Arrange insurance and road tax after buying or selling a car

A car must have WA-verzekering (third-party liability cover, see WA insurance) from the moment it is in your name, under the Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM). WA covers damage you cause to others. For a newer or pricier car, consider limited comprehensive or fully comprehensive cover. Your insurer asks for the plate and the meldcode: the last 4 digits of the VIN.

Take out the policy before you transfer the car, starting on the day and time of the handover, so you never drive a metre uninsured. The RDW checks the insurance register daily, and an uninsured car gets a fine from the CJIB. Replacing a previous car? Ask your insurer whether your policy and no-claimkorting (no-claims discount, see no-claims discount) can move across.

You do not need to file anything: registering the car in your name counts as your return for motorrijtuigenbelasting (road tax, see MRB). The Belastingdienst gets the data from the RDW and sends a bill shortly after. You pay even if the car stands still on private property. No bill within 1 month? Call the BelastingTelefoon Auto on 0800-0749. Estimate the amount with the road tax calculator.

You pay quarterly by bill or monthly by direct debit, around the 27th. If you already pay by direct debit for your previous car, it usually carries over automatically. New to it? You receive a mandate form within a few weeks; pay any bills that arrive in the meantime. Driving a full EV? In 2026 you pay 70% of the normal rate: see road tax for electric cars.

After the transfer you receive the vrijwaringsbewijs, the indemnity certificate, from the buyer or from the RDW-approved dealer you sold to. It proves the car is no longer in your name. Check in Mijn RDW or with the RDW Kentekencheck that the transfer is complete. Keep the certificate safe: you need it for your insurer and in any dispute about fines.

Your car insurance does not stop by itself; the RDW says you stop or change it yourself. Tell your insurer the sale date and send the indemnity certificate as proof. Buying another car? You can often switch the policy over instead of cancelling. Whether you get premium back for the remaining period depends on your insurer's terms.

The RDW passes the sale on to the Belastingdienst. Anything you overpaid from the moment the car left your name is refunded automatically, including with direct debit. Amounts of €5 or less are not refunded. If a bill still arrives after the sale, pay it anyway; the excess comes back. Under the transitional scheme for classic cars there is no refund.

A month after the handover, look at the Belastingdienst's payments overview (Overzicht betalen en ontvangen). It shows per plate whether you still owe money or get a refund. Buyer: do you have a bill and a policy schedule? Seller: has road tax stopped and has your insurer confirmed the cancellation? Use the handover checklist so nothing is missed.