What do you need?
- The car's registration card (kentekencard)
- The full 9-digit registration code (tenaamstellingscode), parts 1 and 2
- Buyer: a valid Dutch driving licence (counter) or the DigiD app with ID check (online)
- The meldcode for insurance: the last 4 digits of the VIN
- €13.10 via iDEAL or Wero (online) or debit card (counter)
- Latest APK report, service booklet and all keys
What does it cost?
Estimated cost
€13.10
RDW fee for 2026, the same everywhere. The buyer usually pays. A dealer may add a service fee, often €25 to €75.
Total time: 20 minutes
Step 1: Check the papers first
The seller needs the kentekencard (registration card) and the full tenaamstellingscode (registration code, see tenaamstellingscode): 9 digits, part 1 on the transfer report and part 2 in the RDW letter. Compare the VIN on the car with the card and check the details with the licence plate check. Anything missing? Request a new code first, see lost registration code. Cars with an old paper registration cannot be transferred online.
Step 2: Arrange insurance first
The buyer must have at least third-party liability cover, WA-verzekering (see WA insurance), from the moment the car is in their name. Arrange the policy before the transfer, starting on the day of the handover. The insurer asks for the plate and the meldcode: the last 4 digits of the VIN, also printed on the registration card. The RDW checks the insurance register daily, and an uninsured car gets a fine from the CJIB.
Step 3: Choose online or a counter
Online transfers run through 'Voertuig overschrijven' on rdw.nl. The buyer logs in with their own DigiD app with ID check. Prefer a desk? Go to a kentekenloket (registration counter, see kentekenloket), often inside a PostNL point, the RDW desk in Veendam or Zoetermeer, or an RDW inspection station. No appointment is needed, and some counters open in the evening or on Sunday.
Step 4: Bring the right things
Who Brings Seller registration card, full registration code, latest APK report, all keys, service booklet Buyer valid Dutch driving licence (counter), or ID card or passport (RDW locations only), or DigiD app (online) The buyer must be 18 or older and registered in the BRP with a Dutch address.
Step 5: Transfer and pay €13.10
Follow the steps and pay €13.10, online with iDEAL or Wero. The fee is the same at the RDW and at a counter. Online you get 3 emails: a confirmation, a notice that the car is now in your name, and a link to the vrijwaringsbewijs (indemnity certificate) and the transfer report. At a counter you receive both documents on the spot. After 5 wrong entries online, you are blocked for 24 hours.
Step 6: Give the seller the indemnity certificate
The vrijwaringsbewijs proves the car is no longer registered to the seller. The buyer gives it to the seller and keeps the transfer report. The seller can confirm the transfer in Mijn RDW or with the RDW Kentekencheck. Only then do the car, keys and papers change hands. This keeps the new owner's fines and damage away from the seller.
Step 7: Wrap up after the handover
The buyer receives the new registration card and part 2 of the code by post. You may drive straight away. The RDW says you only need to carry the card after 14 days, but abroad you must always have it. The seller cancels their insurance using the indemnity certificate. Road tax, motorrijtuigenbelasting (MRB), stops for the seller and starts for the buyer automatically: see insurance and road tax.
Tips
- Do the transfer together: online side by side or at the counter together. That way the seller has the indemnity certificate before the car leaves.
- Write the date and time of the transfer into the sale contract. It helps if a fine turns up later.
- Need the card quickly, for example for a trip abroad? A rush card costs €61.50 if you collect it in Veendam and €241.55 by courier.
- Buying from an RDW-approved dealer? The dealer handles the transfer. Ask about any service fee upfront.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a car transfer cost in 2026?
€13.10. The RDW fee is the same online, at a registration counter and at the RDW itself. The buyer usually pays, but that is a convention rather than a rule, so agree on it. A dealer may add a service fee, often €25 to €75. A rush registration card costs extra: €61.50 to collect in Veendam or €241.55 by courier.
Can I transfer online without the DigiD app?
No. For an online transfer the buyer logs in with their own DigiD app with ID check. If that is not possible, or the car still has a paper registration certificate, go to a registration counter, the RDW desk in Veendam or Zoetermeer, or an RDW inspection station. Bring the registration card, the full registration code and valid ID.
Can I drive away right after the transfer?
Yes. Once transferred, the car is in your name immediately and you may drive, provided it is insured. The new registration card arrives by post. According to the RDW you only need to carry it after 14 days. Abroad you must always carry the registration document, so do not plan a cross-border trip before the card arrives.
Can a buyer living abroad take over the registration?
No. The buyer must be at least 18 and registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP) with a residential or postal address in the Netherlands. If the buyer lives abroad, the car must be exported instead. You arrange that together with the RDW, not through a normal transfer. Your obligations only stop once the export is registered.
Sources
Useful tools
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