You can bring a used car from Romania to Slovenia, but do not pay until the original documents, VIN, seller, ownership, authority to sell, proof of purchase, approval basis and lawful transport route have all been clarified.
You can bring a used car from Romania to Slovenia, but do not pay until the original documents, VIN, seller, ownership, authority to sell, proof of purchase, approval basis and lawful transport route have all been clarified. Because Romania is another EU Member State, the Slovenian procedure uses the term acquisition of a vehicle, rather than the non-EU import procedure. 1
Check the date of first use, the date of supply or acquisition and the mileage for VAT purposes, the seller's status and the VAT treatment on the invoice, as well as the data needed for Slovenian motor vehicle tax (DMV). Classifying the car by age and mileage does not by itself resolve the VAT treatment of the specific transaction. Choose one transport option; do not confuse Romanian red provisional plates with temporary export registration.
Before payment: decision and evidence
eUprava advises you to obtain the original documentation from the seller and examine it carefully because it may be forged; an original is not in itself proof of authenticity. 2 Check that the VIN matches on the car, the invoice or contract, the registration document and the available vehicle-approval evidence.
Treat the identity of the actual seller and signatory, ownership of the car and authority to sell as three separate outstanding checks. A name in the vehicle registration certificate does not by itself authenticate the signatory or prove ownership. Romanian deregistration also distinguishes an owner who is not named in the latest registration document from the person who is named. 3
The packet contains no official source establishing the scope of a Romanian check of vehicle history, mileage, damage, ownership or encumbrances. Do not regard these checks as completed. Assess the available evidence, and keep a pre-purchase inspection separate from a statutory roadworthiness inspection, the conformity procedure and a guarantee.
| Decision | What to check | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Original documents and VIN | The original documentation and whether the VIN matches between the car and the documents | If there is a discrepancy, do not pay until it has been explained; an original is not in itself proof of authenticity 2 |
| Seller and right to sell | The signatory's identity, ownership and authority to sell, each checked separately | A name in the registration document does not by itself complete these checks 3 |
| Slovenian file | An invoice and either the CoC or registration document; for a vehicle without uniform European approval, the required technical evidence as well | A missing basis may change or halt the conformity procedure 1 |
| VAT | Date of first use, date of supply or acquisition, verified mileage, seller status and invoice treatment | Classification by age and mileage is not a complete analysis of the transaction 4 |
| DMV | Type or tariff classification, fuel, CO2, kW and/or EURO category, and any exemption | There is no fixed amount without the data and an assessment 5 |
| Vehicle history | Available evidence of mileage, damage and encumbrances, and its actual scope | The packet does not establish an official Romanian check with comprehensive scope 2 |
For the Slovenian acquisition procedure at an expert organisation, an individual submits an invoice and either the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or the registration document issued by the competent authority in the country of origin. If the vehicle does not have uniform European approval, documents containing technical data and evidence of compliance with technical specifications or equivalent rules are also required. 1 Check which of these documents exist for the car; none of them proves everything else on its own.
Romanian procedures after purchase
Do not confuse the three Romanian procedures. The standard domestic transcription of ownership requires the original and a copy of the ownership document, an identity document, the previous vehicle registration certificate, the previous plates unless a prescribed transfer or retention exception applies, and the vehicle identity card. The vehicle must have a valid ITP and compulsory motor third-party liability insurance in the name of the owner or authorised holder. This is the domestic transcription procedure, not temporary export registration. 3
For a vehicle registered in Romania that is removed in order to be registered elsewhere, the owner must request deregistration within 30 days after the vehicle is removed from Romania. The application includes the vehicle registration certificate and plates, or the prescribed evidence of loss, retention or theft, the applicant's identity document and evidence of the event giving rise to deregistration. An owner who is not named in the latest vehicle registration certificate must also provide the ownership document registered with the competent local tax authority. 3 The period begins after removal, not before it.
A buyer who has no domicile, registered office or residence in Romania may apply at any SPCRPCIV for temporary registration to take the vehicle out of Romania and register it in another country. It is valid for no more than 30 days; the file includes proof of ownership, identity and the vehicle identity card. Registration of the ownership document with the local tax authority is not required in this case, but valid compulsory motor third-party liability insurance in the owner's name is required. 36 This is an issuance condition, not proof that the insurance is valid outside Romania. Check the registration's cross-border recognition and the policy's territorial and temporal validity. Appointment arrangements may be set locally; the packet does not establish a single rule.
Transport from Romania
eUprava lists three alternatives: transport by recovery truck with an appropriately insured towing vehicle, transport by a specialist vehicle carrier and driving the purchased car yourself. 2 If you drive it yourself, the vehicle must be temporarily registered abroad, and the plates and vehicle registration certificate must be obtained there.
| Option | What you need | Limitation | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery truck | An appropriately insured towing vehicle | The packet does not specify a provider or contractual terms | Request a quote 2 |
| Specialist vehicle carrier | A confirmed quote for the specific vehicle and route | The scope of the service and the carrier's liability are not established in the packet | Request a quote 2 |
| Self-drive | Romanian temporary export registration, plates, a vehicle registration certificate and appropriate insurance | No more than 30 days; check cross-border recognition and the policy's territorial validity separately | To be determined 2, 3, 6 |
A Romanian red provisional circulation authorisation may be valid for no more than 90 days, but it permits driving only within Romania. It does not authorise a cross-border drive. 37 Only the specialist-carrier option is selected in the budget. Do not add the recovery-truck or self-drive alternatives; if you change the selection, replace the selected row and check the conditions.
Conformity, taxes and registration in Slovenia
For a used car already registered in another EU Member State, eUprava specifies vehicle identification and assessment of technical condition. 8 The final documentation, any additional approval, repairs, cost and duration depend on the approval history, documents, technical condition, modifications and the competent authority's decision; the packet does not establish them.
For VAT purposes, a vehicle is new if it is factory-new or supplied before six months have elapsed since first use or has travelled no more than 6,000 km. It is used only if it is supplied after six months have elapsed and has travelled more than 6,000 km. Prior registration and the description "used" do not determine the classification. 4 Separately, before paying, check the seller's status and the VAT treatment on the invoice; the packet does not determine how the transaction is treated.
If the private acquirer is not identified for VAT and the vehicle is new under this test, the acquisition must be reported on form DDV-PPS within 15 days of acquisition. The Slovenian rate is 22%, and the tax base includes the vehicle price and assessed DMV; registration is not permitted without proof of VAT payment. 4 The rate is not a fixed monetary amount.
Unless an exemption has been demonstrated, DMV applies when a covered motor vehicle is first put into circulation or first registered in Slovenia; taxpayers also include an acquirer of a vehicle from the EU. 5 Determining the amount requires the vehicle type or tariff classification and data on fuel, combined CO2 emissions, power in kW and/or EURO emissions category, as well as an assessment. 5
According to the eUprava guide, a vehicle no more than four years old does not need a Slovenian statutory roadworthiness inspection. The source does not determine what applies to a vehicle of a different age or with different documents, or whether a particular foreign inspection is recognised; obtain a current decision. 2
The vehicle registration body issues the vehicle registration certificate and the prescribed number of Slovenian plates. The certificate's validity is tied to the period of the applicable roadworthiness inspection, compulsory Slovenian motor third-party liability insurance, payment of the annual road-use charge and settlement of the other prescribed obligations. 9 At first registration, the buyer receives new plates and pays the annual road-use charge, the registration fee and the new vehicle registration certificate form; the source provides no amounts. First registration cannot be completed electronically. This is a limitation of the channel, not proof that the buyer must attend in person or that representation is not possible. 2
Budget without a false total
The rows are open inputs, not a price list. Only the specialist-carrier option is selected; do not add the alternatives together. Because the required amounts depend on quotations, the car, the transaction or authority decisions, no total is shown.
| Item | Amount | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle purchase price | To be determined | Determined by the contract or invoice and the agreed currency 4 |
| Optional pre-purchase inspection | Request a quote | Only if you confirm availability, scope and terms for the vehicle and location 10 |
| Specialist vehicle carrier – selected option | Request a quote | A quote for the specific car, collection and delivery to Slovenia 2 |
| Recovery truck – alternative | Request a quote | Do not add it to the carrier; it replaces that option if selected 2 |
| Export registration, plates and insurance – alternative | To be determined | Only for self-driving; do not add it to the selected carrier 3, 6 |
| Vehicle identification and assessment of technical condition | To be determined | Determined by the competent organisation according to the vehicle, documents and approval history 8 |
| Slovenian motor vehicle tax (DMV) | To be determined | Depends on the vehicle's classification and data and the official assessment 5 |
| Conditional VAT on a new vehicle | To be determined | Only in the described branch for a VAT-new vehicle; the rate is 22%, and the tax base includes the price and assessed DMV 4 |
| Possible Slovenian statutory roadworthiness inspection | To be determined | Check the requirement and recognition of evidence according to the vehicle's age and documents 2 |
| Slovenian motor third-party liability insurance | Request a quote | A quote for the specific insurer, buyer and car 9 |
| Annual road-use charge | To be determined | The current amount for the specific vehicle at registration 9, 2 |
| Registration fee | To be determined | The current amount at first registration 2 |
| New vehicle registration certificate form | To be determined | The current amount at first registration 2 |
| New Slovenian registration plates | To be determined | The current amount for the prescribed number of plates 9, 2 |
Chronological checklist
Each step remains open until there is suitable evidence for the car and transaction.
| Step | Evidence | When | Your check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check the seller, ownership, authority to sell, original documents and VIN | Separate evidence and a record that the data are consistent | Before payment 2, 3 | To check |
| Obtain purchase and vehicle-approval evidence | An invoice and either the CoC or registration document; additional technical evidence if required | Before taking delivery 1 | To check |
| Resolve the VAT data and transaction treatment | First use, supply or acquisition, km, seller status and invoice | Before payment and filing 4 | To check |
| Distinguish export registration, deregistration and domestic transcription | The appropriate Romanian file and confirmation of the responsible person | Before departure and after removal within the prescribed period 3, 6 | To check |
| Confirm one transport option | A carrier's quote or valid evidence for the other selected option | Before moving the vehicle 2, 3, 6 | To check |
| Complete the applicable conformity procedure | The competent organisation's decision and issued evidence | After arrival, before registration 8 | To check |
| Resolve DMV and any VAT | Decisions or evidence that the applicable obligations have been met | Before registration 5, 4 | To check |
| Arrange the inspection, Slovenian insurance and first registration | Valid evidence, the vehicle registration certificate and Slovenian plates | Once the previous steps have been completed 9, 2 | To check |
Documents or conditions still need checking. Do not treat the file as complete.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive to Slovenia on Romanian red temporary plates?
Not under that authorisation. The red provisional circulation authorisation may be valid for no more than 90 days, but driving is permitted only within Romania. A separate temporary export registration has a maximum 30-day validity; check its cross-border recognition and the insurance's territorial validity for the route. 3, 6, 7
When must the car be deregistered in Romania?
For a vehicle removed from Romania to be registered in another country, the owner must request deregistration within 30 days after the vehicle is removed. The period is not measured from the contract or before departure; the file also depends on the plates and on whether the owner is named in the latest vehicle registration certificate. 3
Is a previously registered car always used for VAT purposes?
No. For VAT purposes, it is new if it is factory-new or supplied before six months have elapsed since first use or has travelled no more than 6,000 km. It is used only if it is supplied after six months have elapsed and has travelled more than 6,000 km. The seller's status and invoice treatment remain separate transaction checks. 4
Is the CoC alone sufficient for the Slovenian procedure?
Do not assume so. An individual submits an invoice and either the CoC or the registration document issued by the competent authority in the country of origin. If there is no uniform European approval, technical data and evidence of compliance with the specifications or equivalent rules are also required. 1
Do I need a Slovenian statutory roadworthiness inspection?
According to the cited guide, a vehicle no more than four years old does not need one. For an older vehicle or a different document situation, the packet establishes neither the requirement nor recognition of a particular foreign inspection, so obtain a current decision for the vehicle and documents. 2
Can I complete first registration in Slovenia electronically?
No, the stated first-registration procedure cannot be completed electronically. This does not mean that the source requires the buyer to attend in person or excludes an authorised representative. Before visiting, check the accepted channel, representation arrangements, evidence and current amounts. 2
Conditional next step
If you are considering a pre-purchase inspection, check the CarAudit website for current availability and terms for the specific car, location and date. The fact that the website is accessible does not in itself establish coverage in Romania, an available appointment, the scope of the inspection, the price or the result. 10
Sources
- eUprava - Uvoz vozila iz tujine
- eUprava - Kupil bom rabljen avto v tujini
- ORDIN 181 31/10/2024
- Nakup novega ali rabljenega vozila v Sloveniji ali v drugi državi članici EU | FINANČNA UPRAVA REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE
- Davek na motorna vozila (DMV) | FINANČNA UPRAVA REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE
- Înmatricularea temporară a unui vehicul
- Autorizarea de circulație provizorie a unui vehicul
- eUprava - Homologacija vozila
- eUprava - Registracija vozila
- CarAudit: rabljenega avta ne kupujte na slepo | 270 kontrolnih točk | Slovenija
