- Documents and Administrative Matters.
Driver’s License.
When moving to another EU country, you generally don’t need to exchange your driver’s license for a local one. However, if you wish, you can voluntarily exchange it for an equivalent driver’s license in the new country of residence.
Additional documents required when exporting a vehicle abroad:
- Certificate of Technical Inspection and Confirmation of Technical Condition
- Registration Certificate
- Proof of Ownership
- Value Added Tax (VAT) Payment Confirmation
- Insurance Certificate
- Conformity Certificate for new cars
Rules for vehicle registration in the country I am moving/importing the vehicle to:
Precise rules regarding vehicle registration applicable in the country you are moving to can be found on the websites of national authorities.
The legal framework for vehicle registration in the EU is not uniform. Verify the rules in the country you are moving to/exporting the vehicle on the Your Europe web portal.
Requirements for permanent residence when registering a vehicle imported from another member state:
You can register your car only in the country where you have your usual place of residence, i.e., your stay is longer than 6 months.
Tax Fees.
When you start using a vehicle on national roads, you must pay taxes and fees related to vehicles:
- Road tax,
- or vehicle registration fees and road tax.
Each EU country sets the taxes and fees you should pay when using a vehicle regularly on its territory.
Exception regarding vehicle registration fees:
In most EU countries, students, cross-border workers, and individuals with a second residence do not have to pay vehicle registration fees. However, they may need to pay road taxes. More information on exemptions can be found on the Your Europe web portal.
- What if the vehicle exported abroad changes ownership?
Procedure for exporting a vehicle from Slovakia:
If a vehicle is exported to an EU member country, the original owner of the vehicle provides the buyer’s details, then hands over Certificate of Registration Part II, and after receiving the personalized Certificate of Registration Part I, sends or hands it to the new vehicle owner. Documents required to carry out the vehicle deregistration at the Road Traffic Inspectorate include:
- Original Certificate of Registration Part I and Part II
- Compulsory contractual insurance from the new vehicle owner
- Presentation of a valid originality check report (not older than 15 days)
- Payment of the administrative fee
If the buyer is from a third country outside the EU, the procedure at the Road Traffic Inspectorate is the same.
Subsequently, the new vehicle owner must pay customs duties for the vehicle, where information can be obtained on the website of the Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic.
A foreigner cannot apply for the export of a vehicle registered in Slovakia. This action can only be performed by the current vehicle owner listed in the documents for the vehicle.
After completing the vehicle deregistration at the Road Traffic Inspectorate, the export documents and plates with the registration number are valid for 30 days, during which the vehicle must be exported.
For vehicle export, there is only one rule. If the new owner does not manage to export the vehicle within 30 days from the date of the action at the Road Traffic Inspectorate, they must request the Road Traffic Inspectorate again for the issuance of new export documents and plates with the registration number.
- Sanctions for failure to comply with obligations in the process of exporting and registering a vehicle.
You may receive a fine if you are required to register your car but fail to do so on time, fail to pay the relevant taxes and fees, or if you drive with a registration number from another EU country without a residence document and a valid technical inspection.
- Which office to contact?
Citizens can obtain information from the Road Traffic Inspectorate where the vehicle is registered. Or by email to the vehicle registry management administrator at odeppz@minv.sk.
- Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.
Do I need to carry the registration certificate with me?
You should have your car’s registration certificate with you when traveling or moving abroad. If the certificate has two parts, Part I is sufficient.