You have found a buyer, or you are about to, and then you cannot find the registration card (kentekencard). It happens when people move house, clear out a glovebox or hand a car over to a partner for a few months. The situation is easy to fix, but the order of the steps matters, because the card and the registration code are linked. The documents you need guide lists everything a seller has to have. This article is about one problem: the card is gone and a sale is close.
Why the card matters for a sale
The registration card has been issued since 1 January 2014, and a new card is issued with every change of owner. When a buyer registers the car in their name, the RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, asks the seller side for two items: a valid registration card and the complete registration code (tenaamstellingscode). The RDW page on transferring a registration number says that if anything is missing, you must request a new card or code before the transfer.
So you cannot complete a sale without the card. You can still advertise the car, agree a price and arrange viewings while you wait, as long as you do not hand over the car before the transfer is done.
Check first whether the card is really lost
Before you pay for anything, look again. Then use the free card check on the RDW website. It confirms whether the card is valid and whether the card and the registration code belong together. You need the number plate and the document number, which is printed at the bottom right of the front of the card. The RDW page on checking the card explains the check.
You may also own an older paper registration. Paper registrations from before 1 January 2014 stay valid until the next transfer. They have several parts, and the part that is lost matters. The transfer of a car with a paper registration can only be done at a counter, not online, and the RDW says a lost paper document or transfer certificate must be replaced by requesting a registration card or code before the transfer. If you hold a paper registration, read the RDW pages for it before you order anything.
What to request
If the card is lost, stolen or damaged, you apply for a new one with the RDW. The RDW explains the steps on its page about a lost registration card:
- Have your reporting code (meldcode) ready. It is the last 4 digits of the vehicle identification number, which is a different number from the 9-digit registration code.
- Request a vehicle registration card with a registration code on the RDW website and pay the fee online. The current amount is on rdw.nl.
- Wait for the card and the new code to arrive by post.
Once sent, the request is final, and a card found the next day brings no refund of the fee. That is a good reason to search properly first.
The new card is sent to the address of the registered owner or holder. A new registration code follows automatically. The RDW says the code is posted about two working days after the card. The old code stops working, which matters if you wrote it down or passed it on. The number plate stays the same.
You can ask someone to apply for you, and you can go in person if you cannot apply online or the car is not in your name: the RDW counters in Veendam and Zoetermeer and the RDW inspection stations deal with these requests. Check the RDW page for the current contact details.
How long it takes
The RDW publishes expected delivery times that depend on when you apply, and the code follows the card by about two working days. Delivery by post adds the time that the postal service needs. Should nothing show up within five working days, the RDW has a separate page for documents that never arrived. The sensible plan is to apply as early as you can and to plan the sale date after the code and the card have both reached you.
The card goes to your municipal address, so apply while you still live there. If you are about to move or leave the country, read our guide on selling before you leave.
What to do while you wait
- Tell the buyer. A buyer who knows the card is on its way can plan the same way you do.
- Do not give the buyer the car, the keys or any copy of old documents.
- Keep the old card if it turns up. After you receive the new card, destroy the old documents, because the RDW will have made them invalid.
- Check whether you have the latest APK report, the Dutch roadworthiness test report, as the RDW tells sellers to give it to the buyer.
- Use the time to collect service papers, a second key and the manual.
If the car is leased or financed
Lease and finance cars follow other rules. The RDW says that you do not receive a registration code if a lease or finance company owns the car. The company receives the code and only the company can request a new one. Contact them first if that applies to you.
When you would rather not wait
If the paperwork is the part you want help with, send us the car’s details. Asking is free and carries no obligation, and we explain the steps in English. The lost card still has to be replaced, since the registration cannot be changed without it. Collection and payment are agreed with you once you accept our offer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell my car without the registration card?
You can advertise it and agree a price, but the transfer needs a valid registration card and the complete registration code. The RDW says that if anything is missing you must request a new card or code before the transfer.
How do I replace a lost registration card?
Use the RDW website with your reporting code (meldcode), the last 4 digits of the vehicle identification number, and pay the fee online. The card is posted to the registered address and a new registration code follows a few working days later.
Will my old registration code still work?
No. When a new card is issued, a new registration code comes with it and the old code stops working. The number plate stays the same.
Can someone else request the card for me?
The RDW allows a request on your behalf if you authorise the person, and there are counters in Veendam and Zoetermeer and RDW inspection stations for those who cannot apply online. Check the RDW page for the exact conditions.
What if I found the old card after ordering a new one?
The RDW does not cancel or refund a request once it is submitted. The new card makes the old one invalid, so use the new card for the sale and destroy the old documents.
