If you bring a foreign-registered vehicle with you when you relocate to Denmark you are required to register it shortly after arrival. You register your vehicle with SKAT, the Danish tax authority, who will require you to present a range of items and documents. For a complete list of the documents required and information about the registration process read SKAT’s leaflet “If you bring a vehicle with foreign number plates to Denmark”.  When you have submitted the required documents and items and paid the registration fee, you will be issued with Danish number plates.

Note that if you are a student or work for a company in Denmark you can apply for a permit to drive a foreign-registered vehicle in Denmark. You can read more about bringing a vehicle with foreign number plates to Denmark on SKAT’s website.  

To find out which rules apply to you, contact SKAT immediately upon arrival. As a general rule, if you take up residence in Denmark you should not drive a foreign-registered vehicle in Denmark if you are not in possession of a relevant permit. If you drive without a permit you risk a heavy fine.

If you have applied to have your car registered in Denmark, and while you wait for SKAT to process your application, you should have a copy of your submitted application with you whenever you drive your car.

You should contact SKAT immediately upon arrival. You are required to have your foreign-registered vehicle registered in Denmark within 14 days of being issued with a CPR number.

Read more about how to obtain a CPR number under the heading CPR number.

SKAT - the Danish tax authority is responsible for the administration of vehicle registrations in Denmark. Read more about SKAT at www.skat.dk.

SKAT’s leaflet, “If you bring a vehicle with foreign number plates to DK”, contains information about how to register your vehicle in Denmark. The leaflet also includes a list of the documents required and items you will need when applying to have your car registered in Denmark. If you have any doubts or questions about the process, contact SKAT.

To register your vehicle in Denmark you need to provide SKAT with a vehicle inspection form and a customs inspection form issued by a vehicle inspection authority. To acquire these forms, you need to book an appointment with an authorised Danish vehicle inspection station. In Denmark a vehicle inspection station is called a synshall.  When you take your car to the inspection station, take your foreign-registration certificate with you, along with the car’s service manual.

You can download form number 21.016 - the application - Payment of registration tax, on SKAT’s website.

There is no standard answer to this question, as the cost depends on the value of the car. Below are some of the costs you will need to include in the price calculation.

You will have to pay approximately DKK 1000 for a technical and a customs inspection. Furthermore, to register your car in Denmark you have to pay registration tax. The registration tax is calculated on the basis of the market price of the car in Denmark, of which it will constitute approximately 67%.

To register a car in Denmark, you are also required to have liability insurance. Contact an insurance company for further information about third party/liability insurance and pricing.

When your vehicle has been registered in Denmark you are liable to pay annual taxes and duties. The most common Danish tax rules are described in the guide “Tax in Denmark – An introduction for new citizens”.

Information about registration costs is available in SKAT’s leaflet “If you bring a vehicle with foreign number plates to DK”. You can also read more about the process and prices on SKAT’s website.

SKAT’s website www.skat.dk, has information about SKAT and the various tax rules, along with information about importing your foreign-registered vehicle to Denmark. If your have any questions, you can also contact SKAT by phone on: +45 72 22 18 18.

You will usually be able to hand in your application and the required documents at any SKAT service office. However, only SKAT service offices in Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense and Høje Tåstrup can assess and calculate the registration tax.