You need to pay registration tax in order to get Danish number plates. If you want to know the amount of the registration tax in advance, you can request a binding ruling. Please note that valuation processing time is up to 5 weeks as we currently experience a great demand.

Log on to the Danish Register of Motor Vehicles and request

1. Before you import a vehicle

If you live in Denmark and import a vehicle with foreign number plates, you must:

Do not complete the form but go directly to the next step if:

  • the vehicle has no number plates.
  • you do not live in Denmark.

You have 30 days to register your vehicle.

2. Have your car or motorbike inspected

The vehicle must pass an extended registration inspection (customs inspection) at a vehicle inspection centre.

A list of approved vehicle inspection centres is available from the Danish Transport Authority.

If you import a vehicle from a country outside the EU/EEA, the Faroe Islands or Greenland, you must show up at one of our vehicle registration offices after your vehicle has passed the inspection with your registration certificate or send it to the vehicle registration office in Aalborg to obtain permission to register the vehicle.

3. Request a valuation from the Danish Register of Motor Vehicles or via a private valuation business

  1. Log on to E-tax (TastSelv) using NemID
  2. Click 'Motor' (Motor) - 'Motorregister' (Register of Motor Vehicles)
  3. Select 'Registreringsafgift' (Registration tax) and then 'Anmod om værdifastsættelse' (Request a valuation)
  4. Complete the request and click 'Godkend' (Accept).
  5. You can see your receipt in your ‘Meddelelsesarkiv' (Message archive) in E-tax.

The E-tax system is only available in Danish, and therefore we recommend that you have somebody to assist you with the Danish language.

Please state it in your request if you are a newcomer to Denmark or if your vehicle has foreign number plates.

If you do not have a Danish CPR number (civil registration number) and NemID, you must send an e-mail to motorekspedition@motorst.dk asking for a valuation of your vehicle.

If the vehicle comes from a country outside the EU, and if you have not previously submitted your registration certificate, you need to submit a copy of the registration certificate to motorekspedition@motorst.dk.

Decision

Private individuals can see our decision in E-tax under the heading 'Meddelelser fra Motorregistret' (Messages from the Register of Motor Vehicles).

Businesses can see our decision in 'Meddelelsesarkivet' (Message archive) in E-tax for businesses (TastSelv Erhverv).

If you do not have access to E-tax, we will send you the decision by regular post.

4. Pay registration tax

You can pay registration tax via online banking, in your bank or at one of our four vehicle registration offices. The payment ID will be stated in our valuation. The vehicle registration offices accept cash, Dankort and Visa/Dankort.

5. Register your vehicle in the Register of motor vehicles and buy new number plates

You register your vehicle and buy new number plates with one of our vehicle registration offices or with a number plate provider (nummerpladeoperatør) (only in Danish but if you enter your postal code, the ones nearest you will be shown on the screen).
Remember to bring you foreign registration certificate, photo ID and insurance information.

Importing a car or motor bike for permanent use

If you live in Denmark and import a vehicle with foreign number plates, you need to follow the above 'Five steps to importing a vehicle'. Only you and your household are allowed to use the vehicle.

If the vehicle is imported by a business, only a permanent employee is allowed to use the vehicle.

Loan cars

You need to inform us before you enter Denmark in a loan car with foreign number plates.

Only the registered owner or user of the vehicle, or somebody else from the household, is allowed to use the vehicle.

For each Danish vehicle you have registered, you are only allowed to drive a foreign-registered loan car for 30 days within a 12-month period. You need to keep the loan contract from the garage in the vehicle.

Outside the EU

When you import a vehicle from a country outside the EU, you generally have to pay customs duties and VAT.

You need to report to a clearing agent to have your customs clearance made when you arrive at the first customs duties office in the EU. Next, you will have to pay customs duties and VAT at the customs duties office.

Once the customs clearance is made and you have paid customs duties and VAT, your vehicle is released.

Customs duties amount to 10% and VAT to 25% of the invoice price of the vehicle plus freight and costs.

In some cases if the vehicle is part of removal goods, the vehicle can be exempt from customs duties and VAT or reduced customs duties and VAT rates less than 10% may apply.

For further information in Danish on customs duties and VAT on used vehicles

Within the EU

You do not have to pay customs duties when you import a vehicle from another EU country. However, you will have to pay VAT at a rate of 25% if the vehicle is new.

If you want to know the registration tax in advance, you can choose to:

Some private valuation businesses advertise that they can settle your registration tax.

This does not apply to:

  • new vehicles
  • busses
  • camper vans
  • vehicles older than 35 years (veteran vehicles for example)
  • other special vehicles, for example rebuilt written-off vehicles or vehicles subject to certain conditions.

These businesses usually charge you a fee. We are unable to recommend specific businesses.

You cannot appeal against the decision made by a private valuation business.

If you have already registered your vehicle in the Register of motor vehicles

If you use a private valuation business, you do not have to register your vehicle in the Register of Motor Vehicles.

If you have already registered the vehicle, you need to cancel the registration by sending an e-mail to motorekspedition@motorst.dk.

Please see our legal guide (in Danish) for further legal information.