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Car in Sweden

This section provides information about the rules that apply when you bring a car or other vehicle into Sweden.

Photographer: Johannes Jansson/norden.org

If you bring your car or other vehicle with you when moving from another EU country, it is called 'bringing a vehicle in'.

You must apply for a verification of origin, submit your documents and receive an approved decision from the Transport Agency before you can have the vehicle inspected by a motor vehicle inspection company or the Swedish Machinery Testing Institute AB.

Exceptions are made for new vehicles that are brought in by registered importers (including general agents) and new vehicles manufactured in Sweden.

If you move from Iceland or Norway it is considered an import and the vehicle must be cleared through customs. Otherwise the same rules must be followed as apply when bringing a vehicle in from an EU country. Read more on the Transport Agency website.

This is how to import a vehicle

This is how to import a vehicle - from when the vehicle arrives at the Swedish border until the vehicle is ready to be driven.

A vehicle that is imported from a country outside the EU must be cleared through the Swedish Customs Service.
If it is a new vehicle from an EU country, notify the Tax Agency in Ludvika. Value added tax is payable on the purchase price.
Take out road traffic insurance for temporary registration with a Swedish insurance company
Apply for verification of origin with the Transport Agency.
Make an appointment for a registration inspection and technical identity verification with a motor vehicle inspection company or the Swedish Machinery Testing Institute.
If the road worthiness of the vehicle also needs to be tested, a road worthiness test can be conducted at a vehicle inspection company immediately after it has passed the registration inspection.
When the registration inspection and the technical identity verification have been approved the vehicle will be allocated a registration number. As the owner of the vehicle you will receive a registration certificate and the registration plates by post.
When you have received your registration certificate and plates, you can activate your registration with the Swedish Transport Agency. If the vehicle is subject to traffic insurance, you need valid traffic insurance in order to be able to activate your registration.

Note that the rules differ for bringing a vehicle in (from EU countries) and import (from Norway and Iceland). Read more on the Transport Agency website

Temporary registration

You may use a vehicle that has been brought into Sweden permanently for one week from the date of entry, provided it has a valid foreign registration and insurance cover.

After this week, if you do not need to use this vehicle before the vehicle undergoes a registration inspection, you can request a 'Certificate of inspection appointment' when you make an appointment for a registration inspection.

This will allow you to drive the shortest appropriate route to and from the registration inspection. However, the vehicle must have traffic insurance cover (does not apply to trailers).

Read more about temporary registration on the Transport Agency website

If you want more detailed information, please visit the Transport Agency's website Importing vehicles.

Nordic Council of Ministers

The information service “Hello Norden”

It aims to facilitate freedom of movement for private individuals in the Nordic region. On the website you can read about the rules that apply when moving to, studying or working in the Nordic countries. You can also ask questions about your specific situation in Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish and Icelandic.

Nordic Council of Ministers

Øresund Direkt

Øresund Direkt is an information service that provides public information from the authorities to citizens and businesses in the Øresund region.

Nordic Council of Ministers

The Border Service

The Border Service is a border and cross-agency co-operation between Sweden and Norway. The Border Service's main task is to receive and deal with questions from people and companies that take part in some form of cross-border activities.

More info about Sweden

Moving to Sweden

Studying in Sweden

Working in Sweden

Moving to or between Nordic countries

Moving to the Faroe Islands