Bynco is the used car expert for expats in The Netherlands

On this page you can read/find:

• 11 must-knows for expats in the Netherlands
• Why, as an expat choose Bynco
• What are the advantages of buying a used vehicle online at Bynco?
• An overview of the must-read blogs for expats
• Frequently asked questions by expats

11 must-knows for expats in the Netherlands

1. You are allowed to drive in the Netherlands with a foreign driving licence for a maximum of 185 days
   This period starts from the moment you are registered in the Netherlands. If your stay is longer than 185 days, you must have your foreign driving licence exchanged for a Dutch one at the municipality. You risk a fine if you do not do this. Obviously, you are not allowed to drive in the Netherlands with an invalid (foreign) driving licence. If you do, you also risk a fine. 
   
   You can only exchange your foreign driving licence if it was issued in an EU or EFTA (European Free Trade Association) country, or in a country with which the Netherlands has an agreement because it meets the European driving licence guidelines. If this is not the case, you will have to take driving lessons and pass a theory and practical driving test to obtain a Dutch driving licence. More information on this and on exchanging your driving licence can be found here.
2. Car registration, how it works
   Car registration (tenaamstelling) is the term used in the Netherlands to describe the transfer of a car's registration certificate to the name of its new owner. If you buy a car from us, we will arrange the registration at the time of delivery - unless you have a foreign driving licence. In that case, delivery and registration must take place at your nearest RDW approval station. We are there to help you.
   
   For the registration at the RDW, you need a valid driving licence and an extract from the population register (not older than 3 months) of the municipality where you live. In the case of a Dutch driving licence, you do not need more than that for the registration. 
3. These are the documents you need to buy a car as an expat in the Netherlands
   If you have a valid Dutch driving licence, it is the only document you need to buy a car. Do you have a valid foreign driving licence? Then you need this plus your passport (not a copy) and an extract from the civil registry (not older than 3 months) of the municipality where you live.  
4. What you need to buy a car with financing as an expat in the Netherlands
   In that case we need a copy of the following: payslip, passport or ID card, residence permit and bank statement. Your payslip and bank statement may not be older than 3 months. In addition, the bank statement must show the amounts debited and credited (rent, mortgage, salary, etc.) for an entire month. Of course, you also need a valid driving licence so that the car can be registered in your name. It does not matter whether you have a Dutch or foreign driving licence. Follow this link if you would like to know more about car financing. 
5. How to arrange insurance for your (new) car in the Netherlands
   In the Netherlands, it is compulsory to insure your car, otherwise you will not be allowed on the public roads and you risk a fine if you do. After buying a car online, we will send you the registration code of the car the day before delivery. You need this code to take out insurance. Tip: visit the Pricewise website to compare car insurances. After that you can immediately take out the insurance that suits you best via Pricewise. Make sure that the start date of the insurance is the same as the date on which you receive the keys to your new car.
6. These are the costs of driving that you have to reckon with in the Netherlands
   For convenience, we distinguish between fixed and variable costs. Insurance (compulsory) and road tax (also compulsory) are fixed costs that you pay every month. Fuel (or electricity), depreciation and maintenance are variable costs. The fixed costs for a car are between €75 and €100 per month. The variable costs are often higher and depend entirely on the number of kilometres you drive each month, the fuel/energy price and the amounts you reserve for maintenance and depreciation.
7. You can buy a car as an expat with a foreign driving licence
   However, you are obliged to have your foreign driving licence replaced with a Dutch one at the town hall within 185 days of your arrival in the Netherlands. There are costs associated with this. If you come from outside the EU/EEA, you will first have to pass both the Dutch theory and practical driving test before you can apply for a Dutch driving licence. Replacing your driving licence usually takes a week or more. In addition, because you are handing in your 'old' driving licence at the municipality, you are not allowed to drive during this period. Read more about replacing your driving licence here.
8. How to deliver your car if you have a foreign driving licence
   In that case, we will not deliver the car to your home, but we will make an appointment with the RDW station closest to you. This is where the registration of the car is done. Bring your driving licence and an extract from the civil registry (not older than 3 months) of the municipality where you live. If you have any issues or questions, we are here to help. The rest of the delivery process is the same as the home delivery.
9. How road tax works in the Netherlands
   Road tax, also known as motor vehicle tax, is a form of tax that is (compulsorily) paid by car owners. The proceeds are used by the Dutch government to pay for the construction and maintenance of the national road network. How much road tax you pay for your car depends on the following factors:
   - The weight;
   - The fuel type (petrol, diesel, hydrogen, electricity*)
   - The CO2 emissions
   - The province you live in.
   *If you have a fully electric car, you do not have to pay road tax.
   
   After purchasing your car and registering it in your name, you will receive an invoice for the road tax due from the Dutch tax authorities by post. Then - after a few weeks - you will receive an authorisation form. You can use this to authorise (but are not obliged to authorise) the Tax and Customs Administration to make a direct debit payment. If you do so, the tax authorities will debit the amount due from your account at the end of each month. If you do not use a direct debit, the Tax Authorities will send you an invoice at the end of each quarter for the road tax owed for three months. You must pay this bill in time yourself.
   
   As soon as you have sold your car, the direct debit will automatically stop and you will no longer have to pay road tax for the car in question. If you paid quarterly, you will not receive any more invoices. If applicable, you will be reimbursed for the amount of road tax paid in excess. Or, if you have paid too little, you will receive a final settlement and you will owe the tax authorities X amount.
10. As an expat in the Netherlands, you can benefit from the so-called 30% rule
    The 30% rule is a Dutch tax regulation for expats with expertise which is hard to find on the Dutch labour market. If you are eligible for this scheme and you make use of it, you are entitled to a tax-free reimbursement of 30% of your taxable income to compensate for so-called extraterritorial expenses. These are additional expenses related to living and working outside your country of origin. The costs for applying for a Dutch driving licence or for replacing your foreign driving licence are extraterritorial costs and therefore fall under the 30% rule.
    Suppose you cannot have your driving licence exchanged for a Dutch driving licence because it was issued outside a:
    - EU country;
    - EFTA (European Free Trade Association) country;
    - Country with which the Netherlands has no agreement because it does not comply with the European driving licence directives...
    
    ...then it is possible, thanks to the 30% rule, provided your foreign driving licence is still valid. In that case, you do not have to take driving lessons or take a theory and practical test to obtain a Dutch driving licence. This applies to you and to partners and children living at the same address. Here you can read which countries are not part of the EU and EFTA and do not have an agreement with the Netherlands.
11. These are the financing and leasing options for expats in the Netherlands
    As an expat in the Netherlands, you can choose from the following financing options:
    
    - Revolving credit
    A revolving credit gives you continuous access to an amount of money that you can use to buy a car, for example. You can withdraw the amount in one time or in parts and you only pay interest on the amount you withdraw.
    - Personal loan
    Also called revolving credit. During the lifetime of this type of loan/financing, the interest rate and the instalment (repayment and credit repayment percentage) are fixed.
    - Final Term Financing 
    With this type of financing, the residual value of the car is taken into account. You only pay interest on the residual value, which makes the monthly amount considerably lower than if you were to pay off the entire financing.
    
    Financial Lease and Operational Lease are the two types of leasing you can choose from as an expat in the Netherlands.
    
    Financial Lease vs. Operational Lease

    Financial Lease is comparable to a mortgage with fixed monthly fees, while Operational Lease is comparable to renting, because you rent the car from the leasing company. In addition, maintenance, repairs and insurance are included with Operational Lease. In conclusion, in the case of Financial Lease you become the owner of the car, in the case of Operational Lease you do not, as the leasing company is the owner. Read more about financing and leasing options for expats in the Netherlands here.

The best, easiest and fastest way to buy a car online in The Netherlands

Finding and buying a reliable car in a country where you’re unfamiliar takes a lot of time and effort. Not if you go with Bynco, the one-stop-webshop for expats in need of a car.

At Bynco, you buy or finance a reliable car completely online with the advice and support of our car experts. Risk-free thanks to a 12-month warranty, free return within 2 weeks policy, and our promise that we’ll pay for any unforeseen car costs incurred during the first 12.000 kilometres. We’ll deliver the car to your doorstep within 2 weeks, and payment takes place on delivery, safely via online banking. So go Bynco and save yourself the hassle.

The benefits of Bynco

This is what we arrange for expats

The only thing you have to arrange yourself is the payment of the car, the insurance and, after 12 months (or more), the maintenance. Further on this page you can read how to arrange car insurance in the Netherlands and you can always call, email or send us a WhatsApp message for advice on maintaining your car. 

Get to know us

Bynco stands for Buy Your Next Car Online and has been the platform for buying and financing used cars online since 2017. You will find more than 10,000 reliable cars at Bynco.com. Each used car is no more than 8 years old, has driven no more than 150,000 kilometres, costs no more than €50,000 and meets our strict price and quality standards; otherwise it will not be published online. In addition to offering quality second-hand cars, Bynco also provides honest and independent advice on which car suits you best as an expat.

Why choose Bynco as an expat

As an expat in the Netherlands, you have come to the right place for these reasons, too:

• 800+ expats preceded you
  Since 2017, we have been making online used car buying easy for expats. In 5 years' time, we have made more than 800 expats happy with our services and a new car. 
• Only the best used cars
  In our online showroom, we have brought together the best used cars from the best car companies, so that you, as an expat, can always buy a reliable car. 
• Independent advice
  There's plenty of choice in the used car world, but which car to choose? Our independent car experts will advise you on the right choice, based on your wishes and budget. So we don't care which used car you buy, as long as it suits you.
• Dutch driving licence not required
  As an expat, you do not need to have a Dutch driving licence to buy or finance a used car with us online.
• Short delivery time
  Our delivery time is short, because we understand that as a newcomer in the Netherlands you want to have a car at your disposal quickly. That is why we deliver the used car of your choice to your home within 2 weeks, on the agreed date. 
• No language barrier
  Our experts speak excellent English and can answer all your questions.

The advantages of buying a used vehicle online at Bynco 

• Secure payment through iDEAL and GoCredible
  With us, buying a car online is just as easy and safe as buying a television or barbecue online. If you buy a car online from Bynco as an expat, you are able to simply and safely pay via iDEAL, after which the money is parked in the third-party money account of GoCredible, an independent and reliable payment platform.
• 2 weeks of test driving
  At Bynco, after receiving and paying for your new car, you can test drive it for no less than 2 weeks. That way you can find out if you really have chosen the perfect used car. Not happy with the car? Then we'll pick it up again. You get your money back and, if you want, we'll look for a better match.
• 12-month warranty
  Every used car comes with a minimum of 12 months warranty and we promise you no (maintenance) costs for the first six months, so no worries. Something wrong? We'll fix it for you and pay the bill.
• From computer screen to your front door, free of charge
  We deliver your new car to your home free of charge, so as an expat you don't have to leave the house, saving you time and money.
• No costs and no worries during the first 12.000 kilometres
  We always give you a one-year warranty and we make sure that the car of your choice does not require any maintenance for at least 12.000 kilometres. Is there anything wrong with your car during the first 12.000 kilometres that you cannot control and that is not covered by the warranty? Then we pay the bill.
• Free returns within 14 days
  Did you decide during the 2-week test drive that your new car is not the car for you? We'll pick it up from your home and refund the full purchase price to your account within five working days of collection.
• Bynco Buy-back service for expats
  If your time in the Netherlands is coming to an end for you (and your family), you'd like to get rid of your car quickly and easily, right? Thanks to our buy-back service, you don't have to arrange the sale of your car yourself and you can use your time to, for example, arrange to move to your home country. If you agree with the purchase price, we will pick up the car at your home and transfer the amount to your account within five working days. And we will make sure that the car is no longer registered in your name and that you no longer have to pay road tax. All you have to do is stop the car insurance.

Must-read blogs for expats

• What you need to know when moving to The Netherlands
• How to finance a car as expat in The Netherlands
• Importing your car to The Netherlands
• How to buy or sell a car in The Netherlands
• Private lease for expats, what are the possibilities?
• Converting a foreign driver's licence into a Dutch driver's licence
• Monthly costs of a car in The Netherlands

Want to know more?

Would you like us to help you get a new car and/or do you want to know more about our services for expats? Then contact us by phone, e-mail, WhatsApp or chat. We are available every day, even on weekends.

Consultation
Are you a step further and want to know which car suits you best based on your wishes and budget? Then schedule a consultation with one of our car experts at a day and time that suits you best. We will give you a call on the agreed date and time. You decide how the meeting will proceed. Let us know which questions you may have, we're here to help. 

Schedule a call