Transit Plates & Temporary Registration in Europe

Most professional dealers who buy at volume use car carriers or transport companies to move vehicles. Transit plates are not the default for a dealer moving 10+ cars a month - transport is. Transit plates come into play in specific situations:

• Single-car pickups: You're buying one vehicle and it makes more sense to drive it back than to arrange transport for a single unit.
• Short-distance cross-border deals: Buying from a German dealer near the Dutch or Belgian border — it's faster to drive the car home than to wait for a carrier.
• Test drives before purchase: Some dealers drive to inspect and test the vehicle before committing, then drive it back on transit plates if the deal closes.
• Vehicles that can't go on a standard carrier: Oversized vehicles, low-clearance sports cars, or vehicles the dealer wants to assess on the road.
• Cost optimization on lower-value vehicles: When the transport cost would eat too much of the margin, driving the car back on transit plates can be cheaper.

Transit plates are obtained in the country where you purchased the vehicle, not in your home country. They allow you to legally drive a vehicle on public roads when it is not yet registered — or when its registration has been cancelled in the selling country.

Common requirements across most countries:

• Valid ID or passport of the applicant
• Proof of vehicle ownership (purchase contract or invoice)
• Vehicle documents (registration certificate Part I / Part II or equivalent)
• Valid roadworthiness inspection (TÜV/MOT/APK/CT — requirements vary; some countries waive this for transit plates)
• Insurance: temporary liability insurance valid for cross-border travel, usually with Green Card listing covered countries
• In some countries, the vehicle must be physically presented (e.g. Germany for Ausfuhrkennzeichen — VIN check required)
• Power of attorney if applying on behalf of someone else

Germany

Germany is the number one source country for used car exports in the EU. Understanding the plate system here is essential.

Three types of plates - don't confuse them:

Issuing authority: Kfz-Zulassungsstelle (local vehicle registration office) - appointment usually needed.

France

• WW provisional registration (plaques WW): Valid 4 months, cost €44 + professional fees. Must be issued by a professional with SIV system access.
• TT plates (Transit Temporaire): For non-EU residents buying new vehicles tax-free. Valid up to 6 months. Not typically used by EU-based professional dealers.
• Issuing authority: SIV-connected professionals (list on ANTS)

Belgium

• Validity: 2 weeks to 3 months (up to 6 months for Belgian citizens abroad)
• Cost: €75
• Issuing authority: DIV (Brussels office only), issued same day
• Belgian dealers also have “Z-plates” (handelaarsplaat / plaque essai) for trade use — see Section 5

Netherlands

• Validity: 14 days
• Cost: €12 (cheapest in the EU)
• Issuing authority: RDW. Valid internationally. Can only be used for vehicles never registered in NL (transit out).
• Dutch dealers have “handelaarskenteken” (green-stripe trade plates) for moving stock — see Section 5

Poland

• Validity: 30 days
• Cost: ~112 PLN (~€26)
• Issuing authority: Starostwo powiatowe (district office)
• Sworn translation requirement: All foreign documents must be translated into Polish by a sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły). This includes the German Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I/II, the purchase contract, and any other vehicle documents. Typical cost: €30–50 per document. Turnaround: 1–3 business days, sometimes same-day if urgent. This is the most frequently reported frustration for Polish dealers buying from Germany — plan ahead and have your regular translator on speed dial.

Spain

• Validity: 60 days
• Cost: €20
• Issuing authority: DGT. Usually issued immediately.

Full EU Comparison Table

Countries with no transit plates available: Cyprus, Iceland, Malta, Portugal (only provisional plates for test vehicles), United Kingdom.

• You cannot drive cross-border on transit plates without valid motor vehicle liability insurance.
• The Green Card (International Motor Insurance Card) is recognized across all EU countries + many other countries.
• Always check the Green Card lists the specific countries you'll travel through.
• Insurance options: temporary policy at registration office (standard in DE), standalone transit insurance from brokers, existing fleet policy extension.
• Cost varies: ~€50 for 5-day coverage to €3,000+ for 12-month coverage on high-value vehicles.
• Green Card must match the transit plates (same vehicle, same period).

Professional dealers in most EU countries can apply for trade plates (dealer plates / garage plates) — permanent plates tied to the dealership, not to a specific vehicle. These are used daily for test drives, moving stock between locations, and presenting vehicles to customers.

The cross-border question: Can you use your trade plates to pick up a vehicle in another country and drive it home?

The short answer: technically no in most countries, practically yes in some border regions — but with risk.

• Germany (Händlerkennzeichen / 06-plates): Intended for German territory only. Using them abroad for commercial vehicle transfers is not permitted. Some dealers do short cross-border trips (e.g., to NL or BE) without issues, but this is a grey area. Police in the destination country may not accept them.
• Belgium (Z-plates / handelaarsplaat): Valid for trade use in Belgium. Cross-border use is legally restricted but tolerated for short trips to neighboring countries in practice. The insurance coverage on Z-plates may not extend to cross-border commercial transfers — check with your insurer.
• Netherlands (handelaarskenteken / green-stripe plates): Intended for Dutch territory. Using them to drive a vehicle from Germany to NL is technically not permitted, though enforcement varies.
• Poland (tablice tymczasowe for dealers): Some Polish dealers have trade plates but they are less common than in Western EU. Cross-border use is not standard.

For most professional dealers buying at volume, these alternatives are the primary methods — transit plates are the fallback.

• Car carrier / transport company: The default for volume dealers. No plates needed for the carried vehicle. CMR waybill covers the transport documentation. Cost depends on route, vehicle size, and carrier. eCarsTrade offers delivery services for vehicles purchased on the platform.
• Trailer: If you drive to the purchase country with a vehicle + trailer, you can load the purchased car and drive it back. No transit plates needed. The vehicle on the trailer must be secured properly (loading regulations apply). Common for dealers doing single-car pickups within a few hundred kilometers.
• Drive on existing plates: If the vehicle still has valid registration in the selling country, you may be able to drive it on those plates to the destination — but only during the period before de-registration. Some countries require de-registration before sale to a foreign buyer. Check local rules. This is becoming less common as more countries tighten enforcement.