voziti magazine · Guide
Used cars: importing into and exporting from Croatia – what do I need to know?
Bringing a car from Germany, selling one to Bosnia or Slovenia: borders in the region are crossed quickly – the paperwork is not. Here is the overview, step by step.
Importing from the EU: three terms you should know
- PPMV (special tax on motor vehicles): payable on every car that has previously been registered anywhere. The amount depends mainly on value and CO₂ emissions and can range from under a hundred to several thousand euros. The Croatian Customs Administration offers an online calculator.
- VAT: if the car counts as “used” – older than six months and more than 6,000 km – VAT is not charged again in Croatia. If it is younger or has fewer kilometres, it counts as a “new means of transport”: then 25% VAT is due in Croatia.
- Administrative fee (upravna pristojba): if you buy from a private individual or a dealer without VAT shown on the invoice, an additional fee for acquiring a used vehicle may apply. It does not apply to dealer cars sold under the margin scheme.
Step by step: a car from the EU to Croatia
- 1. Check and buy. Check the VIN and vehicle history, take a test drive. Does the name in the registration papers match the seller? Take the invoice or sales contract, all registration documents (in Germany Part I and II) and ideally the EU certificate of conformity (COC).
- 2. Bring it home. Either on export or transfer plates from the country of sale, with insurance – or more comfortably by transporter or trailer.
- 3. Declare it to customs – within 15 days. The PPMV declaration is submitted to the Customs Administration, nowadays also online. You receive a tax decision that usually has to be paid within 15 days.
- 4. Inspection by CVH. At a vehicle inspection station the car is identified and its conformity checked. With a valid COC this is quick; without one it is more complex and more expensive.
- 5. Roadworthiness test, insurance, registration. Once the tax decision is paid, the roadworthiness test, liability insurance and registration with Croatian plates follow.
Importing from outside the EU
If the car comes from, say, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia or Switzerland, it goes through full customs clearance: usually 10% customs duty and 25% import VAT – calculated on the vehicle value, transport and duty – plus the PPMV. With recognised proof of origin, duty may not apply in some cases. Without an EU COC, an individual approval from CVH is required, which costs time and money. So before buying, do an honest calculation of whether the lower price still pays off in the end.
Exporting: selling or taking a car out of Croatia
- Deregister: as the seller, deregister the vehicle at an inspection station and hand back the plates. As long as it is registered to you, fines and charges end up with you.
- Cancel the insurance and record the sale in writing – with the date and time of handover.
- Contract in the buyer’s language: our free sales contract templates come in six versions – including for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Germany and Italy.
- Payment first, then handover: with buyers from abroad, ideally by bank transfer that has reached your account before handover.
- Outside the EU (e.g. to Bosnia or Serbia), an export declaration at customs is required. Check with the Customs Administration beforehand whether part of the PPMV can be refunded in your case.
Typical mistakes – and how to avoid them
- No COC: ask before you buy – a certificate from the manufacturer later on costs money and time.
- Missed deadlines: 15 days to declare to customs pass quickly.
- Financed or leased car: if the title is held by the bank, the seller cannot transfer ownership at all.
- Tampered mileage: compare service books, inspection reports and a vehicle history check.
As of October 2026, without guarantee. Amounts, deadlines and procedures may change. Binding information is provided by the Croatian Customs Administration, Tax Administration and Centar za vozila Hrvatske.
