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A car from Belgium: how to bring it to Greece

Belgium is a bilingual market, French and Dutch, with euro prices and a journey similar to Germany’s. Greek taxes are the same for every EU country. What differs are the Belgian registration documents and the roadworthiness test before sale.

Calculate for a car from Belgium

Key facts

  • Currency: EUR
  • Road distance to Athens: about 2,900 km (approximate).
  • Registration tax, VAT and the environmental levy follow the same Greek rules for every EU country.

Documents you need

  • Certificat d’immatriculation / inschrijvingsbewijs (registration certificate, usually a card): first registration date, CO₂ and emission class.
  • COC (certificat de conformité / certificaat van overeenstemming): the manufacturer’s certificate of conformity.
  • Proof of a roadworthiness test (contrôle technique / technische keuring), if required for sale in the seller’s region.
  • Invoice (facture / factuur) or purchase contract with seller, buyer and price.

Private seller or dealer: VAT

  • Private seller (particulier): no VAT. The contract must be certified by a Greek consular authority in Belgium.
  • Dealer under the margin scheme (régime de la marge / winstmargeregeling): no separate VAT on the invoice and no Greek VAT. Pay by bank transfer: customs will ask for a bank document showing you paid more than 50% of the invoice value.
  • Dealer charging Belgian VAT (TVA / BTW) on the invoice: as a private buyer you pay Belgian VAT and not again in Greece.
  • If the car is less than 6 months from first registration or has up to 6,000 km, it counts as new for VAT and you pay 24% VAT in Greece.

Transport from Belgium

The road distance to Athens is about 2,900 km. You can drive it on Belgian transit plates (plaques transit / transitplaten), issued for a limited period with journey insurance, or ship it on a car carrier. Get quotes; prices vary a lot.

What to check before buying

  • The exact Euro standard and CO₂ on the registration certificate and the CoC. Ask for a photo before you buy: Euro 6b instead of 6d raises the tax by 50%.
  • The Greek retail price of the same model and version when it was first released. That is the tax base, not the purchase price.
  • Whether it recently passed a roadworthiness test. It does not replace the Greek KTEO inspection, but helps get it recognised.
  • That the car is registered in an EU country (in free circulation).

Frequently asked questions

How do I drive the car from Belgium to Greece?

On Belgian transit plates (plaques transit) with journey insurance, or on a car carrier. Once it enters Greece you file the vehicle arrival declaration.

Do I pay VAT on a used car from a Belgian dealer?

Not under the margin scheme, but you need a bank document for more than 50% of the price. With Belgian VAT on the invoice you pay it in Belgium, not again in Greece.

Sources