If you have lost someone close, a car in their name is probably the last thing you want to think about. It does need some attention, because the car stays registered to the person who died until it is transferred, and certain duties continue in the meantime. This post sets out what the RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, says, so that you can decide on the order of things without pressure. It does not replace advice from a notary or lawyer about the estate. The steps for a normal sale are in the RDW transfer guide.
The five weeks
The RDW explains on its page about inheriting a vehicle that the registration has to be transferred to your name or to a new owner within five weeks. The five weeks start when you become the owner by succession. A partner who keeps the car has the same period, even if the partner always drove it.
If settling the estate will take longer than five weeks, the RDW asks you to contact its customer service. Do this early, and keep a record of the date and what you were told.
What continues until the transfer
Until the car is transferred, the RDW says you should not drive it on the public road. As the heir, you remain responsible for:
- third-party liability insurance
- road tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting)
- the APK (the Dutch roadworthiness test), which means keeping the car approved
Insurance does not end automatically when the owner dies. You can cancel it once the car has been transferred to a new owner. Road tax stops automatically when the car is sold or transferred. That means you should not cancel the insurance on the day of the death, and you should not leave the car without cover while it is still registered.
Before you register anything in your name
The RDW gives a warning that matters. If one heir registers the car in their own name, this counts as dividing the estate. The heirs then accept the estate with all its debts, and this cannot be undone. If you accept the estate under benefit of inventory (beneficiair aanvaarden) or renounce it, you cannot register the car in your name, and the car stays registered to the person who died until the estate is settled. The insurance and tax costs are then paid from the estate.
Because of this, speak to a notary or a lawyer before you register or sell the car, especially if the estate may carry debts. The RDW page is a summary of the registration rules, and the legal consequences are for professionals to explain.
Finding out whether the person had a car
If you are not sure which vehicles were registered in the deceased person’s name, the RDW vehicle register can show it. The RDW says you need either a certificate of appointment of an executor or a comprehensive extract from the BRP (the municipal personal records database) for this.
Selling the car
When a sale is the right choice, the RDW says the registration has to move to the buyer within one week. The steps follow the usual route, which the RDW describes on its page about selling a car:
- the buyer receives the kentekencard and the full tenaamstellingscode, or the paper documents if the car is old
- the buyer registers the car in their name
- the proof of transfer (vrijwaringsbewijs) comes to you, and you check that the deceased no longer appears as owner
- you stop or change the insurance afterwards
Look for the card and the code among the papers. If they cannot be found, ask the RDW how to request replacements in your situation as an heir. The RDW page on inheriting does not state who may sign the transfer, so ask RDW customer service or the notary who handles the estate.
Taking the car from the house
The car should not be driven until it is transferred, so it may need to be moved by a recovery service. Our post on selling a car that does not run covers collection of a car that stands.
Offering the car to us
When the time is right, you can ask us for an offer. Asking is free and nothing is decided until you accept. Collection and the paperwork are arranged with you.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to transfer an inherited car?
Five weeks from the moment you become the owner by succession, according to the RDW. If settling the estate will take longer, contact RDW customer service.
Can I keep driving the car in the meantime?
The RDW says the car should not be driven on the public road until it has been transferred.
Does the insurance stop automatically?
No. Insurance does not end when the owner dies. It can be cancelled after the car has been transferred to a new owner.
Can one heir register the car in their name?
It counts as dividing the estate, and the heirs then accept the estate with its debts. Speak to a notary or lawyer first.
What if the estate takes longer than five weeks?
Contact the RDW customer service and explain the situation.
Who can sign for the sale?
The RDW page does not say. Ask the RDW or the notary dealing with the estate.
