What do I need to register a car?
When you have bought a car, you have to transfer the registration number of the vehicle to your name. This is called transferring the vehicle. You do this together with the selling party. As soon as the registration number has been put in your name, you must fulfil all vehicle obligations, such as taking out car insurance, the MOT obligation and paying motor vehicle tax. But how does the transfer of a car work and what do you need to do it? In this article we explain.
How do I register a car?
You can transfer your car via RDW. You choose whether you want to do the transfer online or rather at a location. For the transfer, you need the vehicle registration card and the registration code. You also need to be able to show a valid ID. After the transfer, you will receive a registration report containing the first 4 digits of the new registration code. You will also receive a certificate of indemnification. You should give this to the seller. This report shows that he or she is no longer responsible for the vehicle. After the transfer of the car, you should immediately take out a car insurance. Without car insurance you are not allowed to drive the car.
Where can I have a car transferred?
You can transfer your car at several places. If you want to register the car 'offline' you can go to a license plate counter, RDW-desk, RDW-inspection station or PostNL-location. There is always one near you. You can also choose to transfer the license plate online. This can be done through the RDW website.
What papers are needed for the transfer?
To transfer a car, you need a complete registration certificate. These are the registration card and the registration code OR the original registration certificate (part 1B) and the transfer certificate. In addition, you must have a valid proof of identity to hand. This does not necessarily have to be a driving licence. Will you be transferring your car online? Then you must do a one-time identity check of your proof of identity with the DigiD app. You can do this with your mobile phone. Please note that your phone must be an Android smartphone with version 6.0 or higher or an IPhone model 7 or higher with iOS version 13. These specific models have an NFC chip reader, with which the identity check can be performed.
What about the insurance when transferring a car?
As soon as the registration number is in your name, you are obliged to take out car insurance. In the Netherlands, it is a legal obligation to insure a motor vehicle at least against third-party liability. This means that you are insured for damage that you cause to others. Damage to your own car is not insured. For that you have to choose a more extensive coverage, like WA + limited casco or Allrisk.
To take out car insurance, you need the registration code of the car. The registration code of a car is a unique four-digit code and consists of the last four digits of the chassis number of your car. The reporting code is stated on the registration report that you received after transferring the car. It is also stated on the registration card that you subsequently receive from the RDW.
Transfer car online
Registering your car online is done via the RDW website. You must then do a one-off identity check on your proof of identity. You do this with the DigiD app on your mobile phone. After the transfer, you will receive 2 e-mails from RDW. The first e-mail is a confirmation of receipt and the second is a final confirmation of the transfer. Only when you receive the second e-mail will the car have been transferred. You will receive a third e-mail from RDW containing the link to the certificate of indemnity and the registration report. The first part of the registration code is also mentioned on the registration report. You will receive the registration certificate and the2nd part of the registration code by post.
RDW car transfer
The transfer of a car takes place via RDW. You choose whether you want to transfer the car online or at a vehicle registration office, RDW testing station, RDW desk or PostNL location. You often do this together with the seller of the car. After the transfer, you must comply with all the vehicle requirements. The RDW checks in the insurance register whether a car insurance has been taken out for the vehicle. They also check in the inspection register whether the car has been APK-tested. The Tax and Customs Administration checks whether motor vehicle tax has been paid for the car.
Registering a car on Sunday
These days, transferring a car on a Sunday is no problem either. Where previously everything was closed on Sundays, nowadays more and more cities have shopping Sundays once a month or even every week. This means that the shops with a PostNL location are often open too. In addition, there are many PostNL locations in supermarkets, which are also open on Sundays in more and more places. However, you are bound by the opening hours of the relevant location. So always check in advance whether the location is open on that Sunday. Don't feel like being tied to certain times? Then you can also register the car online.
Registering a car on Saturday
In most cases it is no problem to register a car on a Saturday. Nowadays there are more and more PostNL locations, for example in supermarkets. These are also open on Saturdays and often have longer opening hours than regular shops. Some locations are even open till 9 or 10 o'clock in the evening. Moreover, there is always one in your neighbourhood. On the PostNL website you can find out at which registration desk in your area you can transfer your car on a Saturday and at what time they are open.
Registering a car at the weekend
On weekends, opening hours are of course limited. Because of this, it is not always possible to transfer a car at your convenience. You can therefore also choose to transfer the license plate online. This is possible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In that case, you are not bound to opening hours, but choose the time that suits you best. Insuring your car during the weekend is no problem either. Please visit Alpina.nl.
Car transfer costs
The cost of transferring a car will be €10.75 in 2021. It does not matter whether you transfer the car online, or at a registration desk, RDW location or PostNL location: the costs remain the same. The only difference is that when you arrange the transfer online, you have to pay the costs via iDeal.
Registering a car after death
If the owner of the car has died, the license plate must be transferred to a new owner's name within 5 weeks. Transferring a car after death actually works the same as usual. You can transfer the car online or through a registration desk, RDW counter, RDW inspection station or PostNL location. Bring all necessary documents, such as the registration card and registration code and a valid ID.
Registering a car in your area
You have various options for transferring a vehicle registration number. You can go to a vehicle registration office, RDW testing station, RDW desk or PostNL location. So there is always a location near you. For example, there are more than 750 vehicle registration desks throughout the Netherlands. There is also an RDW inspection station in every province. And there are more and more PostNL locations where you can transfer your vehicle's registration number, for example in bookstores and supermarkets. You can easily see online where there is a location near you.
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