Buying a bike in another EU country is easier than most people fear, as long as you do the paperwork in the right order. There are no customs duties between EU countries and no border checks on the goods. The work is in the documents, the tax you pay at home, and the registration.
1. Ask your own registration authority first
Before you transfer any money, find out what your national authority wants to see to register a foreign bike. In the Netherlands that is the RDW, in Belgium the DIV, in Germany the registration office (Zulassungsstelle), in France the ANTS. Your Europe, the EU's official citizens' portal, advises you to make sure that the seller gives you all the original documents you need to register the vehicle in your home country before the purchase is completed. Write that list down and send it to the seller.
A sensible list includes the original registration document of the country of sale, proof that the bike is deregistered or released from the seller's name, a bill of sale with both parties' details and the frame number, a copy of the seller's identity document, and any proof of age or originality such as a dating certificate. For older bikes a Certificate of Conformity usually does not exist, which is why your authority may identify the bike by inspection instead.
2. Understand the VAT
According to Your Europe the rule depends on who sells:
- A private person. You do not have to pay VAT on the bike. You register it in your home country and pay registration and road tax there.
- A dealer. VAT may or may not be charged and shown separately on the invoice. Many dealers sell used bikes under a margin scheme, where VAT only applies to their profit and is not shown. Ask which applies and get it in writing.
Do not assume a low price means a private sale. Ask the seller to state on the invoice whether they are a business or a private person.
3. Know your rights
Consumer rights depend on the seller. Your Europe states that from a dealer you have a minimum of two years' guarantee if the vehicle turns out to be faulty or not as advertised, and that for a used vehicle this may be shortened to one year by agreement between buyer and seller. It also states that consumer protection does not apply to private sales. That is why a pre-purchase inspection by a specialist is so valuable when you buy from a private person abroad.
4. Getting the bike home
You can tow it, hire a shipping company or ride it home yourself. If you ride it, you need valid insurance and temporary plates that are recognised in every country you drive through. Your Europe says temporary number plates are not harmonised in the EU, which makes them hard to get and to have recognised across borders. For a classic that has not run in years, a trailer or a specialist shipper is the practical answer. See shipping a classic motorcycle.
5. Registering in the Netherlands
For a motorcycle from an EU country, the RDW decides at an inspection station, where it identifies the bike and assesses the documents. After that, a BPM declaration follows for the Belastingdienst. The BPM is not due on a motor vehicle that is 25 years or older, but it is due on a younger bike, so a youngtimer can be expensive to import. Once everything is approved, the RDW issues the registration and the tax authority sends the road tax invoice automatically. If the bike qualifies, the blue plates are a separate step: see classic motorcycle rules in the Netherlands.
6. Registering elsewhere
Each country has its own procedure. Read the matching article: Belgium, Germany, the UK or France.
A short checklist
- Written list of documents agreed with the seller before payment.
- Frame and engine numbers photographed and compared with the papers.
- Seller identified as a business or a private person on the invoice.
- Payment by a method that leaves a trail, and not in cash. See safe payment when buying a classic.
- Transport insured from the door of the seller to your door.
