How does importing a moped work?
A moped that is registered abroad must be tested in the Netherlands via an established procedure. A distinction is made between an import from an EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country and a non-EU EFTA country. When importing from Great Britain, you must take into account the consequences of a possible Brexit! It is also possible that you are moving to the Netherlands and taking the moped with you as a "removal good". We will briefly look at the conditions that you and the moped must meet and discuss the inspection of the moped by the Road Transport Department (RDW).
Some conditions concerning you and the moped.
You have to be registered in the "Basisregistratie Personen (BRP)" and be at least 16 years old. If you want to register in the name of your company, the company must be a legal entity established in the Netherlands. You appear in person (for a company, you must have signing authority). As far as the moped is concerned, the registration does not depend on the technical condition of the moped. RDW can, however, declare the registration certificate invalid if the moped clearly constitutes a danger to road safety. Please note that RDW does carry out a thorough inspection of mopeds built before 01/01/1978.
Before you can get on the road in the Netherlands, the moped has to be tested. The RDW testing station checks whether the foreign registration can be taken over. You make an appointment online because from 01/12/2019 inspection without an appointment is no longer possible. If you are not transporting the moped on a trailer or car ambulance, you can apply online for a one-day licence plate for the inspection. If you are driving from abroad to the Netherlands, ask the foreign authorities in advance whether this is possible. If you are importing from a non-EU/EFTA country (or if you built the moped yourself), a so-called "admission test" is required. The moped has to meet certain requirements of traffic safety, noise, lights, environment, etc. This technical inspection takes place at the RDW testing centre in Lelystad or at home. You can also have it tested at other RDW testing stations when:
- you import the vehicle as removal goods.
- the moped has previously had a Dutch registration number.
- the moped was first put on the road before 01/01/2006.
- the moped has a European type approval (ask the manufacturer or importer).
You move to the Netherlands and take your moped with you.
If you are moving to the Netherlands from another EU/EFTA country, you can continue to drive with the foreign number plate for some time. You can ask the tax administration how long this is possible. If you are moving from a non-EU/EFTA country, you should take the import document (with the notation "removal good") with you, in addition to the usual documents. After the inspection, you must still submit a declaration for the "Taxation of passenger cars and motorbikes(BPM)" (see Tax Office). After approval by the inspection services and the tax authorities, you will receive the registration certificate.
The (documents for the) inspection and the registration certificate.
You take all the necessary documents with you, such as the original foreign vehicle registration certificate, your proof of identity and any other relevant documents (e.g. the Certificate of Conformity) that you have. The RDW will send you the Dutch vehicle registration certificate within 5 working days. Then you have the licence plate made at a recognised licence plate manufacturer and take out moped insurance. You are now ready to drive the moped in the Netherlands!
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