Can a foreigner buy and register a car in Germany?

Do I need a German bank account?

For the purchase, no — any SEPA-capable account works. For KFZ-Steuer, the tax office needs a SEPA-mandate on an EU IBAN; we handle this if you use our service.

Buying from a dealer vs a private seller

A dealer owes you a statutory one-year warranty (Sachmängelhaftung), usually hands over a car with fresh HU, and can invoice with VAT shown — which matters if you reclaim it on export. A private seller sells "gekauft wie gesehen" with no warranty, but prices are lower. For a remote purchase, a dealer is the safer counterparty because the invoice and the handover are documented.

How the purchase works when you are not in Germany

You agree the car and price, receive the Kaufvertrag and the vehicle documents as scans, and pay by SEPA transfer to the seller. We can inspect and collect the car, take it to the Zulassungsstelle, and store it indoors near Berlin at €290 per month if you are not ready to drive it. Never send a deposit before the Kaufvertrag and Teil II have been checked.

VAT: when it applies and when it does not

A used car from a private seller carries no VAT. A dealer's car may be sold under the margin scheme (VAT not shown, not reclaimable) or with VAT shown at 19 %. If the car leaves the EU with correct export documentation, the 19 % can be zero-rated; inside the EU, a new car is taxed in the buyer's country of registration.

What EU buyers should check before signing

That Teil II exists as an original and is not held by a bank, that the HU is valid or priced in, that the VIN on the car matches the papers, and that the mileage is plausible against the HU reports. These four checks catch most of the problems foreign buyers report after the money has moved.

FAQ