→ Import route
Importing a car from the Netherlands into Austria
Compare dealer asking prices like for like in both countries, read the registration taxes and steps, and estimate the cost with the free calculator.
In short
On 3 Nov 2026, the comparison Netherlands → Austria matched 54 models by registration year, mileage band and fuel. The median model's dealer asking price was 9% higher in the Netherlands than in Austria, with 9% of models still listed lower in the origin country. The calculator estimates the total cost of registering the car in Austria, including registration tax (NoVA), VAT where due and fees. Worked example: the landed total is €23,099 – €23,999, against a local median of €19,400 for the same model, year and fuel (€3,699 – €4,599 above).
Among advertised cars in the Netherlands whose VAT status is known, 35% are marked VAT-deductible. For a used car with VAT shown separately, a VAT-registered buyer can buy without the origin country's VAT and account for VAT in the destination. For a used car under normal VAT rules, a private buyer collecting it abroad generally pays the seller-country VAT. Seller-arranged delivery can change the VAT treatment; confirm the invoice and delivery arrangements.
Like-for-like asking prices: Netherlands and Austria
Each model is compared using only the registration years, mileage bands and fuels listed in both countries, with the same weights on both sides. A negative figure means a lower asking price in the origin country, before transport and import taxes.
Differences compare matched cars. Destination medians include all listed cars of each model.
Models with lower asking prices in the Netherlands
| Model | Matched difference | Destination median |
|---|---|---|
| Škoda Enyaq | −9% | €36,500 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLA | −4% | €30,000 |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | −4% | €28,900 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | −3% | €32,900 |
| Toyota C-HR | −0% | €30,000 |
Models with higher asking prices in the Netherlands
| Model | Matched difference | Destination median |
|---|---|---|
| Hyundai i30 | +33% | €15,000 |
| Hyundai i20 | +30% | €14,000 |
| Volkswagen Polo | +25% | €14,000 |
| Kia Stonic | +24% | €14,900 |
| Mazda CX-30 | +24% | €24,200 |
| Volkswagen T-Roc | +22% | €23,900 |
| Volkswagen Golf | +22% | €19,900 |
| Kia Ceed | +21% | €16,000 |
What a typical 2021 Volkswagen Golf costs, bought from the Netherlands and registered in Austria
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price paid to the seller | €21,300 |
| NoVA (registration tax)Malus and deduction reduced by one eighth per full year (original new value unknown); with the original net new price the reduction follows the value ratio instead. | €749 |
| Transport (open truck)No NL→AT lane yet: a generic estimate is used.Transport estimate is low-confidence until dated quotes are collected. | €600 – €1,500 |
| Registration (fee, office, register query, sticker) | €247 |
| Number plates (pair) | €23 |
| Approval database entry (Genehmigungsdatenbank)Estimate: EUR 180 including VAT is the legal maximum the importer may charge (KFG §28b(1a)); it may be less. | €180 |
| Total landed cost | €23,099 – €23,999 |
| Median asking price of the same model, year and fuel in Austria | €19,400 |
| Landed total against that median | €3,699 – €4,599 above |
The median covers all mileages of that model, year and fuel, across 26 listings in Austria: a market benchmark, not the price of an identical car.
Assumptions
- Purchase price
- €21,300, the asking-price median of 153 cars in the Netherlands in our data dated 3 Nov 2026.
- First registration
- June 2021 (assumed month)
- Mileage (origin median)
- 101,000 km
- Fuel (most listed for this model and year)
- Petrol
- Engine size and CO₂
- 1,498 cm³ and 135 g/km WLTP. Typical assumptions, not listing data.
- Seller VAT
- Unknown. The calculator shows a range when VAT treatment changes the cost.
- Transport
- Truck, using the calculator's route estimate.
- Planned registration date
- 2026-12-03
- Seller VAT status unknown: the range covers a VAT-deductible and a margin-scheme listing.
- A roadworthiness inspection (§57a) is needed if one is due under the Austrian 3-2-1 schedule from the first registration abroad; add the inspector's price.
Estimate the cost of importing a car from the Netherlands into Austria
Enter the asking price and the car's details to see the taxes with their legal basis and clearly labelled estimates.
Registration taxes in Austria
NoVA (Normverbrauchsabgabe)
Austria charges NoVA once, when the car is first registered there. A percentage of the price without VAT, (CO₂ − a deduction) ÷ 5 rounded to a whole percent, up to a maximum, plus a malus per gram above a threshold, less a fixed deduction. A used car imported directly from another EU country pays under the law in force when it was first registered there (for example 112 g/km and 50% at most for a car from late 2021, 91 g/km and 80% in 2026), and its malus and deduction shrink by one eighth per full year of age. Electric cars pay none.
The base for a car bought from a dealer is the price without the foreign VAT; for a private sale the tax office uses the market value. Then come registration (€247), plates (€23) and the entry in the approval database (up to €180).
Only the NoVA? Use the NoVA calculator
Official sources
The steps
- Check the listing's asking price against comparable cars, the mileage history and whether the car is sold under the margin scheme or with VAT shown separately.
- Get the registration certificate, including all parts issued by the country, the Certificate of Conformity (CoC), the invoice or contract, and the service records from the seller.
- Arrange a car transporter, or drive the car on temporary or export plates with insurance valid for the trip. The calculator includes a transport estimate you can change.
- Register the car in Austria: pay any registration tax and fees due, complete any required inspection and get local plates.
Questions about this route
Is it cheaper to buy a used car in the Netherlands than in Austria?
On 3 Nov 2026, 9% of 54 models compared like for like had lower dealer asking prices in the Netherlands than in Austria, although the median model was listed 9% higher. Transport and registration costs come on top.
What taxes do I pay to register a car from the Netherlands in Austria?
Registration tax for this destination: NoVA. Austria charges NoVA once, when the car is first registered there. A percentage of the price without VAT, (CO₂ − a deduction) ÷ 5 rounded to a whole percent, up to a maximum, plus a malus per gram above a threshold, less a fixed deduction. A used car imported directly from another EU country pays under the law in force when it was first registered there (for example 112 g/km and 50% at most for a car from late 2021, 91 g/km and 80% in 2026), and its malus and deduction shrink by one eighth per full year of age. Electric cars pay none.
Do I pay VAT again when I import a used car from the Netherlands into Austria?
A car that is used for VAT purposes, bought from a dealer under the margin scheme or from a private seller in another EU country, carries no VAT again in Austria. If VAT is shown separately, a VAT-registered buyer can buy without the VAT charged in the Netherlands and account for VAT at the destination. For a used car under normal VAT rules, a private buyer collecting it abroad generally pays the seller-country VAT. Seller-arranged delivery can change the VAT treatment; confirm the invoice and delivery arrangements. A car first used six months ago or less, or driven 6,000 km or less, is a new means of transport for VAT and is taxed at 20% in the destination country, whoever buys it.
How do I bring the car from the Netherlands into Austria?
Use a car transporter, or drive the car on temporary or export plates with insurance valid for the trip. Keep the registration certificate, Certificate of Conformity (CoC) and invoice for registration at the destination.
How much does it cost in total to import a Volkswagen Golf from the Netherlands into Austria?
In our worked example the total landed cost is €23,099 – €23,999, against a median asking price of €19,400 for the same model, year and fuel in Austria (€3,699 – €4,599 above).