Free tool
Germany car import cost calculator
Customs duty, import VAT, individual approval and registration fees — the full landed cost of bringing a vehicle into Germany, calculated in seconds.
Estimated import cost on top of the purchase price
11.344 € – 11.374 €
- Customs value (vehicle + freight)
- 36.500 €
- Customs duty (Zoll)
- 3.650 €
- Import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer)
- 7.629 €
- Registration office + plates
- 65 € – 95 €
- • Customs duty of 10 % applies to imports from outside the EU customs union.
- • Import VAT of 19 % is charged on the customs value plus duty.
- • Rates as of July 2026. Not included: annual vehicle tax, insurance, HU/AU, or our service fee. This is general information, not tax advice.
How German import cost is calculated
Germany applies the EU common customs tariff. For a passenger car arriving from outside the EU customs union the duty is 10 % of the customs value — the purchase price plus freight and transport insurance up to the EU border. Motorcycles above 250 ccm are charged at 6 %.
Import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer) of 19 % is then charged on the customs value plus the duty already paid. This compounding is why the effective burden on a non-EU import is closer to 31 % than the headline 19 %.
Inside the EU there is no duty at all. VAT only enters the picture if the car is a new vehicle under § 1b UStG — first registered under six months ago, or driven under 6,000 km. Used cars bought privately in France, Italy or the Netherlands carry no additional German VAT.
The last variable is homologation. Cars built for the EU market come with a Certificate of Conformity and register directly. US, Japanese and Gulf-market cars usually do not, and need an individual approval under § 21 StVZO — the item most often missing from other people's budgets.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to import a car into Germany?
- From outside the EU you pay 10 % customs duty on the vehicle value plus freight, then 19 % import VAT on that total. A €35,000 car with €1,500 freight therefore carries roughly €3,650 duty and €7,630 import VAT. Inside the EU there is no duty, and VAT is only due if the car counts as a new vehicle under § 1b UStG.
- When is a car considered new for VAT purposes?
- Under § 1b UStG a vehicle is new if it was first registered less than six months ago or has been driven under 6,000 km. Either condition is enough. New vehicles are always taxed in the country where they are registered, so German VAT applies even on an intra-EU purchase.
- Do I need a Certificate of Conformity?
- An EU Certificate of Conformity lets the registration office register the car directly. Without one — typical for US, Japanese and Gulf-market cars — the vehicle needs an individual approval under § 21 StVZO at TÜV or DEKRA, which usually costs between €400 and €900 and can require lighting, speedometer or emissions modifications.
- Is customs duty charged on the shipping cost too?
- Yes. The customs value is the purchase price plus freight and transport insurance up to the EU border. Both duty and import VAT are calculated from that combined figure, which is why cheap shipping directly reduces your tax bill.
- Can I avoid import VAT when relocating to Germany?
- If you are moving your primary residence into the EU, Übersiedlungsgut relief can exempt a car you have owned and used for at least six months before the move, provided you keep it for twelve months afterwards. The exemption is granted by the Hauptzollamt on application, not automatically. [TODO: confirm current documentation checklist with the owner.]
- Are these figures binding?
- No. The calculator applies the published duty and VAT rates as of July 2026. Only the assessment issued by the Hauptzollamt is binding, and registration office fees vary by authority under the GebOSt.
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