Quote and invoice check

May a dealer charge delivery costs on top of the price?

No, not if those costs are mandatory. ACM: all unavoidable (ready-to-drive) costs inside the advertised price. The ACM: “Alle verplichte kosten moeten in de advertentieprijs zitten.” This applies to new and used cars. A dealer may break the price down, as long as the mandatory costs are inside it. In 2018 the ACM gave as an acceptable example: “Wij rekenen € 100,00 afleverkosten, deze kosten zitten al verwerkt in de prijs van de auto.” (“we charge € 100 delivery costs; they are already included in the price of the car”).

What may be charged separately: real extras you choose yourself, such as mats or a coating, when it is clear that they are optional and what they cost.

What are normal ready-to-drive costs?

These are the amounts we treat as usual. For new cars they come from four 2026 importer price lists; for used cars from examples the ACM quoted in 2018. This is not a market survey.

The check marks a charge above that range as “unusually high”. That does not mean it is not allowed, but you can ask about it.

Which official amounts apply in 2026?

The recycling fee is paid once, at first registration in the Netherlands. On the invoice of a used car that already had Dutch plates, it is charged twice.

How do you spot VAT charged on BPM?

No VAT is charged on BPM. No VAT on BPM. The Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority) gives a worked example: VAT is 21/121 of the price minus BPM. The check recalculates the VAT and spots VAT charged on the BPM too.

A margin-scheme car may not show any VAT on its invoice (Margin scheme: no VAT shown on the invoice).

How large a deposit may a dealer ask?

At most half of the purchase price. Deposit in a consumer sale at most half the price. Always ask for proof of your deposit.

What may a car loan cost?

Consumer credit for car finance: APR, advertising information and cost cap. The AFM (financial markets authority) sets the maximum at 14% per year. A finance offer must state the annual percentage rate (JKP) and the total amount payable.

How does the check work?

1. You upload a PDF or photo, or paste the text.
2. Your whole document goes to Anthropic (the AI model Claude), which reads the charges and amounts. We ask the model not to return names, addresses or account numbers, and the result has no place for them. Anthropic does receive them if they are in your document: make them unreadable first if you prefer.
3. Our rules, with sources and dates, judge every charge. They were checked again on 26 October 2026.
4. For each charge you see an assessment, what stands out, what to ask the seller, and an estimate of what you may be overpaying.

We do not keep your file, the text or the result. See the privacy statement. Also useful: the fair price of a used car and negotiating.