Formalities and practical information for your personal vehicle

Are you importing your vehicle to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg? Are you buying a new or used car in Luxembourg?
The owners of a vehicle have several administrative formalities to carry out whether it is for the importation, the registration or for the use of their car or two-wheeler throughout the year in Luxembourg.

You will find here all the administrative steps to take in Luxembourg for your motor vehicle. How to register your vehicle? How do I buy car insurance? What are the mandatory periodic technical inspections for your vehicle?

Buying a car in Luxembourg

There are several ways to buy a vehicle in Luxembourg, whether it is new or used.

In addition to the car dealerships, there are a number of many carsales sites such as Luxauto, Auto.lu, Automarket, Bazar.lu… Ads from individuals are also available on Facebook in groups like ” Used car Luxembourg ” or ” Used cars in Luxembourg” for example.

From 2035 onwards, thermal cars will no longer be sold in Luxembourg, as in all EU countries.
However, the Ferrari amendment tabled by Italian MEPs will allow manufacturers selling between 1,000 and 10,000 vehicles per year to have an extra year to develop 100% electric models.
Luxury car manufacturers selling fewer than 1,000 luxury cars a year will be able to continue to equip their cars with combustion engines.

Registration of your vehicle in Luxembourg

Every vehicle circulating in Luxembourg must be registered. Whether it is a new or used vehicle, foreign or Luxembourgish, there are different cases for the registration of a vehicle. That is why we strongly advise you to consult the website www.snca.lu to find out what you need to do to register a vehicle in Luxembourg.

In case of a cross-border move, the owner who imports his road vehicle into Luxembourg has a period of 6 months, starting from the day of establishment, to proceed with the formalities for the registration of his vehicle with the SNCA.

Vehicle registration procedures

To register your vehicle in Luxembourg, you must go to the SNCA in Sandweiler with the following documents:

• Application form for a registration certificate to be completed and signed and submitted to the SNCA (downloadable from the SNCA website) with the following documents
• invoice / proof of ownership of the vehicle with VAT calculation
• validcar insurance certificate,
• customs document, “vignette 705” or “ATV” for imported vehicles. You can obtain this sticker by presenting the vehicle at any Customs and Excise Administration office. This request must be made with a certificate of residence obtained from your Commune of residence.
• European certificate of conformity
• a stamp of chancellery of a value of 50 euros.

Each vehicle registered in Luxembourg is subject to the collection of an annual tax by the LuxembourgCustoms and Excise Administration . This is the tax sticker. The document is sent to the vehicle’s registration address with a request to transfer the amount requested. Payment must be made upon receipt of the application.

Personalized license plate

In Luxembourg, you can request your personalized license plate via a form to be downloaded from the SNCA website. If the desired number has not yet been assigned, you will be able to use it on your car against payment. See www.snca.lu

Please note that unlike many foreign registration systems, the assignment of a registration number does not mean that the vehicle is registered or automatically accepted for registration! You will have to follow the above procedure.

Technical control of vehicles in Luxembourg

Type of vehicles concerned by the technical inspection

Vehicles registered in Luxembourg must be covered by a valid technical inspection certificate.

The first technical inspection for cars, motorcycles and trailers weighing more than 750 kg and less than 3,500 kg takes place 4 years after the first registration.
The 2nd technical inspection takes place 2 years later, i.e. 6 years after the first circulation, then the following ones every year.

Trailers weighing less than 750 kg must have a compliance sticker which must be purchased from SNCA.

Vehicles built before 1950 are not subject to technical inspection.

The so-called “historic” vehicles must undergo the technical inspection every 2 years. Historic vehicles” are vehicles that were first built or registered more than 30 years ago and whose type is no longer produced and has not undergone major modifications. The new regulations do not change the status of vehicles previously qualified as historic, i.e. after 25 years.

Technical inspection procedure

You can perform your mandatory technical inspection at :

• the SNCT – Société Nationale de Contrôle Technique in Sandweiler,
• DEKRA or LU KS approved bodies
• partner garages.

The documents to be presented to the SNCT at your appointment are available on the SNCT website.

Make an appointment for your technical control. Show up for your road test at the appointed time. You can make or change your appointment online via the SNCT website or with the other agencies above.
All you have to do is follow the instructions of the agents on site.

More information: www.snct.lu or tel: +352 35 72 14-222

Careful! The technical inspection is not free of charge, payment in cash or by V PAY card.

Your vehicle can also be checked in case of an accident and important repairs, if the vehicle undergoes transformations such as tuning,… or on request of the administration.

Winter regulations

Winter tires mandatory in Luxembourg

Luxembourg has adopted winter tires or “4 seasons” tires, which are mandatory for driving on Luxembourg roads in winter conditions. That is to say, in the event of black ice, packed snow, slush, ice patches or frost.

This measure applies to all vehicles crossing Luxembourg’s borders, whether resident or not. This is also the case for frontier workers who must be in order.

Previously, this measure applied from November 1 to March 31. Today, there is no longer any notion of a date. Offenders risk a fine of 74 euros if they are checked in winter conditions and if their vehicle is not properly equipped.

Legal requirements for vehicles in winter

In case of snow or very low temperatures, remember to clear your vehicle of any snow or ice on the windows, windshield and rear window. Visibility must be complete. Your license plate must also be completely clear.

In addition, it is against the law to leave the engine of an immobilized vehicle running in order to warm it up or defrost the windows. Again, as in the previous cases, these offenses are punishable by law and punishable by fines of 49 to 74 euros.

Don’t forget! Driving in Luxembourg requires to respect several rules in order to be able to circulate with your car or your motorcycle on the Luxembourgish roads. See these rules of conduct in Luxembourg.

What assistance for your car?

In Luxembourg, the assistance of your vehicle is very developed for competitive rates. Indeed, the Automobile Club du Luxembourg offers an all-in-one solution for a comfort without common measure