DigiD is the digital login that the Dutch government uses for most online services. People who have just arrived may not have it yet, and people who left the country sometimes find that it no longer works the way it did. Selling a car brings DigiD up in several places, so it is fair to ask whether you can sell without it. In most cases you can. This article shows where DigiD is needed and where it is not. The RDW transfer guide describes the whole transfer; here we look at the routes around DigiD.
Who needs DigiD in a car sale
The registration is changed into the buyer’s name. The buyer carries out the transfer with the RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority. The seller supplies the registration card (kentekencard) and the complete registration code (tenaamstellingscode). That split is why the answer differs for the seller and the buyer.
On the RDW page about transferring a registration number, the buyer has two routes:
- Online. The buyer needs the DigiD app with an ID check, and pays with iDEAL.
- In person. The buyer goes to a registration counter (kentekenloket), the RDW desks in Veendam or Zoetermeer, or an RDW inspection station. No appointment is needed, and the buyer needs valid ID.
So the transfer itself does not depend on the seller having DigiD. If you are the seller, your part is to have the right documents ready and to receive the proof of transfer (vrijwaringsbewijs) from the buyer. If the buyer has no DigiD, the counter route is open to them.
Where the seller might need DigiD
DigiD matters for the seller in these places:
- Requesting a replacement registration code online. The RDW offers this with DigiD, and by eHerkenning for companies.
- Requesting a replacement card. The RDW describes an online request with the reporting code (meldcode).
- Checking the transfer afterwards in Mijn RDW. The RDW suggests this check. You can also use the Kentekencheck on the RDW website.
For the first of these there are routes that do not need DigiD.
Replacing a code without DigiD
The RDW page on the lost registration code gives two other ways:
- By post. The route is meant for requests without DigiD or on behalf of someone else. You enter the reporting code, the final four digits of the vehicle identification number, which is printed on the card. You pay the fee online, and the RDW posts the code to the address registered with the municipality (gemeente). It takes about three to four working days plus postal time.
- In person. Go to the RDW counter in Veendam or Zoetermeer or to an inspection station with your card and a valid ID or passport. The code is handed to you on the spot.
Our article on a lost registration code before selling goes through all three options.
If your DigiD stopped working after you moved
DigiD is tied to your personal data. When you move abroad the account can still be used, according to digid.nl, but it works best if you set up the app with an ID check and the SMS login before you leave. For the ID check, only a Dutch passport, ID card or driving licence will do, and foreign documents are refused. If you hold a foreign passport only and never completed the check, you may not be able to finish it from abroad. The DigiD page for people living abroad explains the options and contact details.
Take care with these points:
- A request by post goes to the address the municipality has on file for you. After you deregister, that address may no longer be yours.
- The buyer must be registered in the BRP, the municipal personal records database, with a Dutch address, so a sale after you left works only with a buyer who lives in the Netherlands.
- The RDW sends the buyer’s new card and part 2 of the code to the buyer’s address. That is unaffected by your DigiD.
If you have not yet moved, our guide to selling before you leave has a timeline that sorts the paperwork while you are still registered here.
When the car has a paper registration
An older paper registration (kentekenbewijs) cannot be handled online. The RDW states that online transfer is not possible with a paper certificate, so the buyer has to use a registration counter or an RDW desk. In that case DigiD is irrelevant for the transfer. You hand over the original registration certificate and the transfer certificate, and the buyer deals with the counter.
A plan for sellers without DigiD
- Check your card and code with the free RDW check, using the number plate and the document number.
- If something is missing, order it by post or visit a counter.
- Agree with the buyer that they will use the counter if they have no DigiD either.
- Keep the car until you hold the proof of transfer.
- Keep the proof in a safe place for a long time after the sale.
Never share your DigiD login or your SMS code with another person.
If you would rather leave it to us
Selling to us needs no login: the sell form asks for the plate and some photos. Asking is free and carries no obligation. Documents that are missing still have to be replaced, and we explain the options in English.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need DigiD to sell my car?
No, not for the transfer itself. The buyer carries out the transfer, online with DigiD or in person at an RDW counter. The seller provides the card and the code.
What if the buyer has no DigiD?
The buyer can go to a registration counter, an RDW desk in Veendam or Zoetermeer, or an inspection station. No appointment is needed and they bring valid ID.
How can I get a new registration code without DigiD?
Request it by post, with the reporting code from your card, or go in person to an RDW counter with your card and ID. The fee is paid online for the postal route.
Does DigiD still work after I leave the Netherlands?
According to digid.nl it can be used abroad, but you should set up the app with an ID check and the SMS login before you go. Again, that check takes a Dutch passport, ID card or driving licence.
How do I confirm the transfer without DigiD?
Use the Kentekencheck on the RDW website, or keep the proof of transfer the buyer hands you. Hand over the car only when you have it.
