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Would you like to sell your used truck abroad? Then be prepared for lots of paperwork, organization, and potential pitfalls. Things quickly get complicated, especially when selling outside the EU — to Africa or Eastern Europe, for example. From deregistration to VAT, there are a few things to consider. In this article, we'll show you what's important, which documents you need and how to protect yourself from fraud.
Gabriel Böhm is Director Strategy & Operations at truckoo, the digital platform that is redefining commercial vehicle trade in Europe. With a passion for innovation and efficiency, he shapes the strategic direction and drives operational excellence to connect sellers and buyers smarter, faster and more transparently.
If you read reports in forums, it's quickly clear: selling and transferring your old truck from Germany abroad involves a lot of organization, paperwork and stress. There are a few things to consider, especially when the used truck is transferred by hand. Selling to Africa or another country outside the EU is even more complicated!
A lot needs to be done to export the vehicle to Eastern Europe. The truck must deregistered by the registration office The vehicle registration document must be handed over and further appointments must be made.
You also have to Find buyersWhich for your truck the Transfer is organized and reliable. This is where most people turn to online sales portals.
However, once you have found a truck dealer or buyer, you have to take care of the paperwork. To do this, you apply for an export license plate and need, among other things:
The mother of the Prozellan crate is careful! You can quickly get on with people whose scam works again and again. Defects suddenly appear that affect the purchase price. He had discovered damage that may have been caused by a concealed accident.
All of these are aspects with which the buyer wants to adjust the price of the truck downwards. In addition, the dubious interested party requires you to organize Polish short-term license plates, which would involve additional effort for you.
Especially when selling a company — trucks abroad, care should be taken. Our first tip: Leave it alone. The risk that you will end up with a not-so-reputable buyer is quite high in this industry. You run the risk that the sale will not be processed properly and that the tax authorities will want 19%. First of all: a sale to a private person within the EU is subject to sales tax just like a sale in Germany. If you want to sell tax-free to a foreign entrepreneur, you must provide a pile of documents as to who bought the car and that it was actually transferred to this company.
In addition to the documents, a confirmation of arrival is required: The recipient must confirm that they have received the delivered item. This confirmation can also be sent by fax; it should be included on the invoice so that there is no need to repeat all details of the invoice. Legally speaking, the confirmation of arrival has been sufficient since July 2013. But: you only get them later or not. It could also be forged or signed by someone who was not authorized to do so. As before, the following information is therefore required so that you can be considered in good faith in the event of a problem: The VAT ID of both business partners must be on the invoice. If you don't have a number, you must apply for one. The number of the business partner must be verified by a qualified confirmation from the Federal Central Tax Office. Checks on other sites or on the customer's homepage are invalid. Print out the test result and keep it with the copy of the invoice! The invoice is without sales tax. The note “tax-free due to intra-community acquisition” must be included. (In the EU). It is advantageous to also note this in the recipient's local language or in English. When handing over the vehicle, the recipient must identify himself. Copies of all identity documents must be made. If a third party receives the car, you need a power of attorney from the recipient. In addition, a document is required that the signatory of the power of attorney is entitled to do so (excerpt from the recipient country's commercial register with the registration of Jose Santos or similar as managing director).
Want to know more about selling trucks?
In our great guidebook, you'll find out How to optimally prepare, value and sell your used truck profitably — step by step.
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