EU Car Import Regulations, Duty & VAT
Importing a car into the EU involves three separate things: customs duty, national VAT, and — for the vehicle to be road-legal — type approval or individual approval. This page explains what you'll actually pay and file, and DriveSino manages all three for you, in every country we serve.
10% Common Customs Duty
The EU's standard tariff for passenger vehicles
30 Countries Covered
Real, published national VAT rates
Full Compliance Handling
Customs, VAT, and documentation managed for you
How Car Import Compliance Works in the EU
Four things need to happen before an imported vehicle can be registered and driven.
Customs Declaration & Duty
On arrival, the vehicle is declared to customs and assessed against its CIF value (cost, insurance, freight). The EU's common external tariff for passenger vehicles is 10% of that value.
VAT Payment
National VAT is charged on top of the CIF value plus duty. The rate depends on the destination country — see the table below for real, published rates.
Type Approval or Individual Approval
The vehicle needs a valid Certificate of Conformity (if already EU type-approved) or individual vehicle approval. See our homologation guide for the full process.
Registration & Plates
Once duty, VAT, and approval are complete, the vehicle can be registered with the national authority and issued plates.
Documents You'll Need
DriveSino prepares or sources every document below as part of the export and import process.
Certificate of Origin
Confirms the vehicle's country of manufacture — issued on the China export side.
Bill of Lading
The shipping document confirming the vehicle was loaded and is in transit to your destination port.
Commercial Invoice
States the vehicle's declared value — the basis for calculating CIF and duty.
Customs Import Declaration (SAD)
The Single Administrative Document used across the EU to formally declare goods, including vehicles, for import.
Certificate of Conformity or Approval Certificate
Proves the vehicle meets EU technical and safety standards — either an existing CoC or the certificate issued after individual approval.
Import Duty: The 10% Common External Tariff
The EU applies a flat 10% customs duty on the CIF value of imported passenger vehicles, regardless of origin. This page's VAT table below also includes a small number of non-EU European markets (the UK, Norway, Albania, and Montenegro) that DriveSino also serves — these follow their own separate customs regimes rather than the EU's common tariff, so confirm your exact rate with us if you're importing to one of them.
DriveSino's Own Service Fees
On top of government duty and VAT, these are DriveSino's own published fees for handling the process in Europe.
VAT Rates by Country
VAT is charged on the CIF value plus import duty. These are the published standard national rates.
| Country | VAT Rate |
|---|---|
| Albania | 20% |
| Austria | 20% |
| Belgium | 21% |
| Bulgaria | 20% |
| Croatia | 25% |
| Czechia | 21% |
| Denmark | 25% |
| Estonia | 22% |
| Finland | 25.5% |
| France | 20% |
| Germany | 19% |
| Greece | 24% |
| Hungary | 27% |
| Ireland | 23% |
| Italy | 22% |
| Latvia | 21% |
| Lithuania | 21% |
| Luxembourg | 17% |
| Malta | 18% |
| Montenegro | 21% |
| Netherlands | 21% |
| Norway | 25% |
| Poland | 23% |
| Portugal | 23% |
| Romania | 19% |
| Slovakia | 20% |
| Slovenia | 22% |
| Spain | 21% |
| Sweden | 25% |
| United Kingdom | 20% |
Rates shown are standard national VAT rates as published by each country's tax authority, applied to (CIF value + import duty). Some countries offer reduced rates or exemptions for specific vehicle categories — confirm with us for your exact vehicle and destination.
A Note on Chinese EVs Specifically
In 2024, the EU introduced additional countervailing duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles following an anti-subsidy investigation, on top of the standard 10% tariff — the exact rate depends on the manufacturer and is subject to change. DriveSino confirms the current applicable rate for your specific vehicle before you order. See our electric vehicles page for more on exporting Chinese EVs.
Duty and VAT Are Only Half the Story
Paying customs duty and VAT gets your vehicle into the country — it doesn't make it road-legal. That requires EU type approval or individual vehicle approval, which DriveSino manages country-by-country across Europe.
EU Import Regulations — FAQ
Common questions about customs duty, VAT, and paperwork for importing a car into the EU.
How much is import duty on a car brought into the EU?
The EU applies a flat common external tariff of 10% of the vehicle's CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value for passenger cars, regardless of where the vehicle comes from.
How is VAT calculated on an imported car?
VAT is calculated on the CIF value plus the import duty already paid, at the destination country's standard national VAT rate — these range from roughly 17% to over 25% depending on the country. See the table above for exact rates.
Do I need type approval before or after paying customs duty?
The two processes can run in parallel in most countries — customs clearance and duty/VAT payment don't have to wait for type approval to complete, or vice versa. DriveSino coordinates both simultaneously to avoid delays.
What documents does DriveSino provide for EU import?
Certificate of Origin, Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, and support with the customs import declaration (SAD), plus either a Certificate of Conformity or individual approval documentation depending on your vehicle.
Are Chinese electric vehicles taxed differently in the EU?
Yes — since 2024 the EU has applied additional countervailing duties specifically on Chinese-made EVs, on top of the standard 10% tariff, following an anti-subsidy investigation. Rates vary by manufacturer. We confirm the exact current rate for your vehicle before you order.
Does DriveSino handle customs clearance for me?
Yes. DriveSino manages customs declaration, duty and VAT calculation, and full documentation support as part of the import process, alongside homologation where needed.
Can I avoid paying VAT when importing a car into the EU?
In almost all cases, no — VAT applies to commercial vehicle imports into the EU regardless of where the vehicle comes from. A narrow personal-relocation (transfer-of-residence) exemption exists under strict conditions, but it doesn't apply to most import purchases. We confirm whether any exemption could apply to your specific situation.
What's the difference between import duty and VAT when bringing a car into the EU?
Import duty is the EU's flat 10% common external tariff, charged on the vehicle's CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value to bring it into EU customs territory. VAT is a separate consumption tax, calculated on the CIF value plus the duty already paid, at the destination country's national rate. Both must be paid before the vehicle can be registered.
Which EU country has the lowest total import taxes on cars?
The 10% common external duty rate is identical across every EU member state, but national VAT rates range from roughly 17% to over 25% depending on the country — see the table above for exact current rates. VAT alone doesn't determine total landed cost, though; homologation and shipping expenses vary by destination too.
Get a Full Landed Cost Breakdown
Tell us your vehicle and destination country, and we'll confirm exact duty, VAT, and any homologation costs before you commit.
Contact DriveSino