The export document is where every car export starts: it deregisters the vehicle for export in the Dutch vehicle register. Whether you live in Enschede and are moving abroad, or your buyer comes from Gronau or further away, we arrange it at our RDW-approved export desk in Hengelo.
Below we explain step by step who receives which document, what to bring and what can go wrong. Take your time reading it; we are also happy to explain it all again at the desk.
What you receive with the export document
After deregistration, the person in whose name the export is arranged receives the export certificate (exportbewijs), also known as registration certificate part II (kentekenbewijs deel II). It comes with the registration card, which has one corner cut off. Both papers travel with the car when it leaves the country.
The seller receives the indemnification certificate (vrijwaringsbewijs): proof that the Dutch registration has ended. From then on, the Dutch owner's obligations for insurance, the APK test and road tax stop. The RDW describes this on its English page about exporting a vehicle.
Whose name goes on the export certificate?
That depends on your situation:
- You are leaving the Netherlands with your own car, for example because your studies or job in Enschede are coming to an end. You arrange the export in your own name, and the export certificate is issued to you.
- You are selling the car to someone abroad. The export certificate is issued in the buyer's name, and you as the seller receive the indemnification certificate.
In both cases, bring the ID of the person in whose name the export is arranged.
How the 'transfer' works when you sell abroad
You might expect to transfer the car to the foreign buyer first, as you would with a sale inside the Netherlands. That is not necessary. When a car is sold abroad, it is not transferred into the buyer's name in the Dutch register. The RDW says: make sure the buyer exports the vehicle in their own name.
So the buyer gets the export certificate in their name, and you get the indemnification certificate. With it, you can show that the car is no longer registered to you.
What if the buyer is not in the Netherlands?
If your buyer cannot travel to the Netherlands, the RDW allows a contact person in the Netherlands to arrange the export. Contact us first, and we will tell you which details and documents are needed. Either way, have the buyer's full address abroad ready.
If the car travels to the buyer on a trailer or car transporter, it usually does not need driving insurance, but the export document is still required. If the buyer drives the car home, they also need Dutch export plates and temporary insurance.
What to bring
Checklist
- Valid passport, ID card or driving licence of the person the export is registered to
- The Dutch registration card (kentekencard) with its registration code (tenaamstellingscode), or the old paper parts (part 1B and the transfer certificate)
- The Dutch yellow number plates (one plate for a motorcycle, scooter, moped, caravan or trailer)
- The current mileage
- The full foreign address of the buyer
- For insurance and plates: start date, destination and route, plus details of the policyholder and the driver
Source: RDW. For a business buyer we also need the company name, address and VAT number.
Pay special attention to the ID: it must belong to the person in whose name the export is arranged. If you sell to a foreign buyer, the RDW's advice means the buyer exports in their own name, so the buyer brings their own passport, ID card or driving licence. Still have the old paper registration documents instead of a card? Bring both parts.
How long it takes and where to go
With complete documents, a standard request is usually ready in about 15 minutes. Our desk is at Slachthuisweg 135 in Hengelo, about 12 km from the Oude Markt. You can walk in Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:30; please call or message us about 20 minutes before you arrive. Outside those hours we can help by appointment, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and a higher rate may apply.
What the export document costs
The export document starts from €50. This includes the export certificate, the indemnification certificate and processing with the RDW.
| Service | Included | From |
|---|---|---|
| Export document | Export certificate, vrijwaringsbewijs (indemnification certificate) and RDW processing | €50 |
| Export insurance + white plates | 14 days liability cover, Green Card and white export plates | €100 |
| Complete export package | Export document, vrijwaringsbewijs, 14 days liability cover, Green Card and plates | €150 |
| Export insurance extension | 14 extra days of liability cover with a Green Card, requested online (per 14 days) | €120 |
When can the price be higher?
- All amounts are starting prices, including VAT where applicable.
- A surcharge may apply outside office hours. Office hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 16:30.
- Postal delivery costs more, especially international shipping.
- The price can differ per vehicle, for example for heavy or non-standard vehicles.
- You always know the price in advance.
If the car will be driven abroad after export, the complete package with insurance and white plates is usually more practical. Read more about export insurance.
What can go wrong
- Expired APK: after deregistration the car may be driven for 14 days, but not without a valid APK.
- Incomplete foreign address: we need the buyer's full address abroad.
- Yellow plates left at home: the Dutch plates are handed in at export, so we cannot start without them.
- Missing registration code: bring the registration card together with its tenaamstellingscode.
Tip: when you export a car, you can sometimes reclaim part of the BPM, the Dutch vehicle registration tax, from the Belastingdienst. The conditions are listed there. Questions about your situation? See our contact page or the car export overview.
Exporting today?
Call or message us to book a time, also outside office hours. You will know the price in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Can my company name go on the export certificate?
Only at an RDW location, not at an approved export company like ours. If the certificate has to show a company name, go straight to an RDW location; that saves you a trip to Hengelo.
I no longer have the yellow number plates. Can I still export?
First have new plates made by a number plate manufacturer recognised by the RDW. The Dutch plates are handed in when the car is exported.
Can I arrange the export document without coming to Hengelo?
The preparation can be done online. The yellow plates must physically reach us by post or courier; we start once they arrive. We return the documents insured and with tracking, also abroad, at an extra cost that we confirm in advance.
The car is going outside the EU. Is anything else needed?
For destinations outside the EU and EFTA, a customs export declaration (EX-A) may also be required. This is available on request; please ask before your visit.
How do I pay?
In cash or by bank transfer. The export document starts from €50, and we confirm the exact price beforehand.
Sources
- RDW: Exporting a vehicle
- RDW: Voertuig naar buitenland: kenteken stopzetten
- Belastingdienst: BPM refund when exporting a used vehicle
Checked on 30 October 2026