Germany is the EU's largest vehicle market, and importing a Chinese-built passenger car requires customs clearance and type approval under the EU framework. For cars from a non-EU country such as China, customs applies the EU Common Customs Tariff of 10% on the CIF value. Import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer) is 19%, charged on the CIF value plus duty and related costs. Importantly, new China-origin battery-electric passenger cars have been subject since October 2024 to additional EU countervailing duties that vary by manufacturer — for example BYD 17%, Geely 18.8%, SAIC/MG 35.3% and Tesla Shanghai 7.8% — in force until October 2029; used vehicles are generally exempt. The car must hold EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA). If the manufacturer does not provide a European Certificate of Conformity (CoC), TÜV or DEKRA must carry out an individual technical inspection and approval under §21 StVZO. Customs clearance is filed through the ATLAS system, with Hamburg and Bremerhaven as the main entry ports. We advise verifying the model's EU approval status and obtaining a full tax estimate in advance. EZ Auto Global provides China export preparation, export documentation, CIF quotations and German clearance and registration support.
| Import duty & taxes | Passenger cars from China are subject to the EU Common Customs Tariff of 10% duty on the CIF value, plus 19% import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer) charged on the CIF value plus duty and related costs. New China-origin electric passenger cars have also been subject since October 2024 to EU countervailing duties that vary by manufacturer (e.g. BYD 17%, Geely 18.8%, SAIC/MG 35.3%, Tesla Shanghai 7.8%), in force until October 2029; used vehicles are generally exempt from this additional duty. |
|---|---|
| Authority & certification | The vehicle must hold EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA); if the manufacturer does not provide a European Certificate of Conformity (CoC), TÜV or DEKRA must carry out an individual technical inspection and approval under §21 StVZO. |
| Main ports / entry | Customs clearance is filed through the ATLAS system, with Hamburg and Bremerhaven as the main entry ports. |
| Steering | Left-hand drive (LHD); drives on the right. |
Figures indicative. Germany is the EU's core market: cars imported from China carry the EU Common Customs Tariff of 10% duty (on CIF) plus 19% import VAT; new China-origin BEVs also bear the EU countervailing duty (until 2029-10, used vehicles generally exempt); EU WVTA is required, with TÜV/DEKRA individual approval under §21 StVZO where no CoC is provided; clearance is filed via the ATLAS system, with Hamburg and Bremerhaven as the main ports. Sources: German Customs (Zoll, zoll.de); EU Taxation and Customs Union (taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu). Last reviewed 2026-10.
45-country import policy quick reference →
EZ Auto's team has 15–20 years of experience in China's car export business, working from our base in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. We are not a European company and do not claim a local European office: we serve European importers directly from China, with the same order-based, document-complete model we use in every market. Vehicles reach Europe either by sea from Chinese ports to major European gateways such as Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Barcelona and Gdańsk, or overland on the China–Europe rail service through terminals such as Małaszewicze. We do not rely on transshipment shortcuts; every car is sourced directly in China, inspected before payment, and shipped with full export documents. A typical order runs in seven steps: you confirm the model, specification and quantity; we source and verify availability in China; you approve the unit and we sign the contract; inspection takes place before payment; export clearance and booking are arranged in China; the vehicle leaves a Chinese port or rail terminal and we send you the shipping documents; you clear customs on arrival with your local broker. Payment terms, delivery windows and inspection scope are agreed in the contract for each order. Our role ends at the port of entry; import clearance, national approval and inland delivery are handled locally, with our document support throughout.
Get today's price and a delivery estimate to your country.
Inquire on WhatsApp →