Import car to Sweden: origin check and registration
Import car to Sweden as a dealer: Transportstyrelsen origin check, registration inspection, malus vehicle tax on newer cars, documents and timelines.
· 7 min read
To import a car to Sweden, the future Swedish owner applies to the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) for an origin check (ursprungskontroll), books a registration inspection at an inspection company once the check is approved, and receives Swedish plates after passing it. Sweden has no registration tax, but petrol and diesel cars first registered from July 2018 pay a higher annual vehicle tax (malus) for their first three years, which affects demand for young imports.
What is the Swedish origin check for imported cars?
The origin check is Transportstyrelsen's documentary check of where a vehicle comes from and who owns it, and it is the first step of every Swedish registration. It applies to all vehicles to be registered in Sweden except brand-new vehicles imported by registered professional importers. Used vehicles always need an origin check, even when a registered importer brings them in.
Key rules from Transportstyrelsen:
- The owner applies. The person or company that will be registered as owner in Sweden must apply. If the car changes hands before registration, the new owner must apply again and pay the fee again.
- Fee: SEK 1,240, paid in advance (by the e-service or on invoice).
- Documents: the foreign registration certificate, the purchase document and supporting documents, sent as valuable post if applying on paper.
- No foreign leasing. A car still under a foreign lease cannot be registered; Transportstyrelsen asks for proof that the lease is paid off or transferred to a Swedish lessor.
- Validity: an approved origin check is valid for five years.
New cars from another EU country (six months or less, or 6,000 km or less) are new means of transport for VAT, so Swedish VAT must be paid before the origin check. Cars from outside the EU must be customs-cleared first.
Which inspection is needed before Swedish registration?
After the origin check is approved, the car must pass a registration inspection (registreringsbesiktning) at an accredited inspection company, booked with the origin-check case number. The inspector checks the car physically against the documents and its technical data. An approved origin check does not guarantee that the car passes inspection.
Bring the certificate of conformity (CoC). It speeds up the inspection and gives the CO2 figure that the vehicle tax is based on. Without it, the inspection company may ask for more evidence, and a missing CO2 value can mean a higher tax. Our certificate of conformity guide explains how to get one.
You may drive the car to the inspection without plates, by the shortest suitable route, if you have the approved origin check, a booked appointment and at least one-day traffic insurance for that day. A car imported for registration may also be used for seven days from import on its valid foreign registration and insurance.
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Request accessHow does the Swedish vehicle tax malus affect imported cars?
The malus is a higher annual vehicle tax during the first three years after a car first became taxable, in Sweden or abroad. It applies to petrol and diesel passenger cars of model year 2018 or later first put into use on or after 1 July 2018. For cars first put into use from 1 June 2022, the rates are:
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| Basic charge | SEK 360 per year |
| CO2 charge, 75–125 g/km | SEK 107 per g/km |
| CO2 charge, above 125 g/km | SEK 132 per g/km |
| Diesel: environmental surcharge | SEK 250 per year |
| Diesel: fuel surcharge | SEK 13.52 × CO2 g/km |
Example. A petrol car first registered in Germany in August 2024 with 150 g/km pays 360 + 50 × 107 + 25 × 132 = SEK 9,010 per year until August 2027. The same car as a diesel pays 9,010 + 250 + 13.52 × 150 = about SEK 11,290 per year.
Because the three years run from the first registration abroad, an import that is already two and a half years old carries only a few months of malus. That is why Swedish buyers favour imports that are close to or past the three-year mark, and why young, high-CO2 petrol and diesel cars sell slowly in Sweden. Electric cars are outside the malus and pay a low annual tax (SEK 360 according to ACEA's 2026 overview).
How long does it take to register an imported car in Sweden?
Registration takes as long as the origin-check queue plus the inspection booking. Transportstyrelsen publishes current queue times for origin checks, and these can run to several weeks in busy periods. After the inspection is approved, plates are ordered automatically and arrive within about five working days.
To keep it short:
- apply via the e-service as soon as the car is in Sweden, with complete documents;
- make sure the Part II certificate (or equivalent proof of ownership) is included;
- check that the car is free of foreign leasing or finance;
- book the inspection as soon as the decision arrives.
A dealer can apply for temporary registration in connection with the origin check if the car needs to be used before it is fully registered.
Prices: when it pays to import a car to Sweden
Swedish prices are high for some premium and family models, which makes imports from Germany attractive despite the paperwork. According to listings tracked by MyCarDealer in October 2026:
| Model, years | Sweden | Germany | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo XC60 2018–2021 | €27,796 (437 listings) | €24,999 (120 listings) | – |
| Tesla Model 3 2020–2022 | €25,748 (144) | €26,390 (148) | Norway €23,695 (189) |
| VW ID.4 2021–2023 | €28,866 (155) | €28,490 (201) | Norway €25,675 (101) |
Two conclusions. First, a Volvo XC60 is about €2,800 cheaper in Germany, enough to cover transport and the origin check. Second, for electric cars Norway is the cheaper source, not Germany: see our guide to used electric cars from Norway, keeping in mind that a Norwegian car needs customs clearance into the EU. Since 18 March 2026 Sweden has also offered an electric car premium for lower-income households that covers used cars up to SEK 450,000, which supports demand for used EVs.
For ferry and truck options, see shipping cars to Ireland and Scandinavia. To check a specific car's margin in Sweden, run a free valuation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Swedish origin check for imported cars?
It is Transportstyrelsen's check of the vehicle's origin and ownership, required before any car can be registered in Sweden. The future owner applies, pays SEK 1,240 and sends the foreign registration documents and proof of purchase. An approval is valid for five years.
Which inspection is needed before Swedish registration?
A registration inspection at an accredited inspection company, booked with the origin-check case number. The inspector checks the car against its documents and technical data, and plates are ordered once it passes.
How does the Swedish vehicle tax malus affect imported cars?
Petrol and diesel cars first put into use from July 2018 pay a higher annual tax for three years from first registration anywhere. For cars from June 2022 onwards it is SEK 107 per g/km between 75 and 125 g/km and SEK 132 per g/km above, plus surcharges for diesels. Young high-CO2 imports are therefore harder to sell.
How long does it take to register an imported car in Sweden?
It depends mainly on the origin-check queue, which Transportstyrelsen publishes and which can run to several weeks. After a passed inspection, plates arrive within about five working days.
Can I register a car that is still leased abroad?
No. Transportstyrelsen cannot record a foreign lease, so it asks for proof that the lease is paid off or moved to a Swedish lessor before approving the origin check.