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Can you drive a car with foreign plates in Denmark if you live in Denmark?

The main rule and the few exceptions.

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Short answer

As a main rule, you may not drive a vehicle with foreign plates in Denmark when you live in Denmark yourself. If you move to Denmark with a foreign-registered car, it must be registered in Denmark within 30 days of the move. If you import one, you notify Motorstyrelsen before you cross the border and then have 30 days to register it. A few exceptions exist, such as a loan car from a foreign workshop while your own car is serviced abroad, but you must notify Motorstyrelsen before crossing the border. Employees of a company in another EU or EEA country can apply for exemption for a company car with form 21,022 B and must have approval before driving it here.

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Why

  1. Residence in Denmark decides the rule, not citizenship.
  2. A move with a car starts a 30-day deadline.
  3. Exceptions need notice to Motorstyrelsen before the border.

Details

A resident who only drives a foreign car through Denmark needs a transit permit for each trip, applied for with form 21,072.

Tip

Plan the registration before the move, since the extended inspection and the tax payment both take time within the 30 days.

What may differ

A private test drive of a foreign car you might buy is not one of the exceptions; only commercial testing is.

Common misconception

Many new residents think they can keep driving on their home plates for six months.

What actually happens

The deadline is 30 days from the move, and after that the car may not be used on foreign plates.

People also ask

  • How do you import a car to Denmark?
  • Can a cross-border worker drive a company car from Germany in Denmark?
  • How much is the registration tax on an imported car?

Sources

This answer is for reference only. Traffic rules, fines and fees can change, so check the Danish authorities before you drive.

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