You sold the car some time ago, and the register still shows it in your name. Perhaps a letter arrived, perhaps you checked and saw your own name. This post explains why the registration matters more than the handover, how to find out where you stand, and what to do. If you have not sold yet, the lesson is at the end.
The buyer carries out the transfer, and the steps are described in the RDW transfer guide. Here we deal with the case where that step did not happen.
Why the register matters
The RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, states on its page about selling a car that you keep the vehicle first, hand over the registration card (kentekencard) and registration code (tenaamstellingscode), and that the buyer registers the transfer. You then receive the proof of transfer (vrijwaringsbewijs), which shows you are no longer liable for the vehicle. The RDW says you may hand over the vehicle once you have it.
It adds that the seller must make sure the buyer transfers the car. Otherwise the seller stays responsible. That is the core of the problem. A car that is still registered to you has your name behind it in every register: for road tax, for fines, and for insurance. The buyer’s good intentions do not change the register.
Check the situation first
Find out what the register shows before you contact anyone.
- Open Mijn RDW with DigiD or use the Kentekencheck on the RDW website. The RDW recommends both for sellers. Both show whether the car is still in your name.
- Write down the date of the sale and any messages that prove it.
- Look at your post and your bank for anything from the Belastingdienst or the CJIB that refers to the car.
If the register already shows the buyer, there is no problem with the transfer, even if you never received the proof of transfer. Ask the buyer to forward the email or document, because online transfers end with an email containing the link to the proof of transfer.
Contact the buyer
Start with a short, polite message. Say that the register still shows your name, ask when they plan to transfer, and mention that the car cannot be in your name while someone else drives it. A delay is a possible reason.
The RDW describes what the buyer needs: they carry out the transfer online with the DigiD app or at a counter, they must be registered in the Dutch personal records database (BRP) with a Dutch address, and they need valid identification. The page on transferring a registration number lists the conditions. A buyer without a Dutch address cannot simply register the car, and that can be the reason for a delay. If the buyer lives abroad, the RDW advises exporting the car in the buyer’s own name, otherwise the seller remains responsible until it is registered abroad.
You can also ask the buyer to send you a screenshot of the completed transfer. The buyer needs the registration code and the card, and you have handed those over, so only the buyer can finish it.
Keep your insurance until the car leaves your name
The business.gov.nl page on vehicle insurance says that liability insurance (WA) is required for a registered car and that the RDW checks it. While the car is registered to you, you are the one the check looks at. Do not cancel your insurance because you consider the car sold. Cancel it after the register shows the new owner, and ask your insurer what it needs from you.
The RDW also says sellers stop or change their insurance themselves. The order matters: transfer first, cancellation second.
When the buyer does not respond
If the buyer ignores you, collect the evidence of the sale before escalating: the contract if you made one, the messages, the payment record, and a copy of the buyer’s details. The post do you need a sales contract explains what a short contract records.
Then contact the RDW through the contact page on its website and explain the situation. The RDW page on selling a car does not describe this case, so we cannot say what the RDW will do for you. It is the authority that holds the register, so it is the right place to ask. If you have legal expenses insurance, check whether it covers this.
If fines arrive for the period after the handover, follow the steps in a fine arrives after you sold your car. Road tax stays with you for as long as the car is in your name, and the refund starts only when the registration changes, as described in road tax refund after selling.
How to avoid it next time
- Keep the car until the buyer has completed the transfer and you hold the proof of transfer.
- Stay with the buyer while they do the transfer online, or meet at a counter. The RDW notes that there is no appointment needed at a counter.
- Check the register yourself afterwards.
- Write the date and time of the handover into a contract.
If you sell to a business, the RDW describes a different route: you give the complete registration documents to the staff of a business the RDW has recognised and receive the proof of transfer from the business. The business is the party that arranges the transfer.
For the next sale, you can ask us for an offer. Asking is free, and the paperwork is arranged with you.
Frequently asked questions
Am I responsible for a car I sold but the buyer did not register?
The RDW says the seller must make sure the buyer transfers the car, and otherwise the seller stays responsible. Check the register to see where you stand.
How do I find out whether the car is still in my name?
Use Mijn RDW with DigiD or the Kentekencheck on the RDW website. Both are named by the RDW as ways for a seller to check.
Should I cancel my insurance when I sell the car?
Wait until the register shows the car in the buyer’s name. Liability insurance (WA) is required while the car is registered to you.
Can I do the transfer for the buyer?
The buyer carries out the transfer and must identify themselves, so you cannot do it for them.
What if I never received the proof of transfer?
Check the register first. If the transfer is done, ask the buyer to forward the email or document. If the transfer is not done, the proof does not exist yet.
