Car Import

Importing a car sounds simple – but there's more to it than you think. Think customs paperwork, technical inspections, registration, BPM declaration, and transport. Fortunately, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. At SCL Rotterdam, we guide you from A to Z — whether you’re bringing in a sports car from the USA, a classic from Japan, or an electric vehicle from China. With nearly 20 years of experience and our one-stop-shop service, we make the import process fast, safe, and transparent.

Whether you plan to keep the car in the Netherlands or move it on to Belgium, Germany, or elsewhere in the EU — we’ll take care of it.

What Does Car Import Involve?

Importing a car is about much more than just transport. As soon as the vehicle crosses the border, everything has to be in order: the paperwork, inspections, taxes, and registration. That takes in-depth knowledge of international regulations and hands-on experience with complex logistics. That’s exactly why hundreds of car enthusiasts choose SCL Rotterdam every year.

Our services include:

• Purchase support & inspection abroad

• Transport by sea, land, or air freight

• Customs clearance & documentation

• Technical inspection & license plate registration (RDW, TÜV)

• BPM declaration & VAT calculation

• Delivery to your doorstep

We can also arrange the transport for you — whether it's shipping or road transport — as explained on our shipping and road transport pages.

Who Benefits from Car Import?

We work with a wide variety of clients — from expats to collectors:

• Car enthusiasts searching for unique or classic models

• Private individuals or businesses looking to save money through import

• Collectors and investors bringing in oldtimers or exclusive vehicles

• Expats relocating or importing their vehicle for temporary stay

• Traders moving cars through Rotterdam for delivery within the EU

Even vehicles not intended for use in the Netherlands can be imported, inspected, and forwarded by us.

What Types of Vehicles Do We Import?

From exclusive sports cars to electric city vehicles — at SCL Rotterdam, we import all types of cars. Check out our overview of popular car brands.
Curious about the most common brands we handle? Since January 2023, these have been our top five:

• BMW

• Ford

• Mercedes-Benz

• Audi

• Jeep

We also see strong numbers for Porsche, Chevrolet, Tesla, and Dodge.
Want to know which types of vehicles you can import through us? From oldtimers to EVs — check our page on vehicle types.

Also Specialists in Classics and EVs

Special vehicles require specialized knowledge. That’s why we have dedicated processes for:

• Importing classic cars – including purchase inspection, tax advantages, and registration

• Importing electric vehicles – including up-to-date regulations and subsidy advice

Want to find out if your classic car qualifies for 0% import duty and 9% VAT? Check our page on VAT and import duties for classic cars.

Organize Transport Yourself or Let Us Handle It?

You have options with us:

• Want us to take care of the full transport? Then you don’t have to lift a finger.

• Prefer to arrange (part of) the journey yourself, for example using your own transporter? No problem — we’ll support you along the way.

In both cases, we’ll make sure everything is handled properly, both technically and administratively, so your vehicle can be admitted into the Netherlands or the EU without issues.

Why Choose SCL Rotterdam?

• Specialist in non-EU imports: From the USA, Canada, Dubai, Japan, China, and more

• Complete one-stop-shop service: From purchase to home delivery — all fully arranged

• RDW and TÜV registration available: For both Dutch and German license plates

• A team of true car enthusiasts: We understand the emotion and the engineering

• Also for EU forwarding: Import to the Netherlands and then onward transport to other EU countries