In short
A car buyer, called an opkoper in Dutch, is a business that buys used cars directly from private owners and arranges the collection and the RDW transfer itself. You ask for an offer, decide whether to accept it, and hand over the car once you have been paid and hold the proof of transfer. A reliable buyer is easy to identify, puts the offer in writing and lets you take your time.
On this page
What a car buyer does
A car buyer takes over the parts of a sale that cost a private seller the most time. There is no advertisement to write, no stream of messages, and no strangers coming to look at the car at your home. You give the buyer the details of the car and receive an offer. If you say yes, the buyer collects the car and handles the transfer.
Car buyers in the Netherlands range from small local businesses to national services. Some resell the cars in the Netherlands, some export them, and some specialise in cars with damage or high mileage. What they do with the car afterwards matters less to you than how they handle the sale itself.
How the offer is made
Most car buyers start from the number plate (kenteken), because the RDW register already holds the make, the model, the year and the fuel type. You add what the register cannot know: the mileage, the condition, any damage, and whether the car still drives. Photographs help the buyer judge the car itself.
The offer should arrive in writing, with the details it was based on. That written record is useful for you later, because it shows exactly what you told the buyer and what the buyer offered for it. If a buyer will only give you an amount by phone, ask for it by email or message as well.
Recognising a reliable car buyer
A few simple checks tell you a lot about a buyer before you agree to anything. None of them takes long, and a serious business will not mind you doing them.
- The business name, address and KvK number are easy to find, and they match the business register.
- The offer is in writing and states what it is based on.
- You can reach a person by phone or message, and you get straight answers.
- The buyer explains how the RDW transfer is done and when you receive the proof of transfer.
- There is no pressure to decide on the spot, and saying no costs you nothing.
Warning signs to walk away from
Be careful with a buyer who asks for the registration code before any sale is agreed, or who wants to take the car away and arrange the transfer later. The RDW makes the seller responsible for the transfer actually happening, so a car that leaves without it can bring you fines and road tax for months.
Other warning signs are a payment that only exists as a screenshot or a link, a buyer who cannot say where the car is going, and an offer that changes every time you speak. If a buyer plans to export the car, the RDW advises that the car is exported in the buyer's own name. Our guide to exporting a car explains why that protects you.
What should happen at the handover
On the day itself, three things belong together. The buyer checks the car against what you described. The registration leaves your name at the RDW, and the vrijwaringsbewijs comes to you. The money reaches your account, and you confirm that in your own banking app.
Only after those three steps should the keys change hands. Have the registration card (kentekencard), both parts of the registration code and every key ready, and remove your personal belongings and any parking or toll badges. The documents you need guide lists everything to find beforehand.
How sellcar.nl works as a car buyer
We are a car buyer for people who prefer to sell in English. You request an offer by entering your plate and answering a few questions about the car, and we email it to you with a link to your own offer page. It remains open until you reply, so you can compare it with other buyers and decide in your own time.
Once you accept, collection is free wherever the car is in the Netherlands. During that visit we take the car out of your name at the RDW, hand you the proof of transfer and pay you. Questions before you decide can go to us by WhatsApp or phone, and a person on our team answers them.
What you need
- The business name and KvK number of the buyer
- The offer in writing, with the details it is based on
- The registration card (kentekencard) and both parts of the registration code
- Every key that belongs to the car
- Your banking app, to see the payment yourself
- The proof of transfer (vrijwaringsbewijs), received before the car leaves
An offer for your car
If you would like to sell the car to us, enter your number plate and we contact you with an offer. It is free and you are not committing to anything.
Get an offer