Car auctions in Germany: how foreign dealers buy
Car auctions in Germany for foreign dealers: auction types, registration, fees, net vs margin lots, collection deadlines and export paperwork.
· 7 min read
Car auctions in Germany are open to foreign dealers who register with a company extract and a valid EU VAT number. You bid in physical, live online or timed online sales, pay the hammer price plus a buyer fee within a few days and collect the car with its documents. Your profit is decided before bidding: by the lot's tax status and the price the car fetches in your market.
How car auctions in Germany are organised
Germany has the largest supply of young used cars in Europe, and most of it reaches the trade through a few channels.
- Remarketing auction centres with physical lanes, now almost always streamed online as well.
- Online trade platforms running timed auctions for leasing companies, fleets and dealers.
- Leasing companies' and manufacturers' own sales portals, often closed tenders or fixed-time auctions for registered buyers.
- Dealer-to-dealer platforms where franchised dealers sell part-exchanges they do not want to retail.
Commercial holders register the majority of new cars in Germany, so ex-lease and company cars dominate the auction lanes: diesel and plug-in hybrid estates, premium saloons and SUVs, typically three to four years old with high but documented mileage.
Can foreign dealers buy at German car auctions?
Yes. German trade auctions routinely sell to dealers from other EU countries and beyond. Registration usually requires:
- A current extract from your trade or company register.
- Your EU VAT number, checked in the European Commission's VIES database.
- Identity documents of the authorised person.
- Sometimes a deposit or bank reference before your first purchase.
Private buyers are excluded from trade sales. Government sales of surplus and seized vehicles are a separate channel open to the public – see police car auctions.
For car dealers
Know your margin before you buy
MyCarDealer compares any car from an auction or listing with the market in your country and shows the net margin after VAT, transport and costs – and the maximum bid.
Request accessAre German auction cars sold net or under the margin scheme?
German auction cars are sold either net with VAT shown (often marked "MwSt. ausweisbar" or "regelbesteuert") or under the margin scheme ("§ 25a UStG", "Differenzbesteuerung"). The lot description states which.
Net lots. Most ex-lease and fleet cars. Sold to a dealer in another member state with a valid VAT number, the supply is exempt in Germany under § 4 Nr. 1b and § 6a UStG (Article 138 of the VAT Directive 2006/112/EC). You declare the acquisition at home and charge your own VAT on resale.
Margin lots. Cars the seller bought without deductible VAT, such as private part-exchanges. Under § 25a UStG, Germany's implementation of Articles 311–343 of the VAT Directive, the seller pays 19% VAT only on its own margin and cannot show VAT on the invoice. You pay the full price, cannot deduct anything and later apply the margin scheme yourself.
Proof of delivery. For a net sale the German seller must prove the car reached another member state. § 17b UStDV requires the proof to include the vehicle identification number, and for a car collected by the buyer it can include evidence of registration in the destination country. Many sellers therefore ask for a deposit equal to the German VAT until they receive the confirmation of arrival (Gelangensbestätigung) or registration proof. Our guide to proof of intra-EU delivery explains which documents work.
What fees are charged on top of the hammer price?
German auctions add a buyer fee and several smaller charges to the hammer price. The usual structure:
| Fee | How it is charged |
|---|---|
| Buyer fee | Fixed amount per price band, rising with the hammer price |
| Platform or online bidding fee | Per car, on some online sales |
| Documents and handling | Per car, sometimes combined with the buyer fee |
| Export documents | If you need export plates or customs papers |
| Storage | Per day after the free collection period |
| Late payment | Interest or a flat charge |
Fees are services and normally carry German VAT, which a foreign dealer may be able to recover through the EU VAT refund procedure or which the auction invoices under reverse charge – check how your platform treats it. Always read the fee table of the specific sale before bidding; the total of fees on a mid-range car often makes the difference between a margin and a loss. Our car auction fees guide shows how to build them into the maximum bid.
How quickly must cars be collected after a German auction?
Most German auctions expect payment within a few working days of the sale and collection soon after, with only a short storage-free period. After that a daily storage charge applies, and some terms allow the auction to cancel the sale or resell the car if you do not pay.
Practical steps once you win:
- Pay the invoice by bank transfer within the deadline.
- Book transport immediately – carriers group cars by route and need a few days.
- Send the carrier's collection authority to the auction.
- Check that the registration certificate Part I (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I), Part II (Teil II), the certificate of conformity and the keys are released with the car or sent by courier.
Export paperwork: plates, deregistration and documents
Most auction cars in Germany are already deregistered when sold, so they leave on a truck with their documents. If you want to drive a car home, you need German export plates (Ausfuhrkennzeichen), which require a valid roadworthiness inspection (HU) for the whole validity period and insurance cover for the journey. The details are in our guide to German export plates.
Keep these documents for your registration at home:
- Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and Teil II (the original Part II is essential).
- Certificate of conformity or data allowing your authority to register the car.
- Purchase invoice showing the tax status (net or § 25a).
- Service records and the latest HU report if available.
Comparing the hammer price with your home market
The only price that matters is what the car will fetch in your country after VAT and costs. Germany is often cheaper than neighbouring markets for popular models, but not always.
According to listings tracked by MyCarDealer in October 2026, a diesel Volkswagen Passat from model years 2020–2022 had these median asking prices:
| Country | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 253 | €18,480 |
| Czech Republic | 345 | €17,171 |
| Belgium | 60 | €17,950 |
| Italy | 120 | €17,890 |
| Poland | 37 | €17,547 |
| Austria | 32 | €18,990 |
The median mileage was about 133,000 km. For a BMW 3 Series from 2021–2023 the picture differs: €24,999 in Germany across 447 listings, €27,750 in Italy, €26,842 in Poland and €30,499 in the Netherlands, where prices include the effect of BPM registration tax.
The lesson: a Passat bought at German retail-linked prices leaves little room in Central Europe, while a 3 Series can leave a gap towards Italy. Narrow the comparison to the same engine, gearbox and mileage before bidding. MyCarDealer does this per lot – market price in your country, net margin after VAT and costs, maximum bid – and dealers can apply via request access.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreign dealers buy at German car auctions?
Yes. Dealers from other EU countries register with a company extract and an EU VAT number, which the auction checks in VIES. Private buyers are not admitted to trade sales, but government surplus auctions in Germany are open to the public.
What fees are charged on top of the hammer price in Germany?
A buyer fee tiered by price band, plus possible charges for online bidding, documents, export paperwork, storage after the free period and late payment. Fees usually carry German VAT. Check the fee table of each sale before you bid.
Are German auction cars sold net or with margin scheme?
Both. Ex-lease and fleet cars are normally sold net with VAT shown, and are invoiced without German VAT to a foreign dealer with a valid VAT number. Cars sold under § 25a UStG come with VAT hidden in the margin and no deduction is possible.
How quickly must cars be collected after a German auction?
Usually within a few working days of payment. After a short free period the auction charges storage per day, and unpaid or uncollected cars can be cancelled or resold under the terms of sale.
Why does a German auction ask me for a VAT deposit?
Because the seller only keeps the VAT exemption if it can prove the car left Germany for another member state. Until you deliver the confirmation of arrival or registration proof with the VIN, the seller may hold back an amount equal to German VAT.