Importing a car or motorcycle into Denmark
If you are moving to Denmark and bringing your own vehicle, you need to import your car to Denmark and register it on Danish plates within 30 days of taking up residence. QuickImport has been licensed by Motorstyrelsen (the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency) since 2012 to value vehicles and settle the registration tax, and we handle the entire process in English within one business day.
The 30-day clock starts when you take up residence in Denmark and give up your residence abroad — not when the vehicle arrives. Before entering Denmark on foreign plates you must fill out form no. 21.118 EN.
Order a binding calculation of the registration tax — DKK 299 for electric vehicles and DKK 399 for anything else.
Who needs to register a foreign vehicle in Denmark?
Any vehicle brought into Denmark by a resident must be registered on Danish plates. That includes:
- EU/EEA residents moving to Denmark with a car or motorcycle already in their name
- Non-EU residents relocating with a vehicle (customs clearance required before registration)
- Danish citizens moving home after a period abroad
- Anyone buying a vehicle abroad and bringing it to Denmark
Short-term visitors and tourists can drive on foreign plates while abroad, but once you take up residence — which for most people means registering with folkeregisteret and receiving a CPR number — the 30-day deadline starts running.
The 30-day deadline — what it means in practice
The 30 days run from the day you take up residence in Denmark and give up your residence abroad. In practice that means the clock can already be ticking before your vehicle physically arrives, if you moved first and the car followed later.
During those 30 days you may drive the vehicle on its foreign plates for the purpose of getting it to the inspection centre (toldsyn) and completing the registration. After 30 days it is illegal to drive it on foreign plates in Denmark, and the vehicle must either be registered or taken off the road until it is.
Tip: book your inspection appointment as soon as you know your move date. Getting a slot at the inspection centre is normally the only thing that sets the pace of the process.
1. Calculation of the registration tax
Before you decide whether to bring the vehicle at all, you can have the registration tax calculated. Send us the VIN and you get a written calculation within one business day. It is binding for 30 days and commits you to nothing. It is possible to extend the calculation to 90 days during the order process.
Most people do this while they are still planning the move, because it is the figure that decides whether it makes sense to ship the vehicle or sell it before leaving.
2. Customs inspection (toldsyn)
Once the vehicle is in Denmark, take it to one of the approved Danish inspection centres (synshaller). For imports this is normally an extended registration inspection (toldsyn), which covers the registration inspection and the customs inspection (udvidet registreringssyn) in one appointment of around 45 minutes.
Bring the original foreign registration certificate — for EU/EEA vehicles both part 1 and part 2 — together with proof that you own the vehicle. Copies are not accepted.
If you are moving from outside the EU, the vehicle must be customs cleared before it enters Denmark. If you have lived outside the EU for more than a year, have owned and used the vehicle for more than six months, and keep it registered in your own name for a year after the move, it can normally be brought in as removal goods without customs duty or VAT. Registration tax still applies.
See an overview of our car inspection partners.
3. Paying the registration tax
Within one business day you receive an email with the calculation of the registration tax and instructions for payment.
Following the payment, you will receive a confirmation that the payment has been received and that the vehicle is ready to be issued Danish number plates.
4. Danish license plates
When your payment has cleared, we release the vehicle for registration and you can collect your plates — usually at the same inspection centre. Bring the original registration certificate.
Insurance: you cannot buy Danish car insurance before the vehicle is registered on Danish plates. Instead, contact your chosen Danish insurance company in advance, let them know registration is imminent, and they will activate the policy on the same day the plates are issued.
How registration tax is calculated
Registration tax is based on the vehicle’s market value in Denmark: what comparable vehicles sell for at Danish dealers, adjusted for mileage and extra equipment. The price you originally paid abroad does not enter into the calculation.
What affects the tax:
- Danish market value. The valuation compares your specific vehicle with what similar cars sell for at Danish dealers.
- Mileage. Higher mileage gives a lower valuation and therefore lower tax.
- Extra equipment (PR-codes). Factory-fitted extras — leather, panorama roof, driver-assist packages, larger wheels — are added to the taxable value.
- CO₂ emissions. The CO₂ figure from the vehicle’s COC document (Certificate of Conformity) affects the tax rate directly, which is why we often ask for the COC before finalising the calculation.
Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are taxed on a reduced basis, which makes an EV significantly cheaper to register in Denmark than an equivalent petrol or diesel car.
Classic and veteran vehicles — cars more than 35 years old — are calculated on 75 % of their original new price. Veteran motorcycles use 40 %.
The exact amount always depends on the specific vehicle, which is what the binding assessment is for. Order a calculation of the registration tax here.
Prices
A binding tax assessment costs DKK 299 for an electric vehicle and DKK 399 for all other vehicles. It is valid for 30 days, and can be extended to 90 days for DKK 200 during the order process.
In addition you pay for the inspection and for Danish number plates, which cost approximately DKK 1.180.
All prices include VAT.
| Registration tax on the vehicle | Service fee | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| DKK 0 | DKK 1.799 | ||
| DKK 1 to 10.000 | DKK 2.999 | ||
| DKK 10.000 to 100.000 | DKK 3.999 | ||
| DKK 100.000 to 200.000 | DKK 4.999 | ||
| Above DKK 200.000 | 3% of the registration tax |
Documents checklist
Bring the following to the inspection centre:
- Original foreign registration certificate — for EU/EEA vehicles both part 1 and part 2. Copies are not accepted.
- Proof of ownership — purchase invoice or equivalent.
- Certificate of Conformity (COC) for vehicles registered outside the EU or when the CO₂ emission needs to be documented. Read more about the COC document.
- Certificate of Title for vehicles from the USA.
- Customs clearance documentation for vehicles imported from outside the EU.
- A Danish CPR number — you must have this to be registered as the owner in Denmark.
If any document is missing on inspection day, the appointment may need to be rescheduled.
Special cases
Motorcycles
The process for importing a motorcycle to Denmark is the same as for a car: pre-calculation, toldsyn, payment, plates. Registration tax on motorcycles is calculated on the same market-value principle as cars.
Electric vehicles
Electric vehicles are taxed on a reduced basis under Danish law, which typically makes an EV cheaper to register than a comparable petrol or diesel car. A pre-calculation for an electric vehicle costs DKK 299 (instead of DKK 399). Read more about EV import.
Vehicles from the USA
American vehicles typically do not have a European COC document, so the CO₂ emission has to be documented differently — often through a manufacturer’s letter or an EPA test result. Bring a copy of the Certificate of Title and any emission documentation you have. Note that QuickImport handles the Danish registration tax; VAT and customs duty on imports from outside the EU are handled separately (typically through a customs agent).
Classic and veteran vehicles
Vehicles more than 35 years old are calculated on 75 % of their original new price (40 % for motorcycles), with no fuel surcharge and no export refund available. Motorstyrelsen must approve every veteran case, which can take up to 14 days. Read more about veteran registration tax.
Moving from outside the EU
If you are moving from outside the EU, the vehicle must be customs cleared before it enters Denmark. If you have lived outside the EU for more than a year, have owned and used the vehicle for more than six months, and keep it registered in your own name for a year after the move, the car can normally be brought in as removal goods (flyttegods) without customs duty or VAT. Registration tax still applies.
Why use QuickImport vs. Motorstyrelsen
Both routes lead to the same registration tax — but the process is very different:
| QuickImport | Motorstyrelsen | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to answer | 1 business day | Up to 6 weeks |
| Language | English | Danish only |
| Binding calculation | Yes, for 30 days | Yes |
| Price for pre-calculation | DKK 299 (EV) / 399 | Free |
| Support during the process | Yes, phone and email | Limited |
| Licensed selvanmelder | Yes, since 2012 | N/A (they are the authority) |
QuickImport is a private company licensed by Motorstyrelsen to value vehicles and collect registration tax on the state’s behalf. The tax is the same either way — the difference is speed, language, and hands-on help through the process.
Ofte stillede spørgsmål
30 days from the day you take up residence in Denmark and give up your residence abroad. The clock starts with your move, not with the vehicle’s arrival, so it can already be running before the vehicle gets here.
Yes, and that is what most people use us for. Order a calculation of the registration tax and you get a binding written calculation within one business day, valid for 30 days. It costs DKK 299 for an electric vehicle and DKK 399 for anything else, and it obliges you to nothing. Knowing the figure before you book shipping is what tells you whether to bring the vehicle or sell it before you leave.
Yes. You must be registered in the Danish CPR system to be listed as the owner of a Danish-plated vehicle. You can order the pre-calculation without a CPR number, but the plates cannot be issued until you have one.
No — and you cannot buy Danish car insurance for an unregistered vehicle. Contact your chosen Danish insurance company in advance and let them know registration is imminent; they will activate the policy on the same day the plates are issued.
Driving on foreign plates after 30 days is illegal and can result in fines and, in serious cases, seizure of the vehicle. If you know you will not make it in time, take the vehicle off the road until it is registered.
Yes. EVs and plug-in hybrids are taxed on a reduced basis, which makes them significantly cheaper to register than equivalent petrol or diesel cars.
The original foreign registration certificate — both part 1 and part 2 for EU/EEA vehicles, and copies are not accepted — plus proof that you own the vehicle, such as the purchase invoice. You will also need Danish insurance activated on the day of plate issue, and a CPR number to be registered as the owner. For vehicles from the USA, bring a copy of the Certificate of Title. Non-EU vehicles also need their customs clearance documentation.
Because registration tax is levied on the vehicle’s market value in Denmark. The valuation compares your vehicle with what similar vehicles sell for at Danish dealers and adjusts for mileage and extra equipment. What you paid for it in another country does not form part of that calculation.
Higher mileage lowers the Danish market value, which in turn lowers the registration tax. The mileage on the vehicle’s odometer at the time of the toldsyn is what counts.
Yes. Vehicles more than 35 years old are calculated on 75 % of their original new price (motorcycles on 40 %), with no fuel surcharge and no export refund. Motorstyrelsen must approve every veteran case, which can take up to 14 days.
Vehicles from the USA and some other non-EU markets typically do not have a COC. The CO₂ emission can often be documented in other ways — a manufacturer letter, an EPA test result, or the value from the vehicle’s original type approval. Contact us before booking the toldsyn if you are unsure.
It can be done in a single business day. If you already have a CPR number and the vehicle passes its customs inspection, we return the calculation within one business day of receiving the inspection report, and you can collect your plates as soon as your payment clears — usually at the same inspection centre, the same day. Getting an inspection appointment is normally the only thing that sets the pace, so book it as soon as the vehicle arrives. Handling the valuation yourself through Motorstyrelsen can take up to six weeks.
No. We are a private company licensed by Motorstyrelsen to value vehicles and collect registration tax on the state’s behalf. The tax is the same as if you went through the authority directly. You get a faster answer and someone who replies in English.
Use the chat button on this page, or write to us at kontakt@quickimport.dk. You can also call 71 99 47 47. We answer in English, normally within one business day.
If your question is what the registration tax on your specific vehicle will be, that is what the calculation is for — we cannot give a figure without running it.