Hey this isn't for me for for 2 expat friends who have been here 6 months and are still driving their English registered cars. Does anyone know what the time limit is that you have to officially 'import' your car. I heard there is a €5000 fine after a certain time!

I had a Polish colleague stopped this morning in his Polish registered car in his Mothers name and he got into all sorts of trouble!

drove mine for over a year, Sold it in the end because couldn't get the insurance easily from the UK (although Axa in the UK did offer a policy with a year round green card - technically you are travelling for extended periods) and had to go back to get the MOT. Of course you can get a dutch plate if you are inclined to. If its an old car the cost isn't much and it basically has to go through the dutch MOT (APK). Of course then you can get dutch car insurance (+ side) but are also liable for speeding fine (- side)

What can the dutch police do about it anyway? So long as you have all the legitimate paperwork (reminds me I got fined €200 for not having my driving license on me). In my experience it seems that the police etc aren't really interested in foreign cars unless they're obviously dangerous as what can they fine? They have no access to the UK DVLC (yet) and they can't automatically bill you for a fine because you're not in the dutch system.

More info on:
http://www.rdw.nl/nl/voertuigeigenaar/alge...ing_the_rdw.htm

We spoke to them before on different topics (driving license etc) and they have always been helpful

I brought 3 dutch cars all with 1 year apk (mot) all packed up within 3 months, so I went home to buy one been driving it for 3 months and have had no problems, if I do get stoppedI will just talk English and say im here visiting friends. if they check with the gemeente and try to fine me Iwill say the car has only been in Holland the 2 weeks or so, if that does not work I un register with the geemnte for a whille. You will be fine as long as the plolice dont call the duane.

A friend of mine was driving about in an uninsured, untaxed, un-MOTable YUK-plated car for a couple of years all around Holland ... no problems whatsoever. He has, however, recently brought over a new car which is MOT'd, taxed and, he says, insured. Better safe ...

I was also offered a couple of British cars last year for peanuts (1,500 Euro for the newest IIRC) ... a recent Mercedes Benz and couple of years old top-of-the-range Japanese pick-up ... both were ' ringers', aka stolen in the YUK and now riding around Holland!

Personally speaking, when the inevitable happens - as is the usual 'score' in these two categories of British car ownership - and the kid rides his bike out in front of you, I would rather not be in the driver's seat. In fact I wouldn't want to be in the same neighbourhood as the car!

Amazing, the risks people will take.

I did the same. Registered it SORN in UK, couldnt get any more UK insurance coz how long i´ve been here. Got stopped by the fuzz once, just to make the 4 kids were strapped in properly.

Eventually I decided it was a stupid thing to be doing.
I gave the car away!

Ive had experience with this .. the rule of thumb is that you must after 6 months continuos residence register the car in the NL... the procedure is very simple to follow, but you will hve to pay bpm (tx) pro rata on the value of the vehicle... there is no law against driving britush registered cars in the netherlands if you have a full UK driving licence... registered at a UK address. you can insure your car here through a Dutch inurance company by using the vin number and engine number , but you will only be allowed to do that for 3 months before having to register your vehicle in the NL.. I hve followed this proceedure now with 3 different vehicles.. so if you have any questions please just ask..

I've moved over from the UK 5 weeks ago and i'm using my UK Car. I was going to scap it when the MOT runs out in October of this year but looking at the price of NL cars, i'm thinking of keeping the car (as it runs well) and registering it here in NL. Any idea of the cost involved?? It's a old R reg 97 Model.

I have just discovered from the "Douane" That if you are a resident in the Netherlands, you are not allowed to drive a foreign plate car, be it British,German, or any other country.
If you are stopped, you are given an information leaflet first, and if you ignore this and drive the same car, then you are liable for the BPM, plus a fine, I was told in total to 15.000 euros.
This situation just happened to me last Friday on a routine police check, where the douane were present.
So that rules me out of driving my friends car whilst they globe trot for 6 Months.
It is registered to them, in a company name in the UK.
I was always led to believe that you had 6 months.
You also can verify this on their website in English.

I think they were stretching there muscles with you here... sorry to hear that... but they cannot stop you driving any car with any plate if it is not your car... thats like saying you cant hire a car in Germany and drive it in Holland beciase your a Dutch resident.. its nonsense. It wasnt your car , it was a company car .. you can drive it anywhere. Rest assured no court in the land could stop you driving your friends car, for however long you wish. The car itself though if its in holland for more than 6 months must be registered here. Good luck...

I find this quite incredible really that a resident here, is unable to drive a foreign plated car.
It means for example if you had a relative visiting and you borrowed the car to nip to the shops....you are breaking the law!!!
I do not know whether to continue driving, my friend said its OK, I will check the douane website again.

That's what I thought... should have got the name and details of the officers and reported them. Seems ridiculous that they are allowed to carry on with such an attitude, lies!

It's complete and utter rubbish, drive whatever car with whatever foreign number plates you like... and next time, get the officers name and details so you can report him/her for their pathetic attitude.

Have now checked the Douane website.in english.
It is stated you are not allowed to drive a car with a foreign plate.be it english or any other country,
for more than 14 days........IF you are Gemente Registered as living here.

I've just read it:
http://www.belastingdienst.nl/variabel/bpm...1.html#P16_1991

I bet no one takes any notice of it...

Hey Wesley, I would like to hope so, but they gave me a form, and said i was registered as driving this car, and if I were to be stopped again, id need to cough up the dosh.
Other problem is, my friend has left me in charge of the car, and its not an old car.........I cant just abandon it!!!!!!!!

The way around it is to wait until next year, then you get another 2 weeks!
There's also the matter of the insurance, are you legally insured/allowed to drive the car... should you be involved in anything it could be very serious.
I guess the only way is to leave it outside your home, what else can you do. There must be loads of people who do the same thing, that is drive a foreign car over here for however long and be resident/registered.
Where we live it looks like a UK registered car has been dumped, has Welsh logo's on it. I expect the police will be around at sometime to sort it out...

I've just thought, the best idea is to unregister yourself at the gemeente!