ROUTE

Car Import from Non-EU Country

✓ Checked: 15/08/2026

Importing a car from outside the EU — Ukraine, Georgia, the USA, Japan — differs from an EU import by two expensive stages: customs clearance and individual technical approval under §21 StVZO. Everything else is the same: insurance, an appointment at the registration office, plates. If the car is coming from Poland, Austria or Czechia, this long route is unnecessary — the single market applies there.

1

STEP

Importing a car from outside the EU — you're on the right route *

Car import from a non-EU country (Ukraine, Georgia, USA, Japan, etc.) requires customs clearance, a manufacturer data sheet and a § 21 StVZO individual inspection. This guide walks you through every step.
2

STEP

Customs (Zoll): first and most expensive step

Importing from a non-EU country means paying customs duty and import VAT — or proving entitlement to the Übersiedlungsgut exemption and paying nothing. This step determines your costs.
3

STEP

Datenblatt: the manufacturer's technical data sheet

TÜV/DEKRA cannot conduct the § 21 StVZO inspection without the Datenblatt — a VIN-specific technical document from the manufacturer. Request it early: delivery takes 1–6 weeks.
4

STEP

Vollabnahme § 21 StVZO: individual technical inspection

The most technically demanding step: a TÜV/DEKRA expert checks every system of your vehicle against the manufacturer data sheet and confirms compliance with German standards. Full breakdown of what's checked and how to prepare.
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STEP

eVB number: insurance after the inspection

With the § 21 approval in hand, your car is technically cleared. Now get the insurance eVB number — 10 minutes online — and you're ready for the Zulassungsstelle.
6

STEP

Zulassungsstelle: the final step — German plates

After customs, Datenblatt and § 21 approval — you're at the finish line. One appointment at the Kfz-Zulassungsbehörde and your car is registered in Germany.

* — additional condition: an orientation step, not a separate action

COSTS AND DEADLINES

What you pay for on this route

Import duty for passenger carsStandard rate for most third countries; customs value = purchase price + freight to EU border10% of customs value
Einfuhrumsatzsteuer (import VAT)Combined burden: approximately 31% of the vehicle value19% of (customs value + duty)
Customs broker (optional)Recommended for complex cases; self-declaration is possible€200–500
Datenblatt from manufacturerJapanese manufacturers (Toyota, Honda) tend to be more expensive; VW, BMW, Mercedes usually €50–100€50–300
Datenblatt sourced by TÜV/DEKRAIf the manufacturer doesn't respond directly, some inspection bodies will source it themselves€150–400 extra
Vollabnahme § 21 StVZO (base inspection)GTÜ and KÜS tend to be cheaper; varies by vehicle complexity€300–600
Re-inspection after defect rectification€80–150
Additional expert reports (lighting, exhaust)Common for lamps without an E mark or non-compliant emissions systems€100–300 extra
Kfz-Haftpflicht (mandatory third-party liability)Without a German claims history you'll typically start at class SF½ or SF1from €300/year
Registration fee (Zulassungsgebühr)€26–60
Number plates (Schilderpräger)€20–35
Annual vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer)Collected by SEPA direct debit based on engine size and emissions classfrom €20/year

Deadlines you cannot miss

Customs declaration must be filed at or before the point of entry into the EUCustoms (Zoll): first and most expensive stephard deadline
Submit the Datenblatt request in parallel with customs — this is the longest-lead-time item in the processDatenblatt: the manufacturer's technical data sheetguideline
Vollabnahme can only proceed after both the Zoll-Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung and Datenblatt are availableVollabnahme § 21 StVZO: individual technical inspectionhard deadline

Amounts follow official fees as of each step’s verification date. Your city may charge a different rate — check the step itself.

› More about this route

Customs is where the bulk of the money is decided. The standard case is 10 per cent duty on the customs value plus 19 per cent import VAT, calculated on the value and duty combined. But there is a lawful exemption — the relocation goods privilege: if you have lived outside the EU for at least twelve months and owned the car for at least six, importing it when you move is free of charges. The evidence is simple: a passport with entry and exit stamps and a dated purchase contract.

The technical stage is more expensive and slower. First you need the Datenblatt — the manufacturer's VIN-specific data sheet, €50–300 from the manufacturer or €150–400 on top if the inspector sources it. This is the longest step, up to six weeks, so it is started in parallel with customs rather than after it. Then comes the §21 approval at €300–600, where converting the lights for right-hand traffic is a typical cost. Planned in parallel the whole path takes four to five weeks; done sequentially, around seven.

WHERE PEOPLE MOST OFTEN LOSE MONEY AND TIME

Waiting until customs is finished before requesting the Datenblatt. It is the longest step on the route, up to six weeks, and belongs in parallel — otherwise the inspector has nothing to check the car against.
Bringing documents without a German translation. A purchase contract and vehicle title in the original language mean a second customs appointment and a week's delay.
Not asking the inspector in advance what typically needs modifying on your model. Headlights for right-hand traffic are a classic three-figure item, and it is better learned before buying than after.
Concealing a defect you know about. The inspector will find it anyway, but then it goes on the record — meaning a re-inspection at €80–150 and lost time.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ROUTE

How long does the entire import take?▾

Four to five weeks when planned in parallel, usually around seven otherwise. Two processes dominate: the manufacturer's data sheet at up to six weeks, and the wait for a §21 approval appointment at around two weeks. The official appointments themselves take hours rather than days once the paperwork is ready.

What does importing cost on top of the car's price?▾

Customs: 10 per cent duty plus 19 per cent import VAT — or zero under the relocation exemption. The data sheet: €50–300 from the manufacturer. The §21 approval: €300–600, a re-inspection for defects €80–150, and additional reports on lighting or exhaust up to €300. Registration with plates €46–95. A customs broker, if you use one, €200–500.

How can customs duty be avoided lawfully when relocating?▾

Through the relocation goods exemption. Two conditions: residence outside the EU for at least twelve months and ownership of the vehicle for at least six months before the move. It is evidenced by a passport with entry and exit stamps and a dated purchase contract. The exemption is claimed during customs clearance, not afterwards.

What should be ordered first?▾

The data sheet. It depends on neither customs nor the inspector, yet the §21 approval is impossible without it — and it takes the longest. The request goes to the official importer or manufacturer quoting the VIN and referencing individual approval under §21 StVZO, at the same time as you prepare the customs paperwork.

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