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- Always with personalized service tailored to your needs
- All-in-One Solution: Logistics and Automotive Services
- Over 15 years of experience
Car import? This is how we arrange it!
Importing a car without any hassle. That’s what we promise at SCL Rotterdam. We pick up your car abroad and deliver it ready to drive in the Netherlands. Curious about the process? Below, we show you the steps involved, one by one.
That's How We Do It
What Are the Steps in Car Import?
- Skilled staff
- Reliable and safe
The only thing you need to arrange yourself is getting car insurance. Only after you have secured insurance are you allowed to drive on the road. You can easily do this online once you know your new license plate number. We will keep you updated on this throughout the process.
Purchase inspection
Did you know that we also offer a purchase inspection as an additional service? We will send an independent inspection advisor to assess the condition of the car for you. You will receive a comprehensive inspection report with all the photos and findings, so you know exactly what to expect. It’s a reassuring step before importing a car from abroad that you have never seen yourself.
Curious about the best option for importing your car? We are happy to think along with you and, based on our experience, help you make the right choice. Contact us for personal advice.
Transport Insurance and General Average
We collaborate with the most reliable partners in the world. However, we still recommend getting transport insurance. Without it, your car is not covered in case of damage due to a disaster, such as a severe storm at sea.
If you choose to import your car through SCL Rotterdam, we can also assist you with that. Through our insurance agent, you can secure two types of transport insurance for your car.
- All-risk insurance
All damages incurred during transport due to fire, theft, or any other reason are covered. This includes clear scratches, dents, and other damages. - Total-loss insurance
Only total loss damages incurred during transport are covered. This is, for example, the case if the container holding your vehicle falls overboard or is otherwise so severely damaged that the car is declared a total loss by a damage expert. Any transport-related damages such as scratches and dents to the goods are not covered
General Average
Good to know: the transport insurance also covers all costs in the event of 'General Average'. These are all additional costs that need to be made to save the ship's cargo in emergencies, such as the container ship that lost 400 containers in the North Sea during a storm in 2019.
By default, these costs are distributed among all shippers based on the value of the cargo. As a customer of SCL Rotterdam, you are automatically considered a shipper. If you do not have insurance, you are personally liable for your share of the costs incurred in the event of a 'General Average'.
Costs for importing a car
The costs for importing a car vary and depend on factors such as the type of transport, the place of origin, and the condition of the car. Additionally, when importing a car, you need to account for additional costs such as VAT, import duties, and BPM (Dutch luxury tax). Furthermore, modifications to the car may be required for a Dutch registration certificate.
Request a quote
We are happy to provide you with more insight into the costs of importing a car. Request a quote directly and without obligation, and we will map out all the costs for you. Prefer to receive more information first? We are available every weekday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
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Specialist in importing cars
SCL has extensive experience in importing all kinds of cars to the Netherlands. From various types and brands of cars to different countries of origin. Besides the USA and Canada, think of Dubai, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. In addition to new cars, you can also import classic cars with our help. With our experience, importing cars becomes a breeze.
Frequently Asked Questions about Car Importing
We have answered most questions about car importing in this section.
Cars are shipped worldwide in various ways. The two main methods are by Ro-Ro and by container. Very exclusive cars are sometimes transported by air freight, and land transport often takes place by road transport.
Want to know what the best transport method is for your car and how SCL Rotterdam can assist you? Read more aboutour company or inquire directly about the costs!
Importing a car can be very easy if you enlist the help of an experienced importer. At SCL Rotterdam we guide you through the entire process and take practically everything off your hands. From the import to the registration and the bpm declaration.
Having a car imported is customized. Therefore, the costs also vary widely. The type of transport, the location of origin and the condition of the car all affect the price. But also VAT, import duties and bpm. It is also possible that adjustments are needed to your car to be able to drive it in the Netherlands. Request a free quote, and we will gladly outline all the costs for you.
You can have Dutch number plates printed as soon as you have registered your car with the RDW. If you import a car without a European type approval, it must first be prepared before a local RDW office can process your registration. With imported cars, this sometimes requires some minor adjustments, such as changing the lighting. At SCL Rotterdam, we can carry out these things in consultation in our own workshop.
In some cases, it is cheaper to import a car than to buy a car locally. This may be the case, for example, if cars are taxed less heavily in the country of purchase than in your local country. It may also be the case that a certain type of model is cheaper abroad, because demand is lower there.
Import duty is the tax you have to pay when you import goods or raw materials from countries outside the European Union. So this also applies when you have a car imported from abroad.
