Romanian car registration and fees, step by step | DVI Reports

Ownership transfer or first registration? Documents, RAR, tax formalities, insurance and verified fees, with vehicle-dependent costs separated.

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Romanian car registration and fees, step by step

Illustrative image: Example German registration document; not a Romanian certificate

First choose the correct route: transferring ownership of a car already registered in Romania or first registration of a used EU import. This guide concerns private passenger-car buyers; businesses and special cases can have different obligations.

Photograph: credit and licence

Bundesregierung (Deutschland) · Public domain · Resized and compressed to WebP; image content unchanged.

Buying guide Editorial review: 17 October 2026

Fees checked on 17 October 2026. Older guides may be outdated: the registration certificate costs RON 76 from 15 September 2026.

1. Before signing: clarify local tax clearance

The 2026 changes also require buyers to demonstrate local-tax clearance, with electronic verification possible. Ask your DITL which procedure applies before signing, including for a purchase abroad.

Check the seller's clearance or endorsed ownership-transfer form as applicable. This local requirement is separate from ANAF's VAT certificate.

Sources: Codul de procedură fiscală — art. 159, actualizare 2026

2A. A car already registered in Romania

A normal ownership transfer is not first registration in Romania: do not automatically add RAR authenticity certification. Check the official list for your exact situation.

  1. Collect ownership evidence, CIV and the registration certificate. Check the transaction's tax documents.
  2. Declare the acquisition to the local tax authority: the general deadline is 30 days from acquisition.
  3. Arrange RCA in the new owner's name and check ITP validity.
  4. Request ownership transfer at your competent registration office within 90 days of acquisition. Prepare the application, ID, tax-recorded ownership document, CIV, existing registration certificate and plates as applicable; pay the required document/plate fees.
Sources: Prefectura București — înmatriculări / registrationMAI — transcrierea proprietății / ownership transferAutoritate locală — Codul fiscal, art. 471 / local tax declaration

2B. First registration of a used EU import

  1. Keep ownership evidence, original foreign documents and records of what happened to the plates. See the Germany/Netherlands import guide.
  2. Book RAR for CIV, authenticity and inspection status. The authenticity certificate covers one registration, for no more than 60 days.
  3. Clarify VAT with ANAF if you made the intra-EU purchase and are not VAT-registered. Obtain the certificate confirming payment or no VAT due, as applicable. Foreign-language documents in this procedure require authorised translations.
  4. Declare the vehicle for local tax within 30 days of RAR issuing the CIV. Arrange RCA in your name.
  5. Submit the registration file: application, ID, tax-recorded ownership evidence, CIV, foreign papers, plates and payment evidence as applicable. Check the official list and electronically checked records before attending.
Sources: RAR — certificarea autenticității / authenticity certificatePrefectura București — înmatriculări / registrationANAF — Ordinul 1611/2022: certificatul TVAAutoritate locală — Codul fiscal, art. 471 / local tax declaration

3. VAT and customs: 'second-hand' is not a tax classification

No additional VAT due does not automatically remove the registration file's tax-certificate requirement.

On a phone, scroll the table to see all columns.

3. VAT and customs: 'second-hand' is not a tax classification
Private-buyer situationStarting rule
Vehicle brought from another EU stateNo customs duty for movement between EU member states.
No more than 6 months since first registration OR no more than 6,000 kmNew for VAT purposes; VAT is generally due in the registration country.
More than 6 months AND more than 6,000 kmUsed for VAT purposes; check the dealer's invoice treatment, including any margin scheme.
Business, VAT-registered buyer or special caseTreatment can differ. Clarify the invoice and obligations with ANAF/an accountant before paying.
Sources: Comisia Europeană / European Commission — VAT on carsANAF — Ordinul 1611/2022: certificatul TVA

4. Fixed fees and variable costs

Compare RCA quotes using identical details and cover periods. If using a registration agent, separate their fee from official charges and document the authority to act.

On a phone, scroll the table to see all columns.

4. Fixed fees and variable costs
ItemAmount / budgeting
Registration certificateRON 76 — effective 15 September 2026.
Two standard type-A platesRON 52 (RON 26 each), if two new plates are issued.
Example: certificate + two A platesRON 128. These two items only, not the full registration cost.
Provisional permit, if requiredRON 25 for the document; plates and RCA are separate.
Preferred registration number / other platesCheck the official fee for your chosen option.
RAR, translations, RCA, transportGet quotes for the specific vehicle and situation; there is no universal total.
Local vehicle taxSeparate from certificate fees. Ask DITL about the applicable assessment and current local rules.
Sources: Prefectura București — tarife / feesPrefectura Satu Mare — tarife din 15.09.2026

5. Before your appointment

Use your county office's official appointment channel. Read the checklist for the specific operation, not a generic forum list. Check originals, required copies/translations, validity dates and payment methods.

If foreign documents or plates are missing or retained during export, ask the office about the procedure before booking. Do not assume the invoice replaces them.

Sources: Prefectura București — înmatriculări / registration

Your checklist

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Correct route: transfer or first registration Tax clearance clarified before signing Ownership and identity documents ready CIV, authenticity where needed and valid ITP VAT certificate where applicable Local tax registration and RCA Foreign plates/documents or missing-document procedure Fees and appointment confirmed

Frequently asked questions

Is RON 128 the full registration cost?

No. It is the certificate plus two standard A plates only. RAR, RCA, translations, options and transport are separate.

Does the same route apply to a non-EU import?

No. Customs procedures, import VAT and other checks may apply. This guide does not cover that route.

Do I also have 90 days for the local tax declaration?

Do not confuse deadlines. The 90 days concerns ownership transfer; local tax declarations have their own deadline.

Do you offer vehicle inspections, history reports or transport?

Discuss a partnership with OBDAuto.ro

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