Since 2018
For over 8 years, we've helped clients navigate Polish law, combining our solid legal knowledge with practical immigration experience.
Importing and registering a car from the EU in Poland
ONE PLUS helps drivers in Wroclaw clear the Polish formalities and re-register a car bought in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France or another European country. We check the paperwork before purchase, calculate Polish excise duty, prepare AKC-US, arrange sworn translations and handle the case through to Polish plates and the registration certificate.
People often call this “EU car customs clearance”, but a vehicle already in free circulation within the EU is not normally subject to import customs duty when moved to Poland. In practice, the service is a Polish tax clearance and re-registration: confirming the VAT position, settling excise duty, obtaining PZAS, checking the technical evidence, arranging insurance and submitting an acceptable file to the registration authority.
Our job is to make those separate formalities work as one process. You receive a clear checklist, an estimate based on the actual car and one point of contact. If the owner must attend a particular appointment, we tell you before the file is submitted.
What ONE PLUS can take care of
You can ask us to manage the full case or step in at one specific point. Our service may include:
- reviewing the sales contract, invoice and foreign registration documents;
- checking the VIN and the chain of ownership;
- clarifying whether the quoted price is net, gross or under a margin scheme;
- calculating the likely excise duty;
- preparing and filing AKC-US;
- checking payment and obtaining PZAS;
- arranging sworn translations in Wroclaw;
- assessing the roadworthiness and CoC documents;
- helping arrange compulsory third-party insurance, known in Poland as OC;
- preparing the application for the local registration office;
- supporting collection of the temporary and permanent Polish documents.
Government charges, tax, insurance, inspection fees and third-party costs are shown separately. We do not bundle them into a vague headline figure or promise the same total for every vehicle.
Start the checks before you pay the seller
The safest time to find a paperwork problem is before money changes hands. A missing section of a German registration certificate, an invoice issued to the wrong buyer or an unclear VAT clause can delay Polish registration even when the car itself is perfectly sound.
Before completing the purchase, check that:
- the VIN is identical on the vehicle and every document;
- the seller is entitled to dispose of the car;
- you will receive every part of the registration certificate;
- the invoice clearly states its VAT treatment and final amount payable;
- any export or deregistration documents required in the seller’s country are available;
- the roadworthiness test is valid and its expiry can be evidenced;
- the engine size, fuel type and hybrid technology are recorded correctly;
- a CoC or another source of technical data is available where required;
- the car was not originally built for a non-European market without the necessary adaptations.
ONE PLUS can review scans before you travel or transfer funds. This is a document and registration check, not a mechanical inspection or a full vehicle history report, but it can prevent an expensive purchase that cannot be registered as expected.
Cars bought in Germany and the Netherlands
Germany is popular with buyers in Lower Silesia because of its large used-car market and convenient distance from Wroclaw. A proper German file usually requires more than the purchase agreement. The complete registration record and any relevant export paperwork matter just as much as the invoice.
The Netherlands uses a different registration and export process. The buyer should leave with documents that establish the previous registration, lawful transfer of ownership and export status. Belgium, France, Denmark, Austria and other EU states each use their own forms and terminology.
We do not assume that a document set is complete merely because the seller says it is. We assess whether the Polish tax portal, sworn translator, inspection station and registration office can all work with the same evidence.
Excise duty on an EU-bought car
Excise duty is usually the main Polish tax due on a passenger car brought in from another EU state. The standard rate is generally 3.1% for a car with an engine up to 2,000 cc and 18.6% for an engine above 2,000 cc.
Reduced rates can apply to certain hybrids. Qualifying electric and hydrogen vehicles may be exempt. The correct result depends on the vehicle’s legal classification, powertrain, engine capacity, tax base and the rules in force when the liability arose.
The figure on the sales document is important, but a price well below the normal market level may be queried. If the car was cheap because it was damaged, incomplete or needed major repairs, retain the advert, photographs, payment evidence and repair estimates. They may be needed to explain the genuine transaction value.
Filing AKC-US and obtaining PZAS
The current passenger-car excise declaration is called AKC-US. It is filed through Poland’s official PUESC service.
As a general rule, the declaration must be filed within 14 days of the excise liability arising and the duty must be paid within 30 days. The relevant date is not always simply the date printed on the contract. It can depend on when the car entered Poland and when the buyer acquired the right to dispose of it as owner.
Once the filing and payment match, the system issues a PZAS confirmation. The registration authority relies on this evidence. Where a payment is not matched, a vehicle detail is wrong or PZAS is not generated, we identify the cause and prepare the necessary correction.
VAT is not automatically 23% on every used car
A used car bought elsewhere in the EU does not automatically attract an additional 23% Polish VAT charge. The answer depends on whether the seller is a private person or a business, who the buyer is and whether the invoice uses standard VAT, a margin scheme or another valid arrangement.
For VAT purposes, a vehicle is treated as new if it was supplied within six months of first registration or has travelled no more than 6,000 km. A new means of transport is usually taxed in the country where it will be registered, so the invoice must be checked carefully to avoid paying VAT twice.
The European Union explains the distinction on its official page about VAT when buying or selling a car abroad. We apply those general rules to the invoice and parties in your transaction rather than making assumptions from the car’s age alone.
Documents commonly needed in Poland
There is no single list that fits every country and every vehicle, but a registration file will commonly include:
- the purchase agreement or invoice;
- the complete foreign registration certificate;
- export or deregistration evidence where relevant;
- the owner’s identity document;
- proof of residence and immigration status where required;
- evidence that excise duty has been paid, is exempt or is not due;
- valid roadworthiness evidence;
- CoC or alternative technical documentation where necessary;
- an OC insurance policy;
- the registration application and proof of the administrative charges.
An EU registration certificate does not always need to be translated in full. Harmonised EU fields may be accepted without translation, while national notes, contracts, invoices and supporting certificates often require a Polish sworn translation. We identify the relevant pages first, so you do not pay to translate material the office does not need.
Roadworthiness tests and CoC documents
Polish registration requires valid roadworthiness information. A test completed in another EU state may be recognised when its result and validity are clear. If the evidence is incomplete, has expired or does not contain the necessary technical data, a Polish badanie techniczne will be required.
A Certificate of Conformity can make the technical stage easier, particularly for a new vehicle, but it is not a blanket requirement for every used EU car. The correct evidence depends on the vehicle’s registration history, category and the information already recorded by the previous authority.
Extra care is needed where a car is currently registered in the EU but was originally manufactured for the US, Canadian or another non-European market. Lighting, emissions data or type-approval evidence may need further work before the registration office can accept the vehicle.
How our end-to-end process works
- Initial review. We establish the country of purchase, buyer, seller, import date and vehicle specification.
- Document audit. We compare the contract, invoice, VIN, registration certificate and technical evidence.
- Tax position. We calculate excise duty and clarify the VAT treatment.
- Excise filing. We prepare AKC-US, assist with payment and secure PZAS.
- Registration file. We coordinate translations, roadworthiness evidence and OC insurance.
- Polish registration. We prepare the application, support filing and follow the case through to the permanent registration certificate.
If you have already completed part of the process, we can take over from there. We can review a rejected file, correct AKC-US, arrange translations only or prepare the final registration stage.
Car registration for foreign residents in Wroclaw
Foreign nationals can own and register a car in Poland. The authority will need evidence of identity, ownership and a permanent or temporary place of residence that establishes which office is responsible for the application.
A PESEL number or residence card may form part of the evidence, but it may not by itself prove the address required for a particular case. We check the owner’s immigration and residence documents before the appointment and advise whether a power of attorney can be used.
The Polish government’s current overview is available on the vehicle registration page. For an English-language introduction, see our guide to registering a car in Poland as a foreigner.
Our ONE PLUS office in Wroclaw is at ul. Piłsudskiego 43, close to Urząd Miejski. You can send scans for review before bringing the originals to the office.
Polish registration in about one hour
Once AKC-US has been filed, excise duty and VAT have been dealt with, PZAS is available, the translations and technical evidence are ready and OC insurance is in place, the final registration appointment and issue of Polish plates can often be organised in about one hour. We prepare the application and check the original documents beforehand, so the client arrives with a registration-ready file.
The one-hour service refers to the final appointment with a complete file. It does not include waiting for PZAS, obtaining missing foreign papers, carrying out an additional inspection or producing sworn translations. We confirm after the initial review whether the fast registration route is realistic for the vehicle.
Private purchase, dealer invoice or company buyer
The paperwork should reflect who is actually buying the car. A private sale contract, a dealer invoice and a purchase by a Polish company can lead to different VAT, accounting and representation questions. Changing the intended owner after the contract has been signed may create inconsistencies between AKC-US, PZAS, insurance and the registration application.
For a company purchase, we check the invoice details, the person authorised to act for the business and the documents needed to identify the entity at registration. For a private buyer, we focus on the owner’s identity, address and immigration evidence. If two people will co-own the car, both ownership shares and representation should be clear from the start.
International buyers should also be careful with name formats. Polish authorities compare the buyer details across the passport, invoice, excise filing, insurance and registration form. A missing middle name is not automatically fatal, but inconsistent spellings should be resolved before submission rather than explained at several different offices.
Related support for life in Poland
Vehicle registration is often one item on a much longer relocation list. ONE PLUS can also help you:
- exchange a foreign driving licence for a Polish licence;
- prepare a temporary residence permit application;
- arrange sworn translations and powers of attorney;
- understand which Polish documents are required for your administrative case.
These are separate procedures with separate legal tests. They can be coordinated, but success in one does not automatically decide another. We set out the documents and scope for each service clearly.
What the service costs
The total depends on the vehicle and the work required. The budget may include excise duty, possible VAT, registration charges, translations, inspection, OC insurance and our professional fee. A plug-in hybrid, fully electric car, new vehicle or car above 2,000 cc can produce a very different calculation from a standard used petrol car.
For an initial estimate, send the make, model, VIN, year, engine size, fuel or powertrain type, price, purchase date, previous country of registration and clear photographs of the documents. You can reach our Wroclaw office through ONE PLUS contact details.
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