Short answer: For a used-car purchase, check RTD’s current transfer form, the registration certificate, insurance in the buyer’s name, recall documents and roadworthiness status. For an import, ask Customs about the vehicle’s status and VAT treatment, and RTD about registration eligibility before shipping.
What should I check before buying?
Ask for the registration certificate, service and repair records, inspection status and recall information. Compare the vehicle identification details with the documents. An independent mechanical inspection can help you decide whether to proceed; ask the mechanic what the inspection covers.
Agree in writing what is included in the sale, who will complete each transfer step and when payment and handover will occur. Keep copies of the agreement and payment records.
How do I transfer a used car into my name?
Use the current Greek RTD transfer guide. It lists:
- TOM 9Γ, completed by the existing and new owner.
- The vehicle registration certificate.
- An original insurance certificate in the new owner’s name, for a period of at least three months.
- A published transfer fee of €8.54; confirm the current charge and any additional costs for your case.
- Recall-related documents. The page lists TOM 369, 370, 371 and 372; ask RTD which forms apply to this vehicle and transaction.
The guide allows application and collection at district RTD offices, Citizen Service Centres or Postal Services Citizen Service Centres, personally or through a representative. Seller and buyer signatures must be certified by a certifying officer. If both attend, the clerk can certify their signatures against their identity cards.
If the vehicle has no valid roadworthiness certificate, the guide requires the new owner to acknowledge this using TOM 120A. Confirm what must be completed before the vehicle can be driven.
For a duty-free vehicle, the guide additionally lists Customs form Tel. 72A. Other special vehicle or ownership circumstances have additional requirements; ask RTD before arranging the transfer.
Older online forms can be misleading. RTD’s 25 October 2023 notice says TOM 9 and TOM 9B ceased to be accepted after 8 December 2023. Obtain the form through the current RTD guide.
What insurance do I need?
For ordinary private-car driving, section 3 of the third-party motor insurance law prohibits using a vehicle, or allowing another person to use it, without third-party liability insurance covering that person’s use, subject to the law’s exceptions.
Ask your insurer to confirm covered drivers, permitted use, territory, excess, exclusions and whether damage to your own vehicle is included. Request a written quote for the actual car and drivers rather than using a generic annual-price estimate.
What should I know about MOT inspections?
Check the vehicle’s inspection record and ask RTD or an authorised test centre when the next inspection is due for its category and use.
The current technical-inspection law, 1(I)/2007, lists the following private-test-centre fees in its table for M1 passenger vehicles with up to eight passenger seats, excluding the driver:
| Service | Statutory fee |
|---|---|
| Inspection | €43 |
| Reinspection | €10 |
Under section 7(3), a vehicle that did not obtain a successful inspection report may be reinspected at the same private test centre within the next 30 calendar days, with the applicable reinspection fee. Outside that period, a fresh inspection and its fee apply. Ask the test centre what must be repaired and what driving restrictions apply.
How do I renew road tax?
RTD’s 2026 renewal announcement lists renewal periods of three, six, nine or twelve months. It requires roadworthiness certification and insurance for renewal.
The announcement says renewals throughout the year are online, with specified exceptions such as diplomatic and certain special-category vehicles. For an ordinary private car, use the RTD renewal service; ask RTD if the vehicle falls into an exception.
Check the amount and current deadline for your vehicle in the official service. Confirm any arrears or immobilisation status before purchase, and keep the renewal confirmation.
How do I import a car from another EU country?
Customs’ EU-vehicle guide says exemption from import duty requires proof of Union status. It lists either a T2L or T2LF document, or the vehicle’s number plates together with the original registration document from the previous EU member state. It also requires the Customs-status verification application and supporting documents before collecting the vehicle.
For VAT, the guide treats the vehicle as used only when both conditions hold:
- More than six months have passed between first entry into service and the relevant delivery/acquisition date for transport to Cyprus.
- The vehicle has travelled more than 6,000 km at acquisition.
If either condition is unmet, Customs treats it as a new means of transport for this purpose, with VAT liability even if VAT was paid in the previous member state. The guide describes a specific transfer-of-normal-residence exception where VAT was already paid in the origin member state, subject to proof and Customs’ assessment of the declaration and supporting documents. Ask Customs whether it applies before budgeting for the shipment.
After Customs clearance, the vehicle must be registered before it can be licensed for road-tax purposes. RTD is the competent authority for registration and circulation fees.
What about importing from outside the EU?
Customs’ non-EU relief guide explains that transfer-of-normal-residence relief from import duty and VAT is conditional, with an application and approval procedure.
Customs also warns that RTD can impose additional conditions or restrictions on registering used vehicles imported from outside the EU, and advises contacting RTD before shipping to confirm whether registration is possible. Get a vehicle-specific Customs assessment and RTD confirmation before committing to an import.
What should I budget for?
Request separate quotes or official assessments for the purchase, inspection, ownership transfer, insurance, road tax, repairs and any shipping, Customs or registration costs. Ask which amounts include VAT and which services are optional.
For licence eligibility and exchange timing, use the driving-licence guide. For notice-specific fines and payment rules, see the traffic-fines guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a used-car ownership transfer cost?
RTD’s current Greek transfer guide lists €8.54. This is the published transfer fee, not a complete purchase, import, insurance or running-cost budget. Confirm the charge and any additional requirements for your case with RTD.
Can a resident keep using a UK driving licence indefinitely?
No. GOV.UK says a UK licence can be used in Cyprus for up to six months and advises applying for exchange before that period ends. UK licences can be exchanged without a test. Confirm residence evidence and application timing with RTD.
Is importing a car from the EU always tax-free?
No. Import-duty treatment depends on proving Union status. For VAT, Customs treats a vehicle as used only if it is more than six months old at the relevant delivery date and has travelled more than 6,000 km at acquisition. A new means of transport can attract VAT, subject to the specific transfer-of-normal-residence exception and required evidence.