How-to

Importing a car from Germany yourself — step by step

Doing it yourself saves 2,000–4,000 zł compared with an agent — but only if you know what you are doing. Most people stumble not over taxes but over export plates and insurance: without them you cannot leave Germany. Below is the whole path, in order, with real costs and traps.

Before you travel — three things to arrange from home: 1) an eVB number (short-term German insurance — buy it online), 2) cash or a transfer for the car and fees, 3) a second driver or a one-way ticket. No eVB means no plates, and no plates means you cannot drive the car out of Germany.

Step 1. Find the car and check it remotely

The main portals are mobile.de and AutoScout24. Before you set off:

ask for the VIN and photos of the papers (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and II — the „small” and „large Brief”),
check the history (a VIN check) and use the VIN decoder,
ask about the Scheckheft (service book) and the validity of the TÜV (German inspection),
verify whether the car is deregistered (an Abmeldung stamp) — most used cars already are.

Watch this common scam: a dealer writes the previous owner’s details into the contract instead of their own — to dodge tax and liability for defects. The contract must be with whoever is actually selling.

Before you board the train to Germany: Check what the car is really worth → VARTOCAR report 49 zł

Step 2. Buy the eVB — before you travel

The eVB-Nummer is electronic confirmation of German third-party insurance. Buy it online before leaving, even before you know the car — the policy can be taken with a margin. Cost: usually about 30 EUR. Without an eVB the office will not issue plates — the most common reason people get stuck in Germany for an extra day.

Step 3. Inspect the car and negotiate

Bring a paint thickness gauge (a few hundred zloty; it pays for itself on the first car). Inspect only in daylight, with the car clean and dry. Full checklist: 7 signs of an accident car. Pay only after seeing it — never a remote deposit.

Step 4. Contract and deregistration (Abmeldung)

The contract (Kaufvertrag) in German, in two copies, with the seller’s ID details. If the car is still registered, the best solution is a joint visit with the seller to the office (Zulassungsstelle) to deregister it on the spot — about 7.50–12.60 EUR. Without the deregistration certificate (Abmeldebescheinigung), registering in Poland becomes problematic.

Step 5. Export plates — yellow or red?

Yellow (Kurzzeitkennzeichen) — valid 5 days, until 23:59 on the date stamped on the strip. Enough to drive to Poland. Package cost (plates + insurance): usually 50–140 EUR depending on the city. Requires a valid TÜV.
Red (Ausfuhrkennzeichen) — export plates, valid from 9 days to a year. Needed if you stay in Germany longer than 5 days. Cost: about 150–200 EUR.

The biggest trap: German registered address To issue plates the office requires proof of a registered address (or a German ID). Without one you need an intermediary with a German address — usually the seller or the dealer. Settle this by phone BEFORE you travel, or you will be stuck with a car you cannot legally drive away.

Step 6. Getting home: driving or a tow truck?

Driving — cheaper, but you need valid plates and insurance on the day. Note: the insurance only runs until the end of the day stamped on the plate. After that the car is formally deregistered, and driving it means no insurance.
Tow truck — around 2.5 zł/km (Berlin–Warsaw ≈ 1,100–2,100 zł). Pricier but risk-free: you need not trust an unknown car’s condition or watch plate deadlines.

Practical advice: if the car has no valid TÜV or you have doubts about its condition, take the tow truck. A breakdown on a foreign motorway costs more than transport.

Step 7. Back home: excise within 14 days

File the AKC-U/S declaration through PUESC within 14 days of bringing the car into Poland. Rates: 3.1% of value (engines up to 2000 cm³) or 18.6% (above). Customs duty: 0 zł (an EU car). VAT: none when buying from a private seller or under VAT-margin. Compute everything in the car import calculator. Tax details: a car from Germany to Poland.

Step 8. Translations, inspection, registration

Sworn translations of the documents (Brief I and II, contract) — about 120–300 zł.
Technical inspection at a Polish station — about 149 zł (LPG costs more).
Polish OC insurance — at the latest on the day of registration. Short-term German insurance does not renew automatically.
Registration at the communication office for your place of residence — the full set: contract, Brief I and II, translations, excise confirmation, inspection, insurance, deregistration certificate, ID.

The penalty for no insurance is severe For lacking compulsory OC insurance, the Insurance Guarantee Fund (UFG) imposes a penalty of roughly 1,920 to 9,610 zł (passenger car, 2026). Make sure there is not a single day’s gap between the German policy expiring and the Polish one starting.

What importing yourself actually costs

Besides the car price and excise you typically add: eVB ~30 EUR, plates 50–200 EUR, deregistration ~10 EUR, the trip (train/flight + fuel, motorway tolls), translations 120–300 zł, inspection 149 zł, registration and Polish insurance. You genuinely save the agent’s fee — but you pay with time (2–4 weeks of paperwork) and your own risk.

Before you go: check whether the price gap justifies it at all — comparison: a car from Germany or in Poland.

This material is informational and is not legal or tax advice. Costs and procedures vary between German offices — confirm them before travelling.

Need to finance the purchase? Compare loans and accounts: Finumero →

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Which plates do I need to drive a car back from Germany? Yellow plates (Kurzzeitkennzeichen), valid 5 days, are enough to drive to Poland and usually cost 50–140 EUR including insurance. Red export plates (Ausfuhrkennzeichen) are valid from 9 days to a year and cost around 150–200 EUR.

Can I get German plates without a registered address in Germany? The office requires proof of a registered address or a German ID. Without one you need an intermediary with a German address — usually the seller or dealer. Arrange this before travelling.

What is an eVB number and do I need one? It is electronic confirmation of German third-party insurance, required to issue plates. Buy it online before travelling, usually for about 30 EUR. Without an eVB no plates will be issued.

How long do I have to pay excise after importing from Germany? 14 days from bringing the vehicle into Poland to file the AKC-U/S declaration via PUESC. The rate is 3.1% of value for engines up to 2000 cm³ and 18.6% above.