Buying and Registering a Car in the Czech Republic as a Foreigner: Transfer, EU Imports, Fees and Insurance

Updated: 14 November 2026

A foreigner can buy a car in Czechia just like a Czech, but there are deadlines and fees that are easy to miss — and the fine for being late can reach CZK 50,000. Here is how to buy a used car, register a car from the EU and what to check before you pay.

Buying a used car in Czechia

1. Check the car: history (mileage, liens, theft), a valid STK (technical inspection) and the Euro standard in the registration certificate (field V.9).
2. Sign a purchase contract — not legally required, but it protects both sides.
3. Take out insurance (povinné ručení) in your name — the car cannot be transferred without it. See our car insurance page.
4. Transfer the car within 10 working days. Seller and buyer usually go together; if one cannot, they need a power of attorney with a verified signature (verification at Czech POINT costs CZK 50).
5. Pay the fees: CZK 800 for the transfer and the emission fee if it has not been paid before.

Documents for the transfer

• passport or ID card of the seller and buyer; for a foreigner, the residence document;
• the registration certificate (small technical certificate, ORV);
• proof of the buyer’s insurance (green card);
• the application form (at the office or online);
• a power of attorney if one party does not attend.

A separate vehicle check (evidenční kontrola) is not needed if the car passed STK in the last 2 years. Filing online via Portál dopravy is cheaper (CZK 640), but both parties need an electronic identity, such as bank ID.

Emission fee (emisní poplatek)

• Only for cars and vans up to 3.5 t with Euro 2 or lower.
• Euro 0 — CZK 10,000, Euro 1 — CZK 5,000, Euro 2 — CZK 3,000; Euro 3 and higher — CZK 0.
• Paid once in the car’s life in Czechia — at first registration or the first change of owner.
• Not paid, for example, on inheritance or transfers between close relatives.

A car from another EU country

• You need the COC or the registration document from the other EU state, an inspection report for a used car and proof of VAT payment.
• A used car needs a vehicle check (evidenční kontrola) no older than 30 days.
• Registration and plates cost CZK 800, or CZK 640 online.
• Register the car as soon as you intend to drive it in Czechia.

Cars with Ukrainian plates follow separate rules — see Ukrainian plates in Czechia.

After the purchase

• STK: a new car after 4 years, then every 2 years.
• Road tax is not paid for privately owned passenger cars.
• An electronic vignette (dálniční známka) is required on toll motorways — buy it at edalnice.cz.
• A foreign driving licence sometimes has to be exchanged for a Czech one.
• What to do after an accident — see our article on car accidents in Czechia.

Common mistakes

• Missing the 10 working days — both seller and buyer can be fined up to CZK 50,000.
• Buying a car without checking liens and mileage.
• Driving without insurance in your own name after the purchase.
• Forgetting the emission fee when buying an older car.

Sources

• Portál veřejné správy — registrace nového nebo dovezeného vozidla
• Autohled — přepis auta 2026: postup, doklady, poplatky
• Cebia — přepis vozidla na jiného majitele

This article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. Check the current rules before making a decision, or contact us.