Importing a car from Dubai into the European Union usually means paying 10% customs duty and then import VAT at the destination country’s rate, unless you qualify for relief because you are moving your home there. After customs, the car still has to be approved and registered under that country’s rules, and some countries add their own registration tax. The duty rate is common across the EU. The VAT, the approval route and the extra taxes are not.
This guide sets out what is shared across the EU, what changes country by country, and how to estimate the cost before the car leaves Dubai. Opera Shipping’s car shipping from Dubai to Europe covers collection in Dubai, export and freight to your chosen country.
The EU-wide part: customs duty
Passenger cars imported into the EU from outside it are charged customs duty of 10% of their value. Austria’s official government portal, for example, states 10% duty on the value of a passenger car imported from a non-EU country. Import VAT is then calculated on a value that includes the duty. Duty is set by where the car was made, so a trade agreement may reduce it for some origins with valid proof of origin. Confirm the rate for your car’s origin before you ship.
The country-specific part: VAT
Import VAT is charged at the standard rate of the country where the car is released for free circulation. The EU’s official list of VAT rates gives these standard rates for some common destinations:
| Country | Standard VAT rate |
|---|---|
| Germany | 19% |
| France | 20% |
| Netherlands | 21% |
| Spain | 21% |
| Belgium | 21% |
| Italy | 22% |
| Poland | 23% |
Rates are set nationally and can change, so check the current figure for your destination before relying on an estimate.
A worked example for Germany
The figures below are hypothetical. They show how duty and VAT are layered for a car imported into Germany without relief.
| Item | Amount (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Customs value, including transport and insurance to the EU border | 100,000 |
| Customs duty at 10% | 10,000 |
| Value for VAT (customs value plus duty) | 110,000 |
| Import VAT at 19% | 20,900 |
| Duty and VAT payable | 30,900 |
In practice, the VAT base can also include transport costs within the EU to the final destination. Your customs broker will calculate the exact figure from the documents.
Relief when you move your home to the EU
The EU provides relief for personal property brought in when someone transfers their normal residence. Council Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 covers customs duty, and Council Directive 2009/132/EC covers VAT. The conditions include having lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, having owned and used the goods, including a private car, for at least six months at your former residence, and declaring them within 12 months of settling. The car cannot be lent, pledged, hired out or transferred for 12 months after import without informing the authorities.
If you are relocating from Dubai, confirm your eligibility with the customs authority of your destination country before the car ships. It can remove both duty and import VAT. Our guide to exporting a car from Dubai covers the UAE side, including the seven-day RTA export certificate.
Approval and registration, country by country
Customs clearance does not make a car road legal. Each country has its own approval and registration process.
Germany. A local registration authority lists, for a car from outside the EU, the German customs clearance certificate and either a certificate of conformity for EU type-approved cars or a technical report for individual approval under ยง21 StVZO. A car built for the Gulf market may need that individual approval.
Netherlands. The Dutch tax authority charges BPM, a registration tax, when a private individual imports a passenger car younger than 17 years and 10 months and registers it on Dutch plates.
Belgium. A one-off vehicle registration tax applies in Flanders when a new or second-hand car is first used on Belgian roads. Check the rules for Wallonia or Brussels separately if the car will be registered there.
Other countries have their own rules, so plan the approval step with a local specialist or the registration authority as soon as the destination is fixed.
Choosing the route and method
Opera Shipping has route pages for Dubai to Germany, Dubai to France, Dubai to the Netherlands, Dubai to Belgium, Dubai to Spain and Dubai to Italy, among others.
For a valuable car, compare a dedicated container with air freight. Our guide to air freight versus container shipping for luxury cars sets out how the two compare. For a standard running car, our comparison of RoRo and container car shipping explains how the two sea methods differ.
What to send for a Dubai to Europe quote
Tell us the make, model and year, where the car is in Dubai, the destination address in Europe and the date you need it. Say whether you are relocating, because that decides whether relief may apply. Send the details through our shipping quote form and we will set out the collection, export and freight scope for your route.