The APK, the Dutch roadworthiness test, ran out while the car was waiting for a buyer. Maybe the reminder letter arrived at an old address, or you were busy with a move. Now you want to sell, and you wonder whether the car can still be sold, what you may do with it in the meantime, and whether it is worth getting a new test first. The APK explained guide covers the system in general. This article is about the specific situation of an expired test and a car you want to sell.
The rule you must not break
The RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, is direct about it: it is forbidden to drive a car without a valid APK. The police can fine you for it. The same RDW page says postponement is not possible, so there is no extra grace period to ask for.
There is a second consequence that surprises people. If the car is not inspected within two months of the expiry date, the CJIB, the Central Judicial Collection Agency, sends a fine, and the RDW page gives the amount range. The fine can arrive even if the car has not moved, because the obligation belongs to the registration. You can read the rules on the RDW page about the APK.
So the first thing to do is to leave the car where it stands. A test drive with a buyer is also driving on a public road, so do not offer one.
Check the expiry date
The RDW Kentekencheck on the RDW website shows the expiry date for any Dutch number plate under the tab for expiry dates. Look at it before you decide anything. If the date is in the past, count the two months from that day.
Selling a car with an expired APK is allowed
Yes. The RDW pages we read do not name an expired APK as a barrier to the transfer. The buyer carries out the transfer in the usual way, online or at an RDW counter. The RDW tells sellers to give the buyer the latest APK report, so keep it ready, and be open about the expiry date in your advert.
Buyers react differently to it. Some want the new test done first, and an offer from a dealer or buyer service takes the missing test into account. The expiry also matters to the buyer’s plans: they cannot drive the car away on the road if it has no valid test, so the way the car leaves your drive needs to be agreed. Our page on selling a car without a valid APK explains how we deal with it.
Your options
- Take the test first. Book the test at an RDW inspection station or a garage. If you have to drive the car there, read the RDW rules on the page above. For a suspended car it allows a drive to an inspection appointment under strict conditions, with third-party liability insurance in place, and the RDW page describes exactly what is allowed. Do not assume the same holds for a car with an expired test that is not suspended. Ask the inspection station before you drive, or have the car transported.
- Sell with the expired date. Be honest in the advert. Say what the date was, whether the car passed its last test, and whether you know of any fault.
- Suspend the registration. If the car will stand for a while before the sale, you can suspend the registration for one, two or three years. A suspended car needs no APK, no road tax and no WA insurance, but it may not be parked or driven on a public road, so it must stand on private ground. The RDW says the suspension ends automatically on transfer, so it does not stand in the way of a sale. Fees apply, and there is no refund if you end the suspension early. See the RDW suspension page and our guide to suspending your car. One condition makes it relevant: when a suspension ends without a sale, the car needs a valid test again.
- Sell to a buyer service. We buy cars with and without a valid APK, and we arrange the collection with you.
What not to do
- Do not drive the car to a viewing, a garage or the buyer.
- Do not cancel your WA insurance before the registration has changed. The RDW says WA insurance is required while the car is registered in your name, and the RDW checks.
- Do not fix the date in the advert by guessing. Use the Kentekencheck.
Insurance and road tax while the car waits
An expired test does not stop the road tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting) or the insurance duty. Both continue until the registration changes or is suspended. Once the buyer has the car in their name, the road tax that you paid for the time afterwards is refunded automatically, according to the Belastingdienst, the Dutch tax authority.
Selling when the test is the only problem
If the test is the only reason you hesitate, remember that the buyer sees an expired date as a cost to deal with, and a repair estimate or a fresh report helps them price it. If you do pay for a test, ask the garage for the report on paper or by email so you can give it to the buyer.
If you would like to skip the APK question, ask for an offer and tell us the expiry date. There is no charge and no obligation. We take care of the collection, and the paperwork is settled with you once you say yes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive my car with an expired APK?
No. The RDW says it is forbidden to drive a car without a valid APK, and the police can fine you. This includes driving to a viewing.
Can I ask for more time on my APK?
No. The RDW states that postponement is not possible.
Will I get a fine if the car stays parked?
It is possible. If the car has not been inspected within two months of the expiry date, the CJIB can fine you even if you have not driven. A suspended registration ends the obligation.
Does a buyer care about the APK date?
Tell the buyer the expiry date and hand over the latest APK report when you sell.
Can I sell a car that failed its APK?
Yes. A failed test does not stop a sale, but you may not drive the car until it has passed. Describe the faults honestly in the advert.
