Giving a car to someone in Germany as a gift

colinjfarley

A few days ago I was visiting my friend in Germany whose car had died. I drove over by ferry from UK. While there I decided (as I have two cars) to give her the Mazda 3 and I flew back to UK.

I understand that to get insurance she must register the car in Germany.What do I do with the V5c form that I have here, regarding the transfer to her?. Also is there import duty to paid in Germany on the vehicle? It's a 2009 worth about £2,800 but as I say it's a gift not a sale.

born_again

There is a section to say car exported. That covers  this situation.

I would expect that they will have to apply for german plates & possible that car will need testing to ensure meets german standards.

Goudy

It's not that straight forward.

If it's still yours and legal (insured) it can be used in Germany for 12 months, then needs registering in Germany as an import.

I copied this to help for here
Removals to Germany | Importing Vehicles to Germany (hamiltonsremovals.co.uk)

Importing vehicles to Germany in five easy steps

Step one

The first thing you will need to do is contact your car manufacturer and ask for a certificate of conformity. They will require a copy of your vehicle registration document (V5c form) and there will be a small cost involved. 

Step two

Next you need to prepare your car for driving in Germany. Click here to read our guide to driving in Germany, and the changes you need to make to adjust your car for driving on the right hand side of the road.

(mainly adjusting the dip beam so it doesn't dip to the left and I think the speedo needs to read in KM/H)

Step three

On arrival in Germany you will need to present the following importation documents at the local registration office: proof of ownership (bill of sale or receipt), your original V5c, details of your vehicle insurance, an emissions test certificate, a tax clearance certificate and the certificate of conformity.

If the vehicle does not have the certificate of conformity (if it is too old, for example) it must be inspected by the TÜV (Technische Überwachungs-Verein) or DEKRA (in the new Federal States, formerly East Germany). They will issue the certificate if it meets the required standard.

Step four

Go to the registration office: You will receive notification of when this is due. Upon receipt of notification you must take all the above documentation together with your passport, proof of residency and GB number plates to the Motor Vehicle Registration Office at your place of residence in Germany. Here your documents are inspected and returned to you, your V5c is returned to the DVLA and your GB number plates are either destroyed or returned to you for safe keeping.

Whilst at the office, you complete an application for allocation of a German number plate and issue of a car ownership certificate. There may be problems if the car papers issued in your country differ considerably from those valid in Germany. If no difficulties arise, you will be given a registration number and a certificate to be taken to a nearby workshop to have authorized number plates made.

Step five

Having had the number plates made, you must return to the registration office to collect your German car documents (including the car registration certificate). The registration office will affix badges to your number plates certifying that the car has been properly registered and you will be notified of the dates when the next main test by the Technical Control Board (in two years' time) and the special exhaust emission test (ASU) are due. 

Fees are payable at both the Technical Control Board and the registration office. In addition, you must buy the number plates.

Herzlos

It'd probably have been much easier for you to have driven it home, sold it, and sent the money for her to buy an existing German car. Even if you import it, it's going to have the wheel on the wrong side so harder to drive, more costly to insure and harder to source parts for.

Mildly_Miffed

colinjfarley said:

A few days ago I was visiting my friend in Germany whose car had died. I drove over by ferry from UK. While there I decided (as I have two cars) to give her the Mazda 3 and I flew back to UK.

I understand that to get insurance she must register the car in Germany.What do I do with the V5c form that I have here, regarding the transfer to her?. Also is there import duty to paid in Germany on the vehicle? It's a 2009 worth about £2,800 but as I say it's a gift not a sale.

The only part of that that's a UK question, rather than a German question, is what to do with the V5C. Read the back of the blue section, V5C/4. It tells you that you (as UK keeper) need to notify DVLA using that slip by post or online at https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle and then you give the remainder of the V5C to the person who'll be registering it in another country.

Everything else is a question for a German forum. Yes, there will be German duty to pay, now that it's not simply a transfer within the EU.

colinjfarley

Thanks for the quick response guys

'If it's still yours and legal (insured) it can be used in Germany for 12 months, then needs registering in Germany as an import.' It's still mine,it's legal for European use (policy holder only-me) I can't put her on my policy because she lives in Germany so how does that work?

Goudy thanks very much for the link,very useful ! The car is already there and I did the headlight stickers thing before I drove it over.Whats a tax clearence certificate BTW ?

Herzlos I totally agree it would have been easier but the time scale would have been way too long,she needs a car urgently and little money to buy one. I have great car Karma,I've given away five cars and I've been given five.What you put out often comes back to you!

Mildly _Miffed thankyou,good point, yes I will try a German forum regarding the German duty. So to be clear I just send her section 6.New Keeper slip and (Section 4) I contact DVLA before I transfer it (whatever 'it' is) Slight problem here because I didn't know I was going to do this till I was in Germany if you get what I mean.

Mildly_Miffed

colinjfarley said:

Mildly _Miffed thankyou,good point, yes I will try a German forum regarding the German duty. So to be clear I just send her section 6.New Keeper slip and (Section 4) I contact DVLA before I transfer it (whatever 'it' is) Slight problem here because I didn't know I was going to do this till I was in Germany if you get what I mean.

No, you give DVLA the V5C/4, export section. That's the end of it as far as DVLA are concerned. They then flag it on their systems as exported. Better, do it online - you only need the doc ref number from the V5C.

Then you give ALL of the rest to her.

Yes, it's the other way round to any other keeper change... The German authorities will need all the details.

Goudy

colinjfarley said:

Thanks for the quick response guys

'If it's still yours and legal (insured) it can be used in Germany for 12 months, then needs registering in Germany as an import.' It's still mine,it's legal for European use (policy holder only-me) I can't put her on my policy because she lives in Germany so how does that work?

If the insurance policy is yours and you are the only named driver, you may keep it on German roads for 12 months (as far as Germany is concerned).
As far as your insurance company, your UK policy might only cover a limited time abroad.

They would need to insure it for themselves to drive in Germany.

There are a few problems with this, mainly cost.
They aren't the legal owner/keeper so that tends to increase premiums.
We're all presuming it's a right hooker in the land of lefties. Premiums for cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side tend to get expensive.

colinjfarley said:

Whats a tax clearence certificate BTW ?

Importing goods from another country often requires tax to be paid.
The certificate would be proof that tax was paid or wasn't applicable.

If there is any due, with it being a gift, that might cause a bit of a headache.
It's real value it quite low, so there can't be much.

As already stated, these aren't really your problems, all you need to do in inform DVLA you have exported it but I fear you might have given your friend a bit of a headache by doing so. It would almost certainly have been better to gift the cash and they used it to buy a car in Germany.

I would advise that your friend it clear on what it is needed to register it in German and are certain they are able to before you tell DVLA you've exported it.
It could be difficult to import an older car into Germany or more expense than it's worth.

sheramber

I hope your friend ins not driving the car wiyjout taking out her own insurance.

Since she will not be able to use the car until all the paperwork is completed would it not be quicker,  and probably cheaper for her., to retrieve the car  and sell it here and send her the money.

ontheroad1970

Be grateful that it is Germany and not Denmark.  There you have to register and import it after six months and pay the duty on it.  Duty on vehicles in Denmark is eye waveringly expensive. There's a reason why so many Danes go around on bicycles...