Registering a Foreign Vehicle in Belgium

Importing a car from abroad? Find out how to register it with the Belgian authorities...

Foreign vehicles that have been moved permanently to Belgium need to be officially registered with the authorities. For some car owners, there will be some physical changes required to their vehicle before the authorities are satisfied.

Where and When to Register a Vehicle

New arrivals in Belgium have six months from the date of their own registration with their commune to register any vehicles that they have brought with them. Anyone staying in Belgium for more than one year must import and register their vehicle. They will not be asked to pay any import tax as long as the vehicle has been used, the owner can provide proof that the car was theirs prior to the move to Belgium, and that (in the case of newer vehicles only) the car was purchased at least six months prior to arrival in Belgium. Registration (Immatriculation/Inschrijving) of all vehicles in Belgium is the responsibility of the Direction des Immatriculations des Véhicules/Dienst voor Inschrijving van de Voertuigen (DIV). The main administration office is in Brussels but there are regional offices throughout the country.

  • DIV, Direction Circulation Routière/Dienst voor Inschrijving van de Voertuigen At: City Atrium, Rue du Progrès 56, 1210 Brussels Tel: 02 277 30 50
  • Information in English from the DIV: Vehicle Registration Service

Vehicles belonging to temporary residents of Belgium (in transit)

Belgian number plates can only be requested when the applicant has legal residency in Belgium. Non-residents who plan to have their vehicle with them for some time will need temporary plates for insurance purposes. The DIV issues provisional (known as transit) licence plates, valid for a six-month period, renewable once. In this case, the import formalities need not be completed. Anyone wishing to take advantage of this scheme must provide proof of their address outside Belgium and proof of appropriate insurance cover. Documents not in one of the official Belgian languages will need to be translated.