I f you are relocating to Luxembourg, you might want to get a car if you need to commute for work or school. You can either buy the car in Luxembourg or import it from abroad. If you bring your car from overseas, you will need to register it within 6 months from your arrival date with the municipality (commune) where you will reside. There are significant differences between registering a car from an EU country and a vehicle from a non-EU country. These are the steps you need to take in order to register your car in Luxembourg:
The first step you need to take in the process of registering your vehicle is to apply for a licence plate number. You can get it free of charge by submitting your application online, through guichet.lu,, or you can contact the National Society of Automotive Traffic (SNCA). The number remains valid for 36 months. Once you are granted your plate registration number, you will receive a letter of notification. Then you will have to press the two plates yourself.
Taking insurance for your car is mandatory in Luxembourg. Read more about insuring your car in the Setting up your home in Luxembourg section. The insurance provider will issue you with a green card and proof of insurance. Now you can move on to the next step.
To proceed with the registration process, you need to pay a €50 fee, the so-called tax stamp. If you have a personalised registration number, the tax stamp will cost you €100. If you transfer a personalised number from one car to another car the tax stamp will be €24.
You can buy the tax stamp from the Registration Duties, Estates, and VAT Authority (AED) or you can buy it or an additional €3 fee from the Registration department when you register the car.
The process of clearing customs differs greatly between EU and non-EU countries.
Here is how to proceed in each case:
For a car imported from an EU country:
For cars imported from EU countries, you need to obtain a vignette- a 705 tax disc. You need to apply for it at a customs office, where you will need to submit the following documents:
You will not need to pay VAT if you are a private individual but you will need to pay VAT for a company car or if you are self-employed. The VAT is 17% for both new and used vehicles. You will have to enquire by case if you are subject to VAT or not. Make an appointment to clear customs at: https://guichet.public.lu/en/support/liste-prise-rendez-vous/administration/rdv-douanes.html
For a car imported from a non-EU country:
If you are importing into Luxembourg a car from outside the EU, you will pay customs duties and VAT in the EU state of first entry or you can pay them in the EU state of destination, in this case, Luxembourg, by making a declaration, that is by filing the T1 form. If you pay in Luxembourg, the VAT rate is 17% and customs duties are 10% of the car’s price. You will also need to take the car for a technical inspection to make sure that it is in good condition. You will then be issued with the 705 tax disc, the vignette.
technical inspection to make sure that it is in good condition. You will then be issued with the 705 tax disc, the vignette. You can learn more about the process at: https://guichet.public.lu/en/citoyens/impots-taxes/detention-vehicule/achat-vehicule-etranger/importation-vehicule-hors-ue.html
The last step in the registration process is to make an appointment with the National Society of Automotive Traffic (SNCA). You need to bring all the documents gathered in the previous steps to this appointment. Learn more about the process of importing a car into Luxembourg at: https://guichet.public.lu/en/citoyens/transports-mobilite/transports-individuels/achat-importation-vehicule-etranger/vehicule-demenagement-transfrontalier.html
