Importing a car from Germany: 2026 costs, vehicle transport and fees

indekscen.pl editorial team · published 30 September 2026 · prices according to the 5 October 2026 index

Besides the price of the car and excise duty, importing a car from Germany involves at least several costs: vehicle transport has a median price of PLN 2,750 (typically PLN 2,350 ‑ 3,100), translating one document costs about PLN 150, the registration inspection costs PLN 149, and registration fees are usually PLN 135 ‑ 190. You also need third-party liability insurance from day one.

Buying a car in Germany can be tempting because of lower prices and a wider choice, but the bill does not end with the purchase agreement. Along the way, you pay for transport, a certified translator, a vehicle inspection station, the tax office, the vehicle registration department and an insurer. We have collected medians from public price lists to show how much each step costs and where you can save money.

How much does it cost to import a car from Germany?

Besides the price of the car and excise duty, the cost of importing a car from Germany is the sum of several fixed items: transport, translations, inspection, registration and third-party liability insurance. The largest is usually transport on a recovery vehicle, with a median price of PLN 2,750 according to 4 price lists collected by indekscen.pl. The cheapest quotes start at PLN 1,200 for short routes, while the most expensive, up to PLN 5,000, apply to cars from more distant countries, such as Spain.

These are the items you will nearly always have to pay for:

Step	Cost according to price lists	Notes
Transport to Poland on a recovery vehicle	PLN 2,350 ‑ 3,100	depends on the route and carrier
Certified translation, one document	PLN 110 ‑ 160	usually the registration certificate and purchase agreement or invoice
Translation of three documents	about PLN 450	based on the median per document
Registration inspection	PLN 149	with LPG PLN 245
Vehicle registration department fees	PLN 135 ‑ 190	personalised number plates about PLN 1,080
Annual third-party liability insurance	about 650 PLN/year	young driver about 1,950 PLN/year
Excise duty	no data in the index	depends on the car’s value and engine capacity

We do not give an excise duty amount because it is a percentage of the car’s value, with different rates for engines up to and above 2 litres and for hybrids. You can check the rate and calculation method at the tax office or on podatki.gov.pl. For more expensive cars, excise duty may be the largest cost of all.

How much does it cost to transport a car from Germany?

Transporting a car from Germany on a recovery vehicle usually costs PLN 2,350 ‑ 3,100, depending on the distance from the border and whether the car travels by itself or on a multi-car transporter with other vehicles. Transport from border cities in Brandenburg or Saxony is considerably cheaper than from Bavaria or the ports of Hamburg and Bremerhaven.

Some carriers quote a price per kilometre for international routes. The median rate is 2 PLN/km, so you can easily calculate the quote yourself: multiply the distance shown on a map by the rate. Compare this with a fixed price, as it may offer better value on short routes.

Factors affecting the transport price:

1. Route and distance. Every few hundred additional kilometres increases the price, with western and southern Germany being the most distant regions.
2. Single-car or multi-car transporter. With a multi-car transporter, the cost is shared between several cars, but you have to wait until it is fully loaded.
3. Vehicle type and weight. A large SUV or delivery van costs more than a city car.
4. Condition of the car. A non-running car requires a winch and may cost more.
5. Additional services. A pre-purchase inspection or document preparation is charged separately.

You can read more about domestic per-kilometre rates in our article how much vehicle recovery costs per km.

Vehicle transport or driving the car back: which is cheaper?

Driving the car back on German export plates is usually cheaper than using a vehicle transporter, but it has its own costs: plates with short-term insurance, fuel, a one-way journey by train or coach, and one or two days off work. We do not have export plate prices in the index, so this option has to be calculated individually.

Vehicle transport is preferable when you do not know the car’s technical condition, when it has a fault or when you are buying it far from the border. You also avoid adding mileage and the risk of breaking down on the motorway. There is a third option: hiring a car transporter and driving it yourself. According to the limited number of quotes available, this costs about 200 PLN/day, but requires a vehicle with a towbar and the appropriate driving licence category for a heavier combination.

How much are the fees for a car imported from abroad?

The fees for a car imported from abroad mainly cover translations, the technical inspection, excise duty and vehicle registration department charges. A certified translation of one document usually costs PLN 110 ‑ 160, although simple German registration certificates may be cheaper, starting from PLN 40. Less common languages cost more.

car roadworthiness test is a statutory fee that is the same throughout Poland: PLN 149 for a passenger car and PLN 245 for one with an LPG system. Before registration, an imported car must undergo a technical inspection in Poland. Details of periodic inspections are available in our article how much a car inspection costs.

vehicle registration usually involves PLN 135 ‑ 190 in administrative fees: this includes the number plates, registration certificate, temporary permit and sticker. If you want personalised number plates, the bill rises to about PLN 1,080; read more in our article on personalised number plates.

Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

Importing a car from Germany: formalities in order

The formalities involved in importing a car from Germany follow a fixed order, and some have short deadlines. The order is as follows:

1. Purchase agreement or invoice and German documents: parts I and II of the registration certificate (Zulassungsbescheinigung) and a deregistration certificate, if issued.
2. Third-party liability insurance for the journey, followed by a Polish policy. The average is 650 PLN/year per year; we look at cheaper offers in our article on the cheapest car third-party liability insurance.
3. Excise duty declaration and payment to the tax office. The deadline is 14 days after bringing the car into Poland.
4. Certified translations of the documents.
5. Technical inspection at a vehicle inspection station.
6. Registration application at the county authority or municipal office. The deadline is 30 days after import; late registration may result in an administrative fine.

The rules and deadlines may change, so check the current list of documents on your vehicle registration department’s website before visiting the office.

Is it worth buying a car imported from Germany?

A car from Germany is worthwhile when the price difference compared with a similar car in Poland exceeds the total import costs and its technical condition has been confirmed. With an inexpensive city car, fixed costs such as transport, translations, inspection and registration consume a large part of the savings. For a more expensive car, excise duty is the main consideration.

Hidden defects, rather than fees, cause the greatest financial losses. It is worth arranging an inspection before buying: automotive appraiser usually values a car for PLN 240 ‑ 365, while an on-site inspection alone starts at about PLN 100. Abroad, similar services are offered by car import companies and German vehicle inspection centres.

How can you avoid overpaying when importing a car?

• Compare at least three transport quotes and ask whether the price includes cargo insurance and road tolls.
• Have all documents translated by one agency. A document package may be cheaper than translating each one separately.
• Check the excise duty rate before buying, not afterwards. The difference between an engine below and above 2 litres can determine whether the entire purchase is worthwhile.
• Keep proof of payment for the car in euros. The tax office calculates excise duty based on the value in PLN.
• Do not delay registration. The deadlines are short, and a late-registration fine is an unnecessary expense.

Official fees do not vary between the cities where you can register a car, but service prices, such as roadside assistance, do. Our article on where services are cheapest provides a general comparison of costs between cities.

„Koszt transportu samochodu do Polski na lawecie jest zróżnicowany – waha się od 1800 zł w przypadku Niemiec do niemal 5000 zł, gdy auto ma zostać sprowadzone z Hiszpanii.”

rankomat.pl, 2026-08, source

„DE, NL, BE, CZ | od 2 500 PLN”

autogood.pl, source

„Sprowadzenie auta osobowego z Europy Zachodniej kosztuje od 3000 do 4000 zł formalności, doliczając do tego cenę auta i transport lawetą (1200-2500 zł).”

pawelcar.pl, 2026, source

„Hamburg/Bremerhaven do Warszawy: 2 500-3 500 PLN”

iusac.pl, source

You can find more transport prices in the transport and removals category, and official fees in the law and public offices category.

The prices in this article come from public price lists published by transport companies, translation agencies and vehicle inspection stations, as well as industry articles. Each service page, such as car transport from abroad, includes the source, date and a verbatim quotation.

Frequently asked questions

How much do you have to pay for a car imported from Germany, excluding the price of the car?

Bez akcyzy stałe pozycje to transport lawetą (mediana PLN 2,750), tłumaczenia dokumentów (około PLN 150 za dokument), przegląd rejestracyjny (PLN 149) i opłaty rejestracyjne (typowo PLN 135 ‑ 190). Akcyza zależy od wartości auta i pojemności silnika.

How much does vehicle transport over 1,000 km cost?

Przy stawce za trasę zagraniczną, której mediana to 2 PLN/km, pomnóż ją przez liczbę kilometrów. Pomoc drogowa w kraju liczy więcej, mediana 3 PLN/km, czyli przy 1000 km około PLN 3,000, dlatego na długie trasy lepiej zamawiać wyspecjalizowany transport aut.

Is importing a car from the Czech Republic worthwhile?

Z Czech trasa jest krótka, więc transport lawetą bywa bliżej dolnej granicy przedziału PLN 2,350 ‑ 3,100, a tłumaczenie czeskich dokumentów kosztuje podobnie jak niemieckich. O opłacalności decyduje jednak cena i stan auta, a nie koszt przywozu.

How much does it cost to import a car from the USA?

Auta z USA płyną statkiem do portu w Europie, a dopiero stamtąd jadą lawetą. Samego frachtu morskiego, cła i opłat portowych nie mamy w indeksie; z portu w Niemczech do Polski transport kosztuje zwykle PLN 2,350 ‑ 3,100.

How much does third-party liability insurance cost for an imported car?

Średnia polisa OC samochodu osobowego kosztuje według cenników około 650 PLN/year, a młody kierowca płaci około 1,950 PLN/year. Polisę trzeba mieć od dnia zakupu, także na czas przejazdu.

Translation of the original Polish article dated 30 September 2026. Quotations from price lists are in Polish, as published by the companies. Read the original in Polish.

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