Major reduction in paperwork for car imports: Registered vehicles exempt from DOR

For a long time, a major administrative dark cloud was hanging over the heads of car companies and importers. The plan was to make it mandatory to register every purchased vehicle in the national Digital Buyers Register (DOR) to combat fencing. For a full-service import specialist and logistics service provider like SCL Rotterdam, this would have meant a massive and unnecessary mountain of extra work.

Fortunately, the matter was settled this week: thanks to a widely supported political amendment, registered vehicles are definitively exempted from the DOR. A huge boost for the automotive sector and our efficient service delivery!

What does this mean in practice for imports and SCL Rotterdam?

As a specialist in importing, shipping, and registering vehicles from outside the EU, this decision directly impacts our daily operations. Following a years-long lobby by organizations including the BOVAG, politicians are now convinced that the RDW vehicle registration register already provides more than enough watertight information to combat fencing.

For the import business, the following points from the bill are crucial:

• Green light for imported vehicles: The amendment specifically arranges for imported vehicles to also fall outside the scope of the DOR. The condition for this aligns perfectly with how we already operate: as soon as the vehicle is acquired, registration and titling must be requested from the RDW immediately. Once registered in the vehicle register, the car must immediately be added to the company stock.
• No double paperwork: Additional, privacy-sensitive requirements in the DOR — such as having to register the purchase price, selling price, and personal data — are completely dropped for registered vehicles. Furthermore, there is no statutory retention period for these transactions. This saves both us and our clients valuable time.
• Broad vehicle coverage: Fortunately, the exemption does not only apply to passenger cars and delivery vans. Other vehicles that we regularly ship and clear through customs, such as motorcycles, motorhomes (caravans and campers over 750 kg), and classic mopeds, are also exempt from this registration mandate.

EUCARIS: International theft prevention gets stronger

During the debate, another major import-related success was achieved. The Minister of Justice and Security pledged to commit to a broader use of EUCARIS (the European Car and Driving Licence Information System).

The goal is to grant car companies direct access to this system in the future. This will allow us to check at a very early stage whether a vehicle is registered as stolen in another European member state. This fits seamlessly with the quality and safety standards SCL Rotterdam applies when verifying import documentation.

What do we still need to keep a close eye on?

Although the vehicles themselves are exempt, we are not completely out of the woods yet. The DOR will become nationally mandatory for unregistered vehicles (such as e-bikes) and vehicle parts. Exactly which parts these will be still needs to be detailed in a General Administrative Order (AMvB). Since SCL Rotterdam occasionally ships loose parts or damaged vehicles (for parts), we are monitoring these developments closely for you.

What are the next steps?

On June 2, 2026, the final bill will be officially voted on. The exact effective date is not yet known. Until then, the BOVAG is already in talks with municipalities that currently use a local DOR, urgently requesting them to stop enforcing the registration of registered cars right away.

In short: a major victory for common sense and a significant reduction in administrative burdens for the automotive industry. It allows us to keep doing what we do best: arranging your car imports quickly, smoothly, and without unnecessary bureaucracy!