Registration Service

Importing a classic American muscle car into Europe is one thing. Getting it legally registered and on the road is another. Every country has its own rules, its own inspection requirements, and its own paperwork. In the Netherlands, registration goes through the RDW – the national vehicle authority – and the process can range from straightforward to genuinely complex depending on the car. At Pedal to the Metal, we handle the entire registration process in-house, from booking the RDW appointment to taking the car in for inspection and managing every document along the way. Our crew is experienced and fully trained in what Dutch registration requires. The customer does not have to deal with any of it.

The RDW is the Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer, the Dutch national authority responsible for vehicle registration, roadworthiness, and type approval. Any vehicle being registered in the Netherlands for road use must be inspected and approved by the RDW. For classic American cars imported from the United States, this means the car must go through a formal RDW import inspection before it can receive Dutch registration plates and be driven legally on public roads. The RDW sets the requirements, conducts the inspection, and issues the registration documentation. We manage the entire relationship with the RDW on your behalf.

Yes, entirely. We manage everything ourselves with our own experienced crew – we do not outsource this. From booking the RDW appointment and preparing the car for inspection, to transporting the car to the RDW office and handling all the paperwork, the process is managed end to end by our team. We know what the RDW requires, we know how to prepare a car correctly, and we know how to handle complications when they arise. The customer’s job is to enjoy the car when it is registered. Everything in between is ours to manage.

It depends entirely on the complexity of the car. A straightforward classic car that meets RDW requirements without significant modification can be registered within a matter of weeks. A more complex case – a heavily modified car, a car with unusual specifications, or a vehicle that requires engineering work to meet Dutch road requirements – can take several months and involves considerably more cost and effort.

To give you a real example of what complex looks like: we recently converted a 1990s ex-track Ford GT40 replica into a fully street-legal vehicle and guided it through the complete RDW inspection process successfully. That project took several months and required significant preparatory work. We are not a registration service that only handles the easy cases.

For a car being imported from the United States, the core documents required are the American title, a bill of sale, and a valid export certificate. For older vehicles, proof of year of manufacture is also required and can typically be confirmed through manufacturer documentation, a Marti report, or equivalent factory documentation for the specific marque. We will advise you on exactly which documents are needed for your specific car and help you ensure they are in order before the car ships, which avoids delays at the registration stage.

Classic cars in the Netherlands benefit from specific exemptions depending on their age. Vehicles over a certain age threshold are exempt from standard APK emissions requirements and have a simplified inspection pathway. However, the exact rules depend on the car’s age, its technical specifications, and whether it has been significantly modified. We assess each car individually and advise on what the inspection will involve before the process begins. In most cases, a genuinely classic American muscle car from the 1960s or 1970s presents no significant emissions complications.

Yes, but it requires more preparation and more time. Modified cars – whether through engine swaps, suspension changes, bodywork modifications, or other alterations – require more detailed technical documentation and may require engineering sign-off before the RDW will accept them. Our team has experience preparing modified cars for registration, including cars with significant custom work. We regularly work with restomod and pro-touring builds that require careful preparation for the inspection process.

Yes. We assist with registration in Belgium and Germany in addition to the Netherlands. European buyers based in Belgium or Germany can take delivery of a car through us with registration handled for their home country. Requirements and timelines differ between countries and we will advise specifically based on your situation. Contact us at [email protected] to discuss the registration requirements for your country.

Registration costs vary depending on the car, its complexity, and the country of registration. A straightforward Dutch registration involves RDW inspection fees, import duties where applicable, and our service fee. A complex registration involving significant preparatory work, engineering documentation, or multiple inspection appointments involves considerably more. We provide a realistic cost estimate before the process begins so there are no surprises. Contact us at [email protected] or call +31 6 25 19 61 76 to discuss your specific situation.