How to file your car bpm return in three steps

Have you brought a car from abroad? Then you will soon come up against bpm, or tax on passenger cars and motorbikes, in the Netherlands. It may sound complicated, but filing a bpm declaration does not have to be as difficult as you think. Here you can read how to arrange it easily in three steps.

First, grab all the necessary papers

Before you start filing the tax return, it is useful to have everything in order. The car’s registration certificate is a good starting point – it contains important information such as the make, model and engine capacity. Next, look for the invoice that shows what you paid for the car and any additional costs such as transport or import duties. You will also need the CVO (Certificate of Conformity), which proves that your car complies with European regulations. Finally, you also need to arrange proof of the car’s CO2 emissions. This can be done through a certificate from the manufacturer or a test centre. This is important because it determines how much bpm you will eventually have to pay.

Calculate your bpm and fill in the form

Now that you have gathered all the documents, you can get started with the bpm calculation. Fortunately, there are online tools that make this process a lot easier. Enter the details such as the catalogue value, CO2 emissions and age of the car, and you will get a clear picture of what you owe. Then it’s time to fill in the bpm declaration form. You can simply find this on the Inland Revenue’s website. Make sure you fill in all the necessary details correctly so that you don’t get delayed. It takes some work, but once you have filled it in, you will be a big step ahead.

File your tax return and pay

If everything is correct, submit your bpm car tax return. You can do this online via the Tax Administration’s website, or by post if that is your preference. Don’t forget to include all collected documents to prevent your return from being sent back for additional information. After submitting, you will receive a notice from the Inland Revenue stating exactly how much bpm you have to pay. Once you have made the payment, you will receive a certificate of payment. You will need this document to register the car in the Netherlands and put it in your full name. So you can hit the road in your new acquisition without any hassle. With a little preparation and a clear approach, filing your bpm declaration is a piece of cake.