How to buy a car in Slovakia and bring it to Romania: RPZV, KO and export

Yes, a private individual resident in Romania and not registered for VAT can buy an M1 passenger car from Slovakia and register it at home. Do not pay a deposit until the VIN, seller, originals, condition of the car and transport all match up. After purchase come Slovak export, RAR, tax obligations and SPCRPCIV.

Keep the three checks separate: registers and documents show recorded information, the physical inspection shows the accessible condition on the date of checking, and Romanian authorities decide whether requirements are met. None replaces the others. 1 2 3 This guide concerns a purchase for personal use from Slovakia, an EU Member State; it does not cover leasing, professional purchases, substantially modified vehicles or customs imports from Switzerland.

The decision before the deposit

Set out in writing who sells, what is handed over, the final price on the invoice or contract, and who handles export. The verified sources contain no universal Slovak tax refund, guaranteed net price or fixed export cost.

Compare the vehicle VIN with both original parts of the Slovak certificate and the purchase document. Check the registered owner/holder, the seller’s right and the continuity of documents. Request the contract or invoice, technical documentation and originals; a copy does not automatically replace an original required by RAR or SPCRPCIV. Stop payment for any discrepancy or promise of later delivery. 4 1 5 6

From 25 February 2026, Article 159(5²) requires a buyer of a means of transport to have the certificate concerning obligations to the local budget at their domicile, replaceable by electronic verification; paragraph (6) provides for nullity of acts concluded in breach of paragraphs (5) and (5²). The text does not expressly clarify territorial application or the mechanism for a direct contract with a foreign seller. Confirm the approach for your case with the competent local tax authority before signing; do not automatically treat the contract as valid, void or exempt. 13 14 4

History and inspection in Slovakia

Obtain and validate the RPZV report by VIN; compare ODO-Pass and AUTO-Pass with service records and the car, marking gaps. Slovak registers contain only available data, not complete history or current condition. Do not confuse them with RAR Auto-Pass. 15 KO does not measure brakes, chassis, repairs, diagnostics or every safety risk, so inspect the car physically. 15 7

CarAudit publishes a price for Slovakia of 239 EUR, including VAT and technician travel, plus optional battery diagnostics at 179 EUR. The report arrives within no more than 48 hours after inspection, excluding weekends and public holidays from the calculation. Up to 270 points are checked, depending on vehicle access, a lift and legal conditions for a test drive, without dismantling. Faults arising later are excluded, and the certificate is not a guarantee under the Civil Code. Complete history, every test for every VIN, transport, RAR, taxes, registration or the absence of future faults are not promised. 16 17 3

Export and transport to Romania

Under the Slovak procedure valid from 1 September 2026, the registered owner/holder presents Parts I and II, identity, required documents, the foreign buyer’s details and the existing plate. The buyer does not automatically become the export applicant. If you, the foreign buyer, are absent, confirm with the Slovak police before export which purchase document or certified authorisation must be presented and whether a legal exception applies to your situation. 7

The usual route requires a KO expert report no more than 15 days old, with a result ‘fit’ or ‘temporarily fit’ accepted for export. Check the exact exception for an unchanged holder or first registration; a recent duplicate is not first registration. On request, police issue Parts I and II in the foreign holder’s name and the special V plate; both the issued documents and the plate are valid for a maximum of 30 days from deregistration for abroad. After deregistration, driving requires the number/plate V provided by law. 7

For the indicative Slovakia–Hungary–Romania corridor, request the insurer’s written confirmation for registration/plate, the exact route, dates, and the actual driver and owner. Check export, ITP, insurance and plate recognition in every State. Slovak issue does not prove the entire transit; if any segment remains undocumented, carry the car as a load on a vehicle transporter. 12 6

The Romanian limit for foreign plates is 90 days from entry into the country, only while the vehicle is insured. It does not extend a registration, plate, ITP or insurance that expires earlier, does not run from the contract, and does not validate transit. 18

RAR, VAT and registration

RAR issues the CIV directly for a used vehicle last registered in the EU only if it has EU type approval and its approved configuration is unmodified; otherwise it may require individual approval. RAR performs the technical inspection and authenticity certification. The CoC is compulsory in the WLTP route indicated by RAR, generally for vehicles made after 31 August 2018; the year alone does not decide. 1 5 8 The authenticity certificate concerns identification and the previous document, is valid for one registration only and a maximum of 60 calendar days; it does not prove ownership, absence of finance, condition or history. 2 8

VAT uses a separate test. The car is new for VAT purposes at no more than 6,000 km OR on delivery no more than six months after first registration. It is used only at more than 6,000 km AND after more than six months; equality keeps the new route. This buyer’s new intra-Community acquisition is taxable in Romania at 21%. For a used car, no additional VAT generally arises here, but the invoice depends on the seller and the normal or margin scheme; do not assume a net price, deduction or refund. 9 10 11

If the registration applicant is the intra-Community buyer not registered for VAT, the file requires the ANAF VAT certificate for VAT paid/not due. For a vehicle new for VAT purposes, D301 and payment are dealt with before registration, at the latest by the applicable tax deadline; foreign documents submitted to ANAF require authorised Romanian translations. The ANAF certificate is not the local tax clearance certificate. 4 19 20 10

Within 30 days of RAR issuing the CIV, not from the contract, declare the car to the competent local tax authority and record the proof of ownership in the records. 21 4 At the SPCRPCIV competent for your domicile present, as applicable, the tax-recorded document, identity, CIV, RCA in the name of the owner/authorised holder, ITP, authenticity certification, fees and originals of the foreign documents and plates; the ANAF certificate is added in the applicable route. RCA, ITP and authenticity certification must all be valid at registration itself. 4 19 20 22

Budget and checklist

There is no complete total before concrete quotations and selection of one transport option.

Frequently asked questions

When is the car “new” or “used” for VAT?

New for VAT purposes: no more than 6,000 km OR delivery no more than six months after first registration. Used: more than 6,000 km AND delivery after more than six months. Equality keeps the new route. 9, 10

What is the ANAF certificate for?

For the applicant not registered for VAT who made the intra-Community acquisition, it confirms VAT paid or not due. A new vehicle requires D301 and payment by the deadline, before registration. It does not replace the local tax clearance certificate. 4, 19, 20, 10

When do the 30 days for local tax declaration start?

The deadline runs from RAR issuing the CIV, not from the contract. The proof of ownership must then be recorded for local tax purposes before registration. 21, 4

Can I drive home from Slovakia on Romanian red plates?

No. The provisional authorisation is issued in the owner’s name and requires valid RCA for the person provided by law. Romanian provisional plates permit driving only in Romania. The normal duration is a maximum cumulative 90 days; without foreign documents, the special route is a maximum of five days. 19

Does an RPZV or RAR Auto-Pass report with no problems prove complete history?

No. RPZV shows only available Slovak data. RAR Auto-Pass costs 42 lei where data exist, is valid for 60 days, and the free negative result does not prove clean history. The Romanian handover duty does not automatically apply to the Slovak seller on first import. No report replaces an inspection. 15, 23, 24

Is CarAudit inspection available in Slovakia?

Slovakia is within the published coverage, but the location and date are confirmed. The price is 239 EUR including VAT and travel, optional battery diagnostics cost 179 EUR, and the report arrives within a maximum of 48 hours after inspection, excluding weekends and public holidays. No slot or fault-free result is promised. 16, 17, 3

How long is a KO report valid for Slovak export?

In the usual route, KO is no more than 15 days old and has an accepted result. Check the exact exceptions for an unchanged holder or first registration; a recent duplicate is not first registration. 7

Does the Slovak V plate guarantee transit through Hungary and Romania?

No. The V plate is valid for a maximum of 30 days from deregistration, without guaranteeing recognition or insurance in transit. Confirm the route, dates, driver and owner in writing or use a vehicle transporter. 7, 12

Found a car in Slovakia? You can request an independent inspection before paying a deposit, after confirming the location, date and access to the vehicle. The published service costs 239 EUR including VAT and travel, but does not guarantee availability, complete history or absence of faults and does not take over transport, RAR, taxes or registration. No message, form or order was sent during source verification. 16, 17, 3

Sources

1. RAR — CIV for used vehicles last registered in the EU
2. RAR — authenticity certification
3. CarAudit Romania — what we inspect
4. Bucharest Prefecture — vehicle-registration guidance
5. RAR — documents for DOIIT activities
6. Your Europe — Buying or leasing a car abroad
7. Slov-Lex — Act No. 8/2009 effective from September 2026
8. RNTR 7 — authenticity and individual approval
9. Your Europe — VAT when buying or selling a car abroad
10. ANAF Brașov — VAT and vehicle acquisitions
11. ANAF — Romanian VAT rates
12. Your Europe — Buying or leasing a car abroad
13. Romanian Tax Procedure Code, consolidated text — Article 159
14. Emergency Ordinance No. 7 of 24 February 2026
15. RPZV — why to check a vehicle before purchase
16. CarAudit Romania — home and order section
17. CarAudit Romania — frequently asked questions
18. Emergency Ordinance No. 195/2002 — Article 82(4)
19. MAI Order No. 181/2024 — registration and provisional circulation
20. ANAF Order No. 1611/2022
21. Law No. 296/2020 — amendment to Article 471(3)
22. MAI service hub — vehicle registration
23. RAR Auto-Pass — official service information
24. Law No. 142/2023 — RAR Auto-Pass
25. Buzău Prefecture — fee notice dated 2 September 2026
26. MAI Order No. 55/2025 — registration-plate tariffs