
• Proof. It's hard to prove afterwards how much cash changed hands. Always record the amount and the payment method in the sale contract.

How do you pay safely for a used car?

The safest route is an instant bank transfer that the seller sees arrive in their own banking app, before keys and papers change hands. For large amounts or a sale at a distance, an escrow service is an alternative: an independent party holds the money until the car is delivered.

Step by step:

1. Put the price, payment method and moment of handover in a sale contract.
2. Have the buyer pay by instant transfer during the meeting.
3. Check in your own banking app that the full amount has arrived. A screenshot, email or payment confirmation from the buyer is not proof.
4. Then transfer ownership at the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority), online via MijnRDW or at a registration counter, for €13.10. See how to transfer car ownership.
5. Only then hand over the keys, and keep your vrijwaringsbewijs (indemnity certificate).

Never give out your tenaamstellingscode (registration code) before you've been paid: with the registration card and the code, the car can be put in someone else's name. If a buyer sends you a link to collect the money, wants to overpay and get the difference back, or asks you to pay a fee first, stop. If you have doubts about a buyer, use the scam check.

What changes in July 2027?

From 10 July 2027, an EU-wide maximum of €10,000 applies to cash payments to traders (Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, Article 80). Member states may keep a lower limit, so the Dutch €3,000 limit for goods stays in place.

According to FIU-Nederland, the EU rules will also bring a ban on cash payments for services from July 2027, and reporting obligations will return for some traders in goods. The Dutch limit for services is not yet known (BFT).

What if a dealer insists on cash?

A trader who accepts or pays €3,000 or more in cash is in breach of the Wwft and risks an administrative fine. If a seller or car buyer pushes for a large cash payment, treat that as a reason to be extra careful, and choose a party that simply works through the bank.

Comparing different ways to sell your car? Read trade-in, auction or private sale.