AutoImport Calculator

EU car import calculator

How much does it really cost to bring a car from Germany or the EU to Poland?

Enter the price and car details, and the calculator works out the Polish excise duty, any VAT, registration fees, the roadworthiness test and your transport costs. Every item shows its formula, legal source and status – so you can see at once what is certain and what needs checking.

Calculate import costHow we calculate
  • NBP ratefetched automatically for the right day
  • Legal basisevery item cites its source in the law
  • Item statusessee what is certain and what to check

Rates from Polish law, checked 17/10/2026

Excise on passenger cars
3.1% / 18.6%
VAT on a “new” car
23%
Registration fees
PLN 160

Process

Importing a car step by step

  1. Step 1

    Buying in Germany or another EU country

    A contract or invoice with the price you actually pay. This – not the advertised price – is the excise base.

  2. Step 2

    Transport

    A car carrier, or driving on the purchase country's export plates with insurance.

  3. Step 3

    Excise duty

    AKC-US return within 14 days of import, payment within 30 days – no later than the day of registration (PUESC portal or tax office).

  4. Step 4

    VAT – “new” cars only

    Up to 6000 km or up to 6 months since first registration: 23% VAT in Poland, VAT-24 return within 14 days.

  5. Step 5

    Roadworthiness test

    Before the first registration, unless the law provides an exception (e.g. a young car with EC type approval).

  6. Step 6

    Registration

    Apply within 30 days of bringing the car in, at the vehicle registration office. Late filing risks a 500 zł fine.

Calculator

Calculator: importing a car from Germany and the EU

Car

Polish taxes are the same for every EU country; only the currency and formalities in the country of purchase differ.

Amount from the contract or invoice – not always the advertised price.

cm³

In an EU registration certificate: field P.1.

km

In an EU registration certificate: field B.

Purchase

Seller
Buyer

The day the car enters Poland – excise and the NBP rate depend on it.

Does the foreign registration document confirm a valid roadworthiness test?

Transport to Poland

Transport method

Empty field = unknown cost (the result will show it as missing). Enter 0 if not applicable.

Additional costs

Empty field = unknown cost (the result will show it as missing). Enter 0 if not applicable.

zł
zł

Other costs

Exchange rates

Rate source

Calculation result

Complete or correct the highlighted fields to see the result.

Methodology

How we calculate excise, VAT and fees

Excise rates for passenger cars

CarRateLegal basis
Petrol / diesel up to 2000 cm³3.1%art. 105 pkt 2
Petrol / diesel above 2000 cm³18.6%art. 105 pkt 1
HEV hybrid up to 2000 cm³1.55%art. 105 pkt 1b
HEV or plug-in hybrid 2000–3500 cm³9.3%art. 105 pkt 1a
Hybrid above 3500 cm³18.6%art. 105 pkt 1
Plug-in hybrid up to 2000 cm³ (until 31.12.2029)0%art. 163a – exemption
Electric, hydrogen0%art. 109a – exemption

The excise base is the amount paid for the car, converted at the NBP average rate of the import day (or the last earlier one) and rounded to whole złoty – as is the tax amount (art. 63 § 1 of the Polish Tax Ordinance).

VAT

A car is a “new means of transport” if it has covered no more than 6,000 km or no more than 6 months have passed since its first registration. In that case 23% VAT is paid in Poland on the price plus excise – at the NBP rate of the last business day before the tax liability arises. Used cars bought by private persons are not subject to VAT in Poland.

Registration and roadworthiness test

Registration: registration certificate PLN 54, temporary permit PLN 13.50, plates PLN 80 and validation stickers PLN 12.50 – PLN 160 in total. The roadworthiness test of a passenger car costs PLN 149 (gas installation additionally PLN 96).

Item statuses

  • Calculated – the amount follows from the law and your data.
  • Your amount – a value you enter (e.g. transport, insurance).
  • Estimate – the NBP rate for the import day is not known yet.
  • To verify – data is missing or the rule needs confirmation; such an item is never counted as zero.

Work out excise, VAT and fees for a specific offer – before you travel to pick up the car and sign the contract.

Go to the calculator

Guides

Guides: excise and formalities

Detailed rules for specific cars and countries – with worked examples and a calculator preset for each case.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Excise, VAT, registration and the roadworthiness test in Poland are the same for a car from any EU country – only the currency (e.g. DKK, SEK, CZK, HUF, RON), which we convert at the NBP rate, and the formalities in the country of purchase differ.

No. The base is the amount you have to pay for the car (art. 104(1)(2) of the Polish Excise Duty Act). If it differs significantly from the average market value without justification, the tax office may challenge it.

A private person buying a used car (over 6000 km and over 6 months since registration) pays no VAT in Poland. Anyone buying a “new means of transport” pays 23% VAT in Poland. Businesses buying on a net invoice settle an intra-EU acquisition.

For excise: the NBP average rate of the day the tax liability arises (import), or the last earlier one if none was published that day. For VAT: the rate of the last business day before the tax liability arises.

With standard plates: PLN 160 (registration certificate, temporary permit, plates, stickers). Personalised plates cost more.

Sources

Sources and date checked

We checked the rules and rates on 17/10/2026 in 15 sources – statutes, regulations, official services and the NBP API.

All sources and provisions

Limitations of the calculator

  • We cover purchases in EU countries with registration in Poland and passenger cars; other vehicles need individual verification.
  • We do not assess the car's market value – the tax office may challenge an understated price.
  • Mild hybrids (MHEV) are calculated at hybrid rates but marked “to verify”.
  • We do not estimate insurance premiums, transport prices, translations or fees in the country of purchase – you enter these amounts yourself.
  • Detailed export-plate guidance is available for Germany only; for other countries check the rules with the local office.
  • Purchases outside the EU (e.g. USA, Switzerland, Norway, United Kingdom) are not supported – they are imports with customs duty and other rules.
  • For business purchases we do not account for VAT deduction or income-tax effects.
  • The calculator does not replace advice from a tax adviser and does not guarantee the tax office's decision.