Buying a new vehicle

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Summary:

Before driving a new motor vehicle on the public highway for the first time, buyers must complete a number of procedures with several authorities in a specific order.

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Before you can drive on public roads after purchasing a new motor vehicle, you must:

There are a number of administrative procedures you have to carry out with various bodies, in a specific order:

  1. apply for a licence plate number;
  2. take out a civil liability insurance policy;
  3. pay the tax stamp;
  4. clearing customs and paying Luxembourg VAT;
  5. book an appointment with the SNCA.

When you buy a vehicle from a professional seller (car dealership, garage, etc.), all the administrative formalities are generally taken care of by the seller.

Who is concerned

Any person:

  • who is living in Luxembourg; and
  • purchasing a new vehicle.

Garages and companies authorised to trade in road vehicles can carry out the procedure on behalf of their customers.

If the documents are submitted by a third party, that person must:

  • present a written power of attorney (mandate) issued by the owner or holder of the vehicle;
  • ensure that the name of the vehicle's holder, owner or keeper appears on all the documents, and not that of their representative (mandate holder).

Vehicles concerned

This procedure applies to the following vehicles:

  • cars;
  • motorcycles;
  • mopeds;
  • tricycles;
  • quadricycles;
  • camping-cars;
  • vans;
  • tractors and machinery with a maximum design speed that does not exceed 6 km/h and whose weight exceeds 600 kg;
  • trailers, including agricultural trailers towed at more than 40 km/h;
  • buses;
  • lorries;
  • articulated lorries.

Prerequisites

Residence in Luxembourg

You must:

If you are purchasing a vehicle abroad, you will be required to provide proof of your identity during the various administrative procedures.

Bill of sale

When you purchase your vehicle, the seller must provide you with a bill of sale, which serves as proof of ownership and enables you to:

  • identify the vehicle; and
  • prove that you are its owner.

If the seller is:

  • a legal person; the document must be a bill of sale printed on letterhead paper, with the business's intra-community VAT number shown on it. Your signature as the buyer is not required on a bill of sale;
  • a natural person: the document must be a sales contract. This document must be signed by the seller and yourself.

A number of details must appear on the bill of sale:

  • the date of transaction;
  • the details of the vehicle:
    • the vehicle identification number;
    • the brand (manufacturer);
    • the model (commercial name);
    • the mileage;
  • information about the seller and buyer:
    • for natural persons: surname, first name, address, signature;
    • for legal persons: company name, address, VAT number;
  • the sales price, and whether or not VAT is included;
  • VAT-related data: the VAT on a vehicle must always be paid in the country of destination – i.e. the country where the vehicle is registered.

 

If the bill of sale is missing or it is impossible to trace the new owner with certainty, the SNCA may register you as the holder on the registration certificate and not as the owner.
Thus, in the section identifying the registered holder, the entry C.4c 'n’est pas identifié par le certificat d’immatriculation comme propriétaire du véhicule' (is not identified by the registration certificate as the owner of the vehicle) will appear, and no owner will be listed on the registration certificate.

Luxembourg registration number and licence plates

Before you begin the procedure, you must:

  • use a registration number that is still reserved in your name; or
  • apply for a registration number for the vehicle you wish to purchase. You can choose:
    • a number from the current series; or;
    • a personalised number.

The allocation of a registration number does not mean that the vehicle is:

  • registered;
  • automatically approved for registration.

Once you have received confirmation that your registration number has been reserved, you must order your number plate at an approved number plate manufacturer in Luxembourg.

Before your vehicle is registered, you may only drive it:

  • between the point of sale and the place where the vehicle will be registered; and
  • to a garage or repair shop to undergo a repair, technical modification or conversion, or inspection;
  • if you have:
    • fitted red licence plates; or
    • fitted licence plates bearing the number that will be used when the vehicle is registered; and
    • a civil liability insurance.

If you are purchasing a vehicle abroad, you can have it transported to Luxembourg:

  • on a trailer; or
  • on a semi-trailer truck.

This avoids temporary registration procedures which, depending on the country, can be rather complicated, to varying degrees.
As a matter of fact, no registration at all is required for a vehicle that is being transported on a trailer.

Civil liability insurance

To drive your road vehicle on a public highway, you must have a third-party liability insurance policy (RC Autos), taken out with an approved insurance company in Luxembourg.

You can ask your insurer for an insurance certificate and an international insurance card (if you are buying your vehicle abroad) as soon as you are able to provide the following:

  • the vehicle identification number; and
  • its Luxembourg registration number.

This document, with an active validity period, is required to register the vehicle in your name.

Clearing customs and, where necessary, paying Luxembourg VAT

If you are purchasing a new vehicle abroad, you must complete certain customs clearance formalities for the vehicle in Luxembourg:

  • customs formalities relating to the payment of customs duties and certain charges;
  • any formalities related to VAT payments.

This allows you to obtain the tax certificate (vignette 705) required for the permanent registration of your vehicle in Luxembourg.

Costs

Costs

In addition to the cost of the vehicle itself and that of the insurance premium, you will need to allow for the following payments:

  • VATin Luxembourg on any vehicle classified as new or originating from outside the European Union (EU);
  • a EUR 50 tax stamp (stamp duty) to register the vehicle, plus an additional fee of:
    • EUR 200 for a personalised licence plate number; or
    • EUR 24 if a personalised number is being transferred;
  • the licence plates themselves;
  • additional registration and acceptance fees for any converted/modified vehicles; ;
  • where applicable, the cost of the technical inspection, or the cost of a conformity sticker for vehicles not subject to periodic technical inspections (such as tractors and machines).

Stamp duty

You can pay the stamp duty:

  • at one of the competent offices of the Registration Duties, Estates and VAT Authority (Administration de l’enregistrement, des domaines et de la TVA); or
  • by bank transfer to the following account:

Account holder: AED-GUICHET UNIQUE-TIMBRES
IBAN: LU76 0019 5955 4404 7000
BIC:BCEELULL
Postal address: B.P. 31 L-2010 Luxembourg

Stamps are not sent by post.

If paying by bank transfer, you, as the future owner, must submit proof of the transfer (debit statement) at the time of registration. The following information must appear on the proof of payment:

  • surname, first name;
  • specific reason for the transfer;
  • licence plate number and vehicle identification numbers

The tax stamp is also available from the SNCA vehicle registration offices, but you will need to pay an additional EUR 3 in administrative fees.

 

How to proceed

Registering the motor vehicle

Application

To register your vehicle in Luxembourg, you must:

Submitting the administrative documents enables you to:

  • register the vehicle with the Luxembourg authorities; and
  • obtain a registration certificate for the vehicle issued in your name.

Supporting documents

You must also enclose with your application:

If the application is submitted by a third party, it is important to ensure that all documents state the owner’s name and not that of the representative.

You must submit each document in its original version.

Your vehicle will be subject to a conformity check if:

  • it is not covered by a European certificate of conformity (e.g. a non-EU vehicle); or
  • the documents attesting the conformity of your vehicle are incomplete or contain inconsistencies.

Validity of the registration certificate and the conformity sticker

The validity of the registration certificate or the conformity sticker expires when:

  • the end of the period of validity is reached;
  • the document has been lost;
  • the vehicle has been lost or stolen;
  • the vehicle has been declared as scrapped or as being off the road;
  • the vehicle has been sold or transferred to a new owner;
  • the vehicle has been modified or converted;
  • the vehicle subject to periodic technical inspections has not been covered by a valid technical inspection certificate for more than 2 years.

If the registration certificate of your vehicle expires, you must request a new certificate in order to drive the vehicle again.

Owner's obligations

As the vehicle owner, you must inform the SNCA of any change of residence within one month.

Road tax

When registering the vehicle at the SNCA, you are issued a temporary road tax certificate, which is valid for 30 days.

As a general rule, you must have a valid road tax certificate (i.e. have paid the road tax) in order to drive a vehicle registered in Luxembourg on public roads.

The Customs and Excise Agency (ADA):

  • sets the amount of this tax:
    • based on data recorded by the registration authorities; and
    • in accordance with the applicable rates;
  • will notify you of the amount of this tax.

If payment of this tax on your vehicle is overdue:

  • fewer than 60 days: the Grand Ducal police and customs and excise officials may issue a fine of EUR 74;
  • more than 60 days: the Grand Ducal police and the customs and excise officials may immobilise the vehicle on the public road.

Parking permit

Many communes now require you to have a parking permit that allows you to park your vehicle in your neighbourhood. You can collect your residential parking permit from your commune upon presentation of your vehicle registration certificate.

Online services and forms

Online services

Activate the eDelivery function for the road tax (Autosteier) invoices and/or certificates

Other language(s)

Downloadable forms

Note: view tips for using PDF forms.

Demande en obtention d’un certificat d’immatriculation

Last update 02.04.2026

PDF308 Kb

Mandat pour toute démarche nécessaire auprès de la Société nationale de circulation automobile

Last update 20.12.2023

PDF302 Kb

Vehicles and registration numbers

View your vehicle information and reserved registration numbers in your private eSpace on MyGuichet.lu.

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Who to contact

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  • Transport SNCT - national technical inspection centre

    Address:
    Luxembourg

  • SNCT - national technical inspection centre SNCT Bissen

    Address:
    4, Z.A.C Klengbousbierg L-7795 Bissen Luxembourg
    11, rue de Luxembourg L-5230 Sandweiler
    Phone:
    (+352) 26 15 62 222
    Appointments for technical inspections
    Fax:
    (+352) 26 15 62 200
    Email address:
    info@snct.lu
    Website:
    http://www.snct.lu/

  • SNCT - national technical inspection centre SNCT Esch-sur-Alzette

    Address:
    22-28, rue Jos Kieffer L-4176 Esch-sur-Alzette Luxembourg
    11, rue de Luxembourg L-5230 Sandweiler
    Phone:
    (+352) 26 15 62 500
    Phone:
    (+352) 26 15 62 222
    Appointments for technical inspections
    Fax:
    (+352) 26 15 62 200
    Email address:
    info@snct.lu
    Website:
    http://www.snct.lu/

  • SNCT - national technical inspection centre SNCT Livange

    Address:
    251, route de Luxembourg L-3378 Livange Luxembourg
    11, rue de Luxembourg L-5230 Sandweiler
    Phone:
    (+352) 26 15 62 222
    Appointments for technical inspections
    Fax:
    (+352) 26 15 62 200
    Email address:
    info@snct.lu
    Website:
    http://www.snct.lu/

  • SNCT - national technical inspection centre SNCT Marnach

    Address:
    23, Marbuergerstrooss L-9764 Marnach Luxembourg
    11, rue de Luxembourg L-5230 Sandweiler
    Phone:
    (+352) 26 15 62 222
    Appointments for technical inspections
    Fax:
    (+352) 26 15 62 200
    Email address:
    info@snct.lu
    Website:
    http://www.snct.lu/

  • SNCT - national technical inspection centre SNCT Sandweiler

    Address:
    11, rue de Luxembourg L-5230 Sandweiler Luxembourg
    11, rue de Luxembourg L-5230 Sandweiler
    Phone:
    (+352) 26 15 62 500
    Phone:
    (+352) 26 15 62 222
    Appointments for technical inspections
    Fax:
    (+352) 26 15 62 200
    Email address:
    info@snct.lu
    Website:
    http://www.snct.lu/

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Related procedures and links

Procedures

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Further information

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Legal references

Code de la route

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