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For buyers

FAQ

FAQ - Buyers - Registration
1. Registration
Get started easily with OPENLANE! Our registration process is designed to be quick and straightforward, so you can start exploring our marketplace without delay.
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2. Login & Account
Discover everything you need to know about logging in and managing your account on OPENLANE in this section.
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FAQ - Auction process
3. Auction process
Understand each step of participating in an auction on OPENLANE, from placing bids to what happens once the auction ends.
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FAQ - Negotiation
4. Negotiation
Discover how our negotiation capabilities can help you increase your auction success and make it easier to strike more deals!
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FAQ - Car description
5. Car description
Find answers to your questions related to car descriptions, including damage information and pictures, maintenance details, and more.
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FAQ - Costs and payments
6. Cost & Payments
Easily navigate costs and payments with the right information, including auction fees, payment terms, and more.
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FAQ - Transport and pickup process
7. Transport & Pick Up process
Need to arrange transport or pick up a vehicle? Get all the essential information you need to navigate the logistics smoothly.
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FAQ - Transport and pickup documents
8. Transport & Pick Up documents
Have the right documents ready for transport and pick-up, as they are crucial for a smooth experience.
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FAQ - Car documents and other docs
9. Car documents and other related documents
Discover which documents are essential throughout the purchase process.
Read more

For buyers

Description

6.1 How and when do I pay for the vehicle?

Once you’ve won the auction, and the seller has assigned the vehicle to you, you have one business day to complete the vehicle purchase online. After receiving the payment invitation, you pay for the vehicle via bank transfer within two business days. It’s possible to make payments for several cars in one transfer.

Please always include the reference numbers of all vehicles you paid. This helps us to follow everything up and process your payments more quickly. As soon as your payments are received and processed, you will receive a confirmation email and all related invoices will be available online in ‘My Account’.

Important: We only accept payments coming from a bank account registered on your company’s name and from the country where your company is registered. In addition, the payment should be made in full. In case of partial payments for one vehicle, we shall charge additional fees.

According to our T&C, we do not accept cash payments or payments from companies with an invalid VAT number. A refund of a received payment will result in a cancellation of the purchase and we shall charge additional fees.

When a vehicle is not paid on its due date, it will give us the right to postpone any further delivery of goods/and or services.

For fast accurate communication about your vehicle, please always include its reference number or chassis number. You can find the entire buying process here.

9.1 When will I receive my car documents?

The vehicle documents will be sent to you by courier after the vehicle has arrived at its destination, and you have uploaded the duly completed CoD, and a copy of the driver’s id or CMR in ‘My account’.

You don’t need to upload the CMR anymore when you order transport to your doorstep. In all other cases, you still need to upload it! How do you upload these files? It’s simple. Just follow these simple steps:


Step 1:
Log in to ‘My account’ and click on ‘Upload documents’. Then select the vehicle you want to upload the CMR or CoD for. Indicate whether you want to upload a CoD or a CMR and upload the file. OPENLANE will check the final CMR or CoD, approve it and send you the vehicle documents by courier.

Important: If you upload the correct final CMR/CoD before 12:00h and it is approved by our Administration, and car documents are available, they will be shipped to you on the same day. The tracking number will be available online on the page ‘My account’ after 17:30h CET. Please upload only the final CMR that covers the delivery from the hub to your delivery address OR the Certificate of Delivery (CoD) together with ID card correctly filled in.


Step 2:
When you have received your documents, please remember to confirm the receipt. This is vital in order to successfully close the sale. Luckily, it’s very easy to do! Just log in to ‘My account’ again. Under ‘Orders’, find your vehicle, and confirm that you’ve received the documents.

Note: Please take into account that we will adapt the above procedure if needed, for instance if we need to be compliant with the local legislation or in case of export outside the EU.

In the case that fees for late pick-up are incurred, the car documents will not be released until the parking fees have been paid in full. In line with our Terms and Conditions (Paragraph 7.3.3), when you receive your vehicle pick-up authorisation, you have two weeks in which to collect the vehicle. If the vehicle is not collected within those two weeks, you will be charged an administration fee of EUR 50, plus up to EUR 5 per day until the vehicle is collected. You will receive a proforma for these parking fees once the car has been collected, and the car documents will be withheld until the invoice is paid. Once the payment has been received, the car documents will be sent to you via DHL Express.

9.2 Why do I receive German car documents for my Dutch car?

The vast majority of Dutch vehicles is subject to a special vehicle tax, called BPM, which is related to the CO2 emissions of a vehicle.

Each time a vehicle subject to BPM is sold, the remainder of the BPM tax is charged to the new owner. When this vehicle is sold to a foreign country the last owner (in this case OPENLANE Netherlands) is entitled to get a refund of the remainder of this tax amount provided he can submit a foreign registration to the Dutch Tax Authorities as a proof of export. For this reason most Dutch vehicles have foreign (in this case German) car registration documents.

For vehicles without BPM tax (mostly vans, light trucks, vehicles with first registration in the Netherlands before 16-10-2006) the de-registered and exported Dutch registration card (EU model) is offered.

9.3 Can I get a copy of the car documents before the car is delivered?

You can order a copy of the car documents as soon as you complete your order. Each copy will cost you €50,00.

This amount will be added to your invoice. As soon as you have paid the car, and the seller has sent us the car documents*, you will be able to download a copy in ‘My account’ unless the car has already been delivered and the original car documents are being shipped.

* Some sellers only provide the car documents after the final CMR is approved. In these cases we are not able to provide the copy of the car documents before the car is delivered.

9.4 What do I do if I’ve lost my car documents?

OPENLANE does not keep copies of vehicle documents. But if you can’t find them, you lose them or they are stolen, there’s still no need to panic.

The first thing to do is contact the local vehicle registration department for the country where you intended on registering the vehicle. They will then contact the registration department of the country where the vehicle was first registered.

It may take a little while for them to request, receive and check all the information. However, once finished, your local registration department will decide whether or not the vehicle can be registered based on the information they have.

OPENLANE have no input into or influence over this decision. We do wish you every success. For more information on this subject, please consult Article 5.2 of the European Directive 1999/37/EC of 29 April 1999 on the registration documents for vehicles.

9.5 Can I influence the shipping time of car documents?

It’s possible to influence the shipping time of the car documents. If you upload the final CMR/COD before 12 p.m. CET, it is approved by our administration and the car documents are available, then the original car documents will be shipped to you on the same day. The tracking number will be available online in ‘My account’ under ‘My Logistics’ after 5.30 p.m. CET.

You don’t need to upload the CMR anymore when you order transport to your delivery address. Hence, the field to upload the CMR in this case is no longer visible in ‘My account’. In all other cases, you still need to upload it!

9.6 What is a COC?

In this case, a Certificate of Conformity (COC) is a document that declares that your vehicle conforms to EC standards and is allowed free movement within the European Union. In the COC, the manufacturer declares that the vehicle meets the standards and requirements set by the EC. It identifies the vehicle and the manufacturer, the type approval number, technical specifications and other data. Exactly what the COC needs to include is set by EU regulation (Amendment IX, Regulation 92/53).

Only certain motorcycles, tractors and passenger vehicles qualify for a COC. Vehicles that do not have the EU specification (e.g. vehicles manufactured for the U.S. or Japanese markets) and older vehicles that have not been given the type approval of the EC yet are ineligible for COCs. Converted vehicles are also unable to be issued with COCs. In these cases, we do not provide a COC. This information will be highlighted in the car description, which we advise you to read carefully.

EuroCOC

If there is no Certificate of Conformity (COC) available for your vehicle, you can easily order one online through EuroCoC. To make the process even more convenient, we’re currently offering a special promotion code that you can use at checkout. Simply enter the code during your purchase to receive a discount. This ensures that you’ll have the necessary documentation quickly and affordably. Promo code = OPENLANE10

If you would like to know more about the Certificate of Conformity, please follow this link: www.eurococ.eu.

9.7 Can I get a duplicate invoice?

Lost your invoice? No problem. All our invoices are available online as PDF files.

All your vehicle information, including the invoice, will be permanently available at ‘My account’ > ‘Orders’.

8.1 What is a Pickup Authorization (PuA)?

With a pickup authorisation (PuA) or release note, you or your driver can pick up your vehicle. In other words, this document gives you permission to collect the car. Without the pickup authorisation (PuA) or release note, the vehicle cannot be picked up.

This procedure is in place to ensure your vehicle is not picked up by the wrong driver. Please inform the pickup location about the intended date and time of pickup. How long in advance you should do this is mentioned on the PuA or release note. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

If, for some reason, your driver does not have the PuA or release note with them, you must:

1. Send the PuA with this information via email to the email address on the PuA.
2. Inform our Customer Service Agent about the date of pickup, the name of the transport company and the name of the driver.

Please note: For some vehicles from Germany, Belgium, France and Italy, you will need two PuAs. They are:

  • The official Seller PuA. It does not include your company name.
  • Our standard PuA. It includes all your details as a buyer and is used to fill in our records. You can find it in My account’.

Click here for the addresses and opening hours of our pickup locations across Europe.

9.8 Can I get a hard copy of my invoice?

OPENLANE has abandoned printed documents for the convenience of electronic documents. They’re better for the environment and have the same legal status as hard copy equivalents.

Do you still need a hard copy invoice?
You can request a hard copy of your invoice when you complete your order. Each hard copy costs EUR 40. This amount will be added to your invoice.
As soon as the car is paid and the invoice is available, we will mail the hard copy of the invoice with the original stamp and original signature to your invoice address.

9.9 How to obtain the document “Proof of leasing closure” for French cars?

If you have bought French cars that have been subject to the leasing regime, the proof of leasing closure is required to register the cars in another country.

Follow these steps to request proof of leasing closure:

Step 1: Click on this link: https://siv.interieur.gouv.fr/map-usg-ui/do/accueil_certificat

Please note: This website is only available in French. You can use the translation service of your browser, e.g. Google Chrome:

Proof of leasing closure

Step 2: Click on “To start”

Click on 'To start'

Step 3: Use the information from the French vehicle registration document to fill in the information and click on “Validate and finish”

Proof of leasing closure 3

Step 4: Click on this icon to receive the document

PDF Document

9.10 What is the difference between the invoice address, the postal address, and the delivery address?

The invoice address is the official company address registered in the VAT Information Exchange System (VIES) or Chamber of Commerce. The invoice address appears on the invoice and is the address to which we will send the hard copy of your invoice via regular mail unless you nominate a postal address.

You can nominate a postal address if you wish to receive your car documents, hard copies of invoices, or any other documents you have requested at a different address to the invoice address. Your postal address can be different to the registered office address for your company; however, it must be in the same country in which your company is registered—car documents cannot be shipped to another country. 

The delivery address is the address to which we will deliver your vehicle. You can use different delivery addresses for different purchases. The delivery address can be submitted or changed when finalising each purchase.

9.11 How do I arrange the documents required for exporting a vehicle outside the EU?

OPENLANE is only able to provide the EX-A and T2 documents for cars located at the HUB in Bilzen (BE) and the HUB in Raamsdonksveer (NL).

EX documents
An EX document (or EX-release) is required when exporting vehicles to countries outside the European Union. The cost for having this form provided by OPENLANE is €110 and you will also receive a copy of the original car documents. It takes approximately two working days for the EX document to be delivered to you in digital form.

T2 documents
A T2 document is a transit note that’s required when exporting vehicles to European countries that are not members of the EU, including San Marino and Switzerland. When you are shipping to these countries and request your EX document from OPENLANE, we will also provide the T2 document in digital form.

Arranging your own EX and T2 documents
You are also free to arrange your EX and T2 documents yourself. If you do so, the customs agency will usually require you to complete a power of attorney/authorisation document. This needs to be filled in, stamped and signed by OPENLANE. As the customer, it is your responsibility to arrange the power of attorney/authorisation document with OPENLANE and ensure it is filled in correctly. This form can be sent to export@openlane.eu for processing. At your written request, a copy of the car documents will also be provided.

9.12 Does OPENLANE provide a Car-Pass for Belgian vehicles?

OPENLANE is a platform exclusively for use by car traders. As such, all vehicles sold through OPENLANE are bought by professional vehicle dealers and providing a Car-Pass is not legally required under these circumstances.

9.13 Can OPENLANE provide me the technical inspection document?

For some cars the validity date of the technical inspection is readily available on our website. You can find it on the car description page under “Condition”.

Car condition_en

For cars where this information is not stated on our website, we advise you to consult the following resources:

* IMPORTANT: For the majority of Dutch vehicles older than 3 years OPENLANE provides German vehicle documents. In this case, the German technical inspection document is not issued.

Availability of the technical inspection document: currently this document is not mandatory for exporting cars. OPENLANE provides this document only if we receive it from the Seller.

EURO Norm: OPENLANE provides all the information regarding the emission standard received from the seller or from an external database. We advise you to consult another source to acquire the exact information regarding Euro 5a and Euro 5b.

8.2 Can I get EX and EUR.1 documents via OPENLANE?

In some cases, we do provide EX documents. For full details, please click here.
OPENLANE no longer provides EUR.1 documents.

8.3 What is a Certificate of Delivery (CoD)? How do I complete it?

Picking up in person
If you or your driver collect a vehicle in person and drive it to its destination without the involvement of an external transport company, you will need to bring a Certificate of delivery (CoD) to the pickup location (with a PuA and damage report). A CoD proves a vehicle has been picked up by the buyer or their representative. The CoD needs to be stamped at the pickup location. After you have driven the vehicle to its destination, you need to upload the correctly filled out CoD, stamped, signed and dated, in ‘My account’, together with a copy of the driver’s ID.

Click here to see an example of a Certificate of Delivery (CoD).

Please note: The top part of the CoD must be filled in at pickup and the bottom part must be filled in after delivery. You cannot pick up Spanish and Italian cars in person. They need to be picked up by a transport company since an official transport CMR from the Seller is required to unregister these cars and release the original car documents.

Picking up with a transport company
There are certain vehicles that require a CMR, which is basically a consignment note. This information will be mentioned on the PuA and online (under “Delivery options” on the car detail page). Every CMR should be duly filled out by the driver.

8.4 What is a CMR form and how do I complete it?

A CMR is a consignment note. It is the document prepared by the company delivering the vehicle to you; i.e. the external transport company. You need to sign the document to prove you received the vehicle.

Three copies
There are three copies of the CMR: the proof of receipt, which is returned to the sender (e.g.: OPENLANE), the evidence of delivery, which goes to the carrier (the transport company) and the third copy goes to consignee, you.

To be included

 The CMR must include: Where? (see example)
  • The name and address of the sender. (In this case that’s OPENLANE)  nr 1
  • The name and address of the consignee (according to the invoice). As the buyer, this is your company.  nr 2
  • The address where the goods were picked up, as well as the date (+ a stamp from the parking place).  nr 3
  • The final destination of the vehicle. (i.e.: where the transport company is delivering the vehicle)  nr 4
  • The name and address of the carrier and the license plate of the truck on which the vehicle will be transported.  nr 5
  • The make, model, chassis number and license plate of the vehicle.  nr 10
  • This field is dedicated to the transport company. Check the date is filled in.  nr 12
  • The pickup date and the stamp of the pickup location  nr 14
  • The stamp of the transport company, the license plate of the truck and signature of the driver.  nr 15
  • The date, the stamp and signature of the consignee.  nr 16

Please always check your CMRs before submitting them. You can see a correctly stamped, signed and completed CMR form and CMR with 24 fields here. There is no set format for a CMR, so the numbers of the boxes can vary.

Please note: We don’t accept ‘International’ or ‘To be confirmed’ as final destination.
When you receive the vehicle, it is the responsibility of the carrier (i.e.: the transport company) to ensure the CMR is correct and the condition of the vehicle is accurately recorded. The result of these checks must be included in the CMR.

Legal
This is all required under Article 5 and Article 6 of the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) (Geneva, 19 May 1956), and the 1978 Protocol supplement.

Remember!
You don’t need to upload the CMR anymore when you order transport to your doorstep. In all other cases, you still need to upload it!
You cannot pick up Spanish and Italian cars in person. They need to be picked up by a transport company since an official transport CMR from the Seller is required to unregister these cars and release the original car documents.

8.5 Why was my final CMR rejected?

The CMR is a consignment note. It should be filled out correctly and completely by your transport partner or driver in order to be approved. Also, the CMR should arrive with the car.

There are a number of reasons why it may have been disapproved:

  • It was not stamped.
  • It was not signed.
  • It was not dated.
  • The chassis number does not respond to the vehicle or the company.
  • Another field in the form has been completed incorrectly.

Please always check your CMRs before submitting them. You can see a correctly stamped, signed and completed CMR form and CMR with 24 fields here.

Please note: You don’t need to upload the CMR anymore when you order transport to your doorstep. In all other cases, you still need to upload it!

7.1 How can I order transport?

You won the auction and the seller assigned the vehicle to you? Congratulations! Now you just need to get it to your doorstep. We are happy to arrange transport for you. We will deliver the vehicle to an address of your choosing, or to a pickup hub near your location. Just let us know what suits you best. Click here for the addresses and opening hours of our pickup locations across Europe.

Log in and check “Delivery options” on the car detail page to see the estimated delivery times and prices. The transport fees displayed on our website are based on the physical location, the type and damage degree of the vehicle. We can offer commercial transport from normal vehicles (sizes 1-3) to commercial vehicles (sizes 4-5). Check out the size table here for a full overview.

Important: the address where you want us to deliver your cars must be accessible for a truck, preferably located in an industrial area.
You are welcome to arrange transport yourself. A Pick-up fee will be charged to customers who choose to organise transport themselves, to cover the costs for handling and administration. 

7.2 When will my vehicle be ready for pickup if no transport service with OPENLANE was ordered?

Auction? Won. Payment? Made. Delivery? You don’t know what’s happening there. Unfortunately, we can’t offer you an exact track-and-trace system (yet), since we are working with over 20 different transport partners.

We offer an estimated collection period in which we expect your vehicle to be ready for pickup. The time it takes to prepare the vehicle for pickup depends on:
• the vehicle type;
• the origin;
• when it’s released by the seller;
• when it arrives at the local HUB.

Please note: The estimated collection period is only an indication. You will receive confirmation when the vehicle is ready for pickup.

Selling country Estimated time to prepare the vehicle for pickup
(if no transport service ordered with OPENLANE)
 Vehicles from Belgium  8 – 9 working days
 Vehicles from France  14 – 15 working days
 Vehicles from Italy  20 – 22 working days
 Vehicles from Germany  14 – 15 working days
 Vehicles from The Netherlands  8 – 10 working days
 Vehicles from Sweden  20 – 22 working days
 Vehicles from Spain, Poland, or other countries  18 – 20 working days

In some cases, this information is also available on the car details page under ‘Documents and history’.

Please note: 
When picking up the vehicle, you or your driver must bring the Pickup Authorisation (PuA) and other necessary documents (a car description or a damage report, a CMR or a Certificate of Delivery (COD).

Click here for the addresses and opening hours of our pickup locations across Europe.

7.3 What is the pickup procedure?

Picking up your vehicle is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

  • You can choose to pick up the car at your local HUB, or if available, you can order transport directly to your office. The address you would like your vehicle delivered to must be accessible by truck, preferably located in an industrial area.
  • We offer customers the choice to personally collect their purchased vehicles from local sellers who have opted for this option. This feature is available only when a seller has allowed self-pickup and the buyer and seller are located in the same country.

Follow these steps and you’ll cruise through the process without a second thought:

STEP 1: MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Log in to ‘My account’ and download your Pickup Authorisation(s) (PuA). Send it to the email address on the PuA, together with:

  • Your planned date of pickup; make sure this is at least 24 and preferably 48 hours away.
  • The name of the transport company.
  • The name of the driver.

This is how we make sure your vehicle isn’t accidentally sent away with the wrong driver. Remember to keep us well informed of the pickup date. It’s always a good idea to confirm all details. Double-check you have all the necessary papers and documents. Don’t forget to bring the PuA!


STEP 2: PICK UP YOUR VEHICLE
At this point, you’ll do things differently depending on whether you’re:

  • Picking up your vehicle without the use of a truck or trailer (driving it on the road), in which case you follow the left column below.
  • Arranging for a transport company to pick up the vehicle (with a truck or trailer), in which case you follow the right column below.

There are certain vehicles that may only be picked up by official transport companies. You will find this information on the PuA and online (under “Delivery options” on the car detail page). If this case, make sure you follow the right-hand column below and at Step 3.

Please note: Support to load cars (ex. forklift) at a HUB may be subject to extra costs. These costs will be charged locally by the HUB. This service is at your own risk. In the list below you can find an overview:

HUB Belgium (BE) – Bilzen Possible without extra costs
HUB The Netherlands (NL) – Raamsdonksveer No support possible
HUB Italy (IT) – Drizzona Extra costs – Only cash
HUB Italy (IT) – Bondeno No support possible
HUB Italy (IT) – Inveruno No support possible
HUB France (FR) – Villeneuve Saint Georges No support possible
HUB France (FR) – Saint Amand (Bouchain) No support possible
HUBS Germany (DE) – Riedstad, Amberg, Mönchengladbach, Hodenhagen No support possible
HUB Romania (RO) – Pitesti Extra costs – Cash or card
HUB Hungary (HU) – Budaors No support possible
HUB Czech Republic (CZ) – Napajedla Extra costs – Only cash
HUB Croatia (HR) – Luka No support possible
HUB Poland (PL) – Lajski No support possible
HUB Spain (ES) – Madrid No support possible
HUB Portugal (PT) – Setubal No support possible
Belgium – Aartselaar (Damaged cars) Extra costs – Only cash
HUB Sweden (SE) – Falkenberg, Björkvik No support possible

IMPORTANT: It’s mandatory to always wear a high-visibility safety jacket and safety shoes, when picking up a vehicle at any of our pickup locations!

 

Picking up vehicle without a truck or trailer (Driving the vehicle on the road); only for BE, NL and DE cars

 

Arranging for a transport company to pick up the vehicle (transporting it with a truck or trailer)

i.    Ask us for your Certificate of Delivery (CoD). Once it is ready, you will be able to download it from your My account account. Take the CoD with you to the pickup location (along with your PuA and damage report). i.Download the PuA (of every vehicle) and damage report from your My account account. Make sure the transport company has these documents and a CMR with them when they pick up the vehicle.
Did you forget your CoD/PuA?

If you (or your driver) did not bring the CoD/PuA to the pickup location, you will need to download it from your My account account and send it to the pickup location by email or fax. You can find these details on the PuA.

 ii.    Pick up the vehicle at the appointment you made in Step 1. ii.Your transport company will pick up the vehicle at the appointment you made in Step 1.
 iii.    At the pickup, complete, date and sign the CoD. Make sure it is stamped by the pickup location. (The pickup location will take a copy of the CoD and the ID of the driver and give you/your driver back the original.) iii.You and your transport company need to fill out the CMR (the transport company will provide this).
iv.    At the pickup location, please use the damage report to check for any visible (and unknown) damage. In case of additional damage, please notify the pickup location representative immediately. iv.At the pickup location, please add any additional visible (and unknown) damage on the CMR and notify the pickup location representative immediately.

Click here for the addresses and opening hours of our pickup locations across Europe.


STEP 3: UPLOAD YOUR CoD/CMR

Upload CoD Upload CMR 
 v.    When you arrive at your destination with the vehicle, upload the completed, signed, stamped and dated CoD with a copy of your driver’s ID in ‘My account’. Your uploaded ID should match the information on the CoD. Click here to see an example of a correctly completed CoD (Certificate of Delivery) v.    Upload the completed CMR using ‘My account’. The stamp of your company, your signature and the date is required on Position 24 (or Position 16). Click here to see an example of a correctly completed CMR
Once your CoD has been approved, your vehicle documents will be sent to you by express courier. When you have received the documents, please confirm your receipt In ‘My account’ under ‘My purchases’ > ‘Documents at buyer’. Once your CMR has been approved, your vehicle documents will be sent to you by express courier. When you have received the documents, please confirm your receipt In ‘My account’ under ‘My purchases’ > ‘Documents at buyer’.

 

7.5 Do I get license plates when I pick up the vehicle?

When you pick up your vehicle, the vehicle is not registered. You must always bring the necessary transit plates yourself. We do not provide them.

You cannot pick up Spanish and Italian cars in person. They need to be picked up by a transport company since an official transport CMR from the Seller is required to unregister these cars and release the original car documents.

7.6 Can I change the delivery address for a transport I already ordered?

Changing the delivery address after the order is completed is not possible.
We have integrated our system with the those of our logistics partners, with the goal of offering you the best possible service. Changing the delivery address after the order was processed would be complex, error-prone and involve additional costs. To make sure our transport remains fast and reliable, we don’t allow any changes to a vehicle’s destination after you’ve completed an order.

7.7 Why does OPENLANE need more time to prepare Italian vehicles?

All Italian vehicles need to be deregistered before they leave the country. Therefore, we need approximately 20 working days to prepare the vehicle for pick up. You can find this information on the car detail page under Car profile > Documents and history (under Specifications):

Italia vehicles_en

The vehicle cannot be picked up until the deregistration process has been completed.

Important: In case you do this before the process is complete, the local police can confiscate the vehicle!

Once the Pick-up Authorization is released, it means that the vehicle documents are immediately available and will be shipped from Italy to our head office in Belgium.

7.8 What is Optimo?

Optimo contains 2 must-have services that only come at a surcharge of €145 on the transport cost.

  • A later payment (just before arrival in the hub)
  • An additional vehicle inspection at the HUB

Optimo is available in Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Portugal, Croatia, Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Baltic countries.

7.9 Is support provided to load a car onto a truck or trailer at pickup locations?

When picking up a vehicle with body damage and/or specific technical damage, the buyer must arrange for it to be picked up under adapted conditions. If loading assistance is required at the hub (e.g. forklift) and has not been arranged beforehand, this may incur extra costs that will be charged locally by the hub. This service is at your own risk.

In the list below, you can find an overview by pickup location:

HUB Loading support possibilities
Belgium (BE) – Genk, Bilzen Support available (no extra cost)
The Netherlands (NL) – Raamsdonksveer No support possible
Italy (IT) – Mosio Support available for an additional cost (cash only)
Italy (IT) – Bertani No support possible
Italy (IT) – Inveruno No support possible
France (FR) – Villeneuve Saint Georges No support possible
Germany (DE) – Riedstad, Mönchengladbach, Amberg, Hodenhagen No support possible
Romania (RO) – Pitesti Support available for an additional cost (cash or card)
Hungary (HU) – Budaors No support possible
Czech Republic (CZ) – Napajedla Support available for an additional cost (cash only)
Croatia (HR) – Luka No support possible
Poland (PL) – Lajski No support possible
Spain (ES) – Madrid No support possible
Portugal (PT) – Setubal No support possible
Belgium – Aartselaar (damaged cars) Support available for an additional cost (cash only)

 

7.10 What are the requirements for declaring goods for international shipments to Romania?

The Romanian government has recently implemented updates to their legislation regarding the declaration of goods for all international shipments entering Romania.

These changes originate from the imperative to enhance the national system for monitoring road transport of goods, known as RO e-Transport. This initiative aims to strenghten administrative capacity against tax fraud. By deploying intelligent digital solutions, the goal is to uniformly manage and efficiently control road transport of goods with high tax risk, including international shipments within the national territory.

Effective from January 1st, 2024, with mandatory compliance starting July 1st, 2024, it is now obligatory to declare all shipments through the Romanian E-Transport System before the vehicle’s arrival in Romania. Failure to complete this declaration correctly may result in considerable penalties, reaching up to 100,000 lei.

Ensuring a smooth declaration process for your shipments
There are two methods to streamline the declaration process for your shipments.

Option 1: Self-managed transport and declaration
If you prefer to handle transportation independently, here are some instructions to guide you through the declaration process. Strict adherence to these guidelines is imperative to comply with Romanian legislation.

Steps to follow for your online request
1. Visit www.anaf.ro to make an online request before the vehicle’s arrival in Romania.
2. Provide essential information, including:

– Vehicle value and weight
– Transport date
– Transport organization name
– Truck number and trailer number
– VAT number of the buyer
– Border point of entry into Romania

Consult the official guide to the use of the national system for monitoring road haulage.

Option 2: Effortless transport and declaration with OPENLANE: Elevate your experience
Seeking unparalleled convenience? Look no further than our premium transportation services, tailored to be the ultimate solution for your needs. We take the hassle out of declaration processes by managing everything for you through our esteemed partners. From start to finish, rest assured that every detail is meticulously handled, ensuring seamless submission to the Romanian E-Transport System.

Experience the difference

1. Effortless management: Say goodbye to paperwork and complexities. Let us handle the entire declaration process, freeing you to focus on your core business.
2. Reliability guaranteed: With our trusted partners, reliability is non-negotiable. We ensure timely and accurate submission of all required information, providing peace of mind every step of the way.
3. Time-saving convenience: Streamline your operations and save valuable time with our efficient services. Our team takes care of every aspect, allowing you to allocate resources where they matter most.

Choose excellence. Choose ease. Choose our transportation services for unmatched convenience and confidence in every shipment.

6.2 How can I know when you have received my payment?

The best way to follow up on your purchases is in ‘My orders’. When we have received your payment, you can easily see it here. Your invoice will also appear under ‘My orders’.

You will also receive an email from us as soon as the payment has been confirmed by our bookkeepers and your invoice has been processed.
For cars that have been delivered, the invoice will appear as a PDF file in ‘My orders’.

6.3 What are the rates in 2025?

Registration? Free. Bidding? Free. Customer support? Free. In fact, OPENLANE does not charge you anything unless you are successful in purchasing or selling a vehicle. A good deal? We think so.

If you do win an auction, certain mandatory fees apply. These include country-specific import fees, auction fees and fees for the related customs documentation. Please always remember to take these costs into account when calculating your bid.

The auction fee depends on how much you eventually pay for a vehicle. However, we guarantee high-quality personal service no matter how much you pay. For every vehicle purchased also incurs a country fee. The fee depends on which country the vehicle is sold in. You will always find it listed on the car details page.

Additionally, for a limited number of sellers, we charge extra costs. For full transparency, these appear under ‘Seller specific fee’ on the car details page. This is mainly applicable for sellers who are offering their vehicles exclusively on openlane.eu.

* Rates are applicable as from 16/12/2024.

Fees for export documents

Scenarios Cost Remark
1. Vehicles from the EU are exported to a country outside the EU
(example: a Belgian car is exported to Serbia)
EX document: €110 Document is provided by OPENLANE for all vehicles that are physically located in Belgium or the Netherlands.
2. Vehicles from the EU are sold to another EU country.
(Example: a Belgian car is exported to Romania)
N/A No export documents needed.


Transport fees
Don’t forget that when you order transport with us, a transport fee will be charged. This depends on your location and the location of the vehicle you purchase. You can find out more about transport here.

IMPORTANT: The fee for the Optimo service appoints to €145.

Who choose to organise international transport themselves, a pickup fee of €80 will be charged to cover the costs of handling and administration. For domestic transport, and vehicles or destinations for which OPENLANE does not offer a transport solution, the pickup fee will not be applicable.

IMPORTANT
1. 
In case you order transport at a later stage in the process, the pick-up fee cannot be refunded.
2. Transport cannot be cancelled after payment

6.4 What is the Margin Certificate?

We also offer margin cars: for these cars the VAT is included in the vehicle price. For these margin vehicles we provide an additional document, the “Margin Certificate”, which attests the VAT special margin regime for second-hand vehicles.

This certificate appears as .PDF files in‘ My account’ .

Margin Certificate

6.5 What is the VAT regime of a vehicle? What does it mean?

The rules relating to the Value Added Tax (better known as VAT) you pay on a vehicle are influenced by a number of factors. Where did you purchase the vehicle and where will you be selling it? Are you going outside the EU? Are you staying in the country of purchase? What is the VAT qualification of the vehicle you have purchased? It’s a complex area.

Our platform offers vehicles under normal VAT rules (normal VAT vehicles) and vehicles under margin scheme (margin vehicles). Vehicles under normal VAT rules are symbolized with “D” (D for Deductible VAT or Qualifying) on our website and margin vehicles are shown with “M” (M for Margin). The prices of vehicles under normal VAT rules are VAT excluded while for margin vehicles VAT is included in the price of the vehicle.

In the table below, we give you an overview of the rules and regulations you will face based on the details of your vehicle.

Local sale

(Example: German registered vehicle sold by OPENLANE Deutschland to a buyer with a German VAT number. The car stays in Germany)

(All vehicles sold to a buyer with a Belgian VAT number are invoiced via OPENLANE Belgium NV as local sale.)
EU transaction

(Example: a German registered vehicle is sold and transported to Romania)

Export

(Example: a German registered vehicle is exported to Russia)

Normal VAT vehicle = VAT excluded in price mentioned on website • VAT on vehicle included on the invoice (deductible)

• Costs(*) incl. VAT

• VAT deductible

• VAT on vehicle excluded on the invoice

• Buyer declares VAT in destination country

• Costs(*) excl. VAT (declaration)

•  VAT excluded, no VAT to be paid inside the EU

• Buyer declares vehicle in import country according to local country rules

• Costs(*) excl. VAT

See European directive EC/2006/112: art. 140 for more information. See European directive EC/2006/112: art. 146 for more information.
Margin vehicle = VAT included in price mentioned on website

 

 

 

• VAT included in the vehicle price

• Costs(*) subject to VAT (to be paid by the buyer)

• VAT included in vehicle price and paid on costs(*) is not deductible

• VAT included in the vehicle price

• Costs(*) subject to VAT (to be paid by the buyer)

• VAT included in vehicle price and paid on costs(*) is not deductible

• VAT included in the vehicle price

• Costs(*) not subject to European VAT

Please check the European directive EC/2006/112: art. 312 for more information.
For all margin cars, a margin certificate is available as a PDF file.

(*) Costs = all costs (country-specific costs, auction fees, transport costs, costs for paper invoice) except for the price of the vehicle.

6.6 What is BPM?

The vast majority of Dutch vehicles are subject to a domestic vehicle tax called BPM, which is related to the CO2 emissions of a vehicle. BPM is a Dutch abbreviation for “tax on passenger vehicles and motorcycles”.

For every new or imported vehicle that is registered in the Netherlands for the first time and that is subject to BPM, a gross BPM tax amount is due. This amount depreciates each month following the registration according to a fixed depreciation table, price list or valuation report.

The charging of residual BPM only applies for domestic sales, so if a BPM subject vehicle is sold to another Dutch owner and if it stays registered in the Netherlands.

In case of international sales (Dutch cars sold for export), the residual BPM will not be charged to the international customer.

In that case, OPENLANE Netherlands is the last Dutch owner who has to pay the remainder of the BPM amount and who has the option to get it refunded under certain conditions when de-registering and exporting the car.

More detailed info on BPM can be found on the site of the Dutch Tax Administration:

6.7 What do the bank codes IBAN, BIC, SEPA and SHA mean?

To be able to make payments, you need to understand the various bank codes that are involved. The following is an explanation of what these codes stand for and which types of transactions they apply to.

IBAN (International Bank Account Number)
An IBAN is an internationally recognised, standardised number that’s used to identify a bank account. It contains up to 34 alphanumeric characters, beginning with a double-digit country code, followed by two check digits that confirm the validity of the IBAN, and ending with a BBAN (Basic Bank Account Number) that contains specific bank and account details. The format of the BBAN varies from country to country, but generally includes a bank code and branch code.

BIC (Bank Identifier Code), aka SWIFT code
BIC and SWIFT code refer to the same thing: a code of 8 to 11 characters that’s used to identify a specific bank in an international transaction. Each bank has a unique BIC/SWIFT code to ensure money transfers end up in the right place.

SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area)
SEPA is a pan-European network that enables people to send and receive payments in euros (€) between two bank accounts within the eurozone. With SEPA, transferring money within the eurozone is as easy as a domestic bank transfer. SEPA has 36 member states: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Vatican. The United Kingdom remains a SEPA country despite Brexit.

SHA (Shared)
SHA means that you only pay your bank’s outgoing transfer charge. We receive your payment minus the correspondent bank fee, i.e., intermediary bank charges.

6.8 What are the steps Italian customers need to follow for importing vehicles and paying VAT after being invoiced by OPENLANE Europe?

With the new invoicing changes, Italian customers with VAT linked to VIES will now be responsible for the import process and VAT payment. The procedure differs depending on whether the vehicle is a Margin car or the VAT is excluded:

Margin cars

Step 1: Contact the Revenue Agency

  • Locate the appropriate Revenue Agency office for your region.
  • Request an appointment to unlock the chassis number by phone or online.

Step 2: Prepare the Required Documents At your appointment, present the following:

  1. Original Registration Document: Proof of ownership from the country of origin.
  2. Purchase Invoice: Details of the vehicle and price.
  3. Proof of Payment: Evidence of payment (e.g., bank transfer receipt).
  4. Margin Certificate: Provided by Openlane, confirming the vehicle was sold under the margin scheme (specific VAT regime).

Step 3: Provide Additional Documents if Requested
The Revenue Agency may ask for more documents (e.g., customs clearance, Certificate of Conformity).

Step 4: Attend Appointment
Present all documents, and the Revenue Agency will unlock the chassis number.

Step 5: Complete Vehicle Registration
Register the vehicle with the Motorizzazione Civile (motor vehicle authority), pay taxes, and obtain Italian plates and insurance.


VAT excluded vehicles

Guide to Importing Foreign Vehicles into Italy (VAT excluded Vehicles)

Step 1: Make VAT Payment

  • Calculate the VAT due for the vehicle.
  • Pay VAT using the F24 form. Complete the payment via bank transfer or other accepted methods.

Step 2: Request CED Receipt

  • Submit the following documents to your local Revenue Agency to request the CED receipt:
  • Purchase Invoice: The original invoice detailing the vehicle purchase.
  • F24 Form and Payment Proof: Completed F24 form and proof of the VAT payment.

Step 3: Check for Chassis Block During Registration
If the vehicle’s chassis is blocked when attempting registration, check your tax drawer (Cassetto Fiscale) on the Revenue Agency’s online portal.

Step 4: Resolve Chassis Block (only necessary if blocked)
If the chassis is not matched or shows insufficient payment, contact the Revenue Agency to request unblocking.

Step 5: Complete Registration
Once unblocked, proceed with vehicle registration through the Motorizzazione Civile, including paying any other fees and obtaining Italian license plates.

5.1 Has the vehicle been in an accident?

Unfortunately, our partners do not always provide us with accident information. We only share this kind of information online if we know it for a fact. If it’s essential for you to know whether a car has been in an accident, we advise to check the car damage information before you place any bids.

5.2 If no service book available, can I get a service history?

If there is no service book available, you can request a service history, again, upon availability. We do not provide additional stamps or modifications in the service books.

5.3 Can I buy electric cars and transfer the leasing contract of the battery?

The number of electric cars offered on our auction grows year on year. This is what you need to know before you start bidding on electric cars, especially with regard to the transfer of the leasing contract of the battery.

The batteries of electric vehicles are often leased. This means that when such a car is sold, the leasing contract of the battery must be transferred to the new owner. For Renault and Nissan, this transfer is done by a financial entity. This entity must exist in the country of origin of the vehicle. If not, the batteries’ leasing contract cannot be transferred to the new owner.

For Italian electric cars, the battery is included. We don’t sell Italian electric cars with the battery pack on rent. In other words: there is no more leasing on the battery. You can buy our Italian electric cars with confidence.

If your company is registered in one of the countries indicated in red in the table below, you cannot transfer the leasing contract. OPENLANE cannot sell these electric cars to you.

If your company is registered in one of the countries indicated in green, you can transfer the leasing contract. OPENLANE can sell these electric cars to you. You’ll have to contact immediately the financial entity of the car manufacturer.

Transfer the leasing contract by country

For the countries that are not on the list, it is not possible to take over the battery lease. This information is the only available information from RCI, which includes all battery lease contracts for the EU.

Buyers from these countries can therefore only purchase vehicles for which the battery is not covered by a lease contract.

5.4 How can I recognize pictures from damages?

It’s easy to spot a damaged car on the OPENLANE website:

  • All images are labelled ‘Damaged’.
  •  If an image indicates specific damage, a red triangle will appear in the image carousel.

damage-indication-carrousel

5.5 Can I request a Service history, Maintenance history or Maintenance and repair report?

Yes, where available, you can request these documents. To find out whether or not the information is available, check the car details page and go to ‘Car profile’, then ‘Documents and history’ (under Specifications).

If the maintenance records are available, but you did not receive them with the original vehicle documents, you can contact our customer service team to request these documents. Please mention the vehicle’s reference number. It takes approximately 2–3 working days to receive the documents.

Please note: We do not provide additional stamps or modifications. You are not always receiving a service book. In some cases, you’ll receive a printout of the maintenance records.

5.6 The vehicle I’ve bought has stickers or logos on it. Will they be removed before delivery?

Yes. All stickers and logos will be removed before your vehicle is delivered.

As part of our purchase agreement, OPENLANE is required to remove all branding, stickers and logos applied by the previous owner(s) of the vehicle and present the seller with proof that they have been removed. This is because we buy vehicles from fleet owners without an exclusive partnership, precluding us from onselling them with existing branding.

Sticker removal is undertaken with the greatest care possible, however, depending on the quality of the stickers and the adhesive used, removing them may leave visible traces behind, such as lacquer or paint damage.

4.1 How does the negotiation process work?

When an auction ends, the highest bid is sent to the seller for approval. Sellers then have 24 hours to send one of three responses via the OPENLANE Sell portal*:

  • Accept the offer – This means the car is sold to the highest bidder.
  • Decline the offer – This means the car is not sold and the highest bidder misses out. The seller can then auction the car again.
  • Make a counteroffer – The seller proposes a new price to the buyer. This price must be higher than the initial winning bid.

If the seller chooses to make a counteroffer, a new 24-hour window begins. Within this 24-hour negotiation period, the buyer and seller must settle on a new price. If this doesn’t happen, the offer is automatically declined, and the sale is off the table.

When the buyer receives a counteroffer, they have four options:

  • Accept the offer – This means the buyer agrees to buy the car for the price given in the counteroffer.
  • Send a new counteroffer – The seller will then have the opportunity to accept or decline the offer, or make a new counteroffer of their own.
  • Stand by the initial offer – This lets the seller know the buyer is not willing to pay more than their highest bid. The seller can then accept or decline the offer.
  • Abandon the negotiation – The buyer chooses to walk away, the car is not sold, and the seller is free to auction it again.

Buyers and sellers can send one another counteroffers until the end of the 24-hour negotiation period. Each time a counteroffer is made, OPENLANE will notify the other party via email so they can react as quickly as possible.

* The OPENLANE Sell portal is not yet available in all countries.

4.2 Can I negotiate on every car?

No. Only sellers using the OPENLANE Sell portal are able to send and receive counteroffers. There is no way you to know upfront whether or not a particular car will be eligible for negotiation, so it’s still in your best interest to maximise your chance of winning during the initial auction.

A seller can only start a negotiation on Dynamic auctions, up until the requested sales price for the vehicle has been reached. For Target or Buy Now auctions, a seller can only negotiate if the bid is below the set price.

4.3 What happens if the 24 hours are over without having an agreement?

As of the first counteroffer from the seller, a 24 hour clock will start to count down. If neither seller nor you have accepted the offer, the last offer is automatically declined and the sale is off the table. The seller can then choose to put the car in auction again.

4.4 Can I use my mobile phone to negotiate?

The openlane.eu website is 100% mobile friendly, so you can negotiate from any computer or smartphone with an internet connection.

4.5 What happens if I stand on my offer?

This lets the other party know that you’re not willing to increase your price anymore. The other party will have to accept or decline that offer, there is no more room for counteroffers at this point.

4.6 What happens if I abandon the negotiation?

Abandoning the negotiation allows you to walk away from the sale. All offers are off the table, and the seller can choose to put the car in auction again.

4.7 How will I know if I got a counter offer?

You will receive an email notification as soon as there’s a counteroffer, so keep a sharp eye on your inbox. On the openlane.eu website, counteroffers will be shown in the “decision pending” section of My Bids.

3.1 What’s the most effective way to search for vehicles?

Are you looking for a specific car? Or a range of different cars that suit your client base or car business? You can use different search options to look for cars.

There are three ways to find the vehicle you’re looking for:

  1. Quick search
    Do a quick search from the home page, by selecting a handful of criteria. Click the ‘Search’ button and you’re on your way. The amount of criteria is limited here. So if you want to do a more detailed search, pick option 2.
  2. Advanced search
    Click on Find cars and use the most appropriate search criteria: the make, model, fuel type, price range or perhaps the type of auction … You decide. Plus, you can log in and save the search filter to make everything even quicker and easier next time around.
  3. Auction overview
    You can also filter results from the Auctions page. Set your filters on the left-hand side of the screen and you’ll find the vehicle you’re looking for quickly and easily. You can also save these searches for later.

 

Here are some special tips you can keep an eye out for:

  1. Email notifications
    You can ask the system to notify you whenever vehicles matching your saved searches appear on the website. There’s no need to browse through the 12,000 vehicles on offer every day. You just need to relax and wait. To receive email notification, follow the following steps:

    1. Log in to ‘My account’.
    2. Click ‘Settings’ then ‘Notifications’.
    3. Tick the box to ‘Authorise receiving emails based on my Saved Searches criteria’.
  2. Mobile app
    The OPENLANE mobile app allows you to find cars, manage your bids and remain informed about the most important auction events. Click here to read how to use the app and get the most out of it.
3.2 How does the auction process work?

Once you are registered with OPENLANE, you are able to participate in the auctions. Find out all there is to know about how you can bid here. You’ll find a variety of auction types on our online car auction. Each type has its specific advantages.

In preparation for winning, we always recommend reading up on the process from bidding to payment and on to delivery.

3.3 How can I place a bid?

Once you have registered with a valid VAT number and email address at OPENLANE, you are able to participate in the auctions. Find out all there is to know about how you can bid here. Please keep in mind that every bid is binding. It is not permitted to cancel a placed bid.

Can’t place a bid?
There are different reasons why you may not be able to place a bid:

  • You are not logged in. Yes, we know, but it happens far more often than you would believe.
  • Our system checks VAT numbers to ensure they are valid. If it believes yours is invalid, it automatically blocks you.
  • One of your payments is late. According to our Terms and Conditions, must pay for a vehicle within two business days of confirmation. Our system will send you a reminder after four business days. After six days, your account will blocked and you will not be able to bid.
  • Customer service has revoked your right to use your account for reasons such as pending final delivery documents, unwanted behaviour, cancelled cars, unprofessional communication or conduct, etc.
3.4 Why and when are auctions sometimes extended?

If you are bidding in our auctions, you might come across two types of auction extension: x-Time and Ultimo. Both exist to give you a chance to put your best bid in.

x-Time – synchronized bids
x-Time  is a special phase that starts after the original duration of the auction has finished. During x-Time, the vehicles in that auction are auctioned again. The exact procedure can be found here! The highest bidder at the end of the x-Time is almost certain of assignment.

TIP: Use “My Bids” to follow up and improve your offer during x-Time and win the auction!

Ultimo – 5 extra minutes to win more cars
With Ultimo, if you are the winner of an auction, you immediately get 5 additional minutes to give your best and final offer. This is your opportunity to increase your assignment chances dramatically. Over the years, we have had numerous requests from customers to increase their bid when the auction had already finished. In most cases, these customers had won the auction but realized that their bid stood little chance to be accepted by the seller.

If you hold the highest bid at the end of an auction, you will receive a notification by e-mail and/or in your browser. Apart from notifying you that you have won the auction, this notification will contain a one-time invitation to put in your best and final bid. By clicking on the link, you will be directed to the Car Detail page of the relevant vehicle.

The following auctions are excluded from Ultimo

3.5 I won the auction, Do I always get the vehicle?

If your bid is the highest at the end of the auction, it does not automatically mean you win the vehicle. In most cases, the final decision is up to the seller. The seller can decide whether to accept the bid or refuse it. A decision is made within two business days (or sometimes longer, in which case, the timing for this decision will be mentioned on the car description page). Every bid remains valid until the final decision is made.

How do you find out whether the seller has assigned the vehicle to you?

1. Via My account:
• When the seller agrees to assign the vehicle to you, the vehicle moves from “Awaiting seller agreement” to “To complete” in “My orders”. Here you need to confirm the vehicle.

• If the seller decides not to assign the vehicle to you, the vehicle will automatically move from “Awaiting seller agreement” to ‘My lost cars history’ in the ‘Archive’ folder. This last folder also includes vehicles you bid on but did not win. It stores every bid over the past three months.

2. By email:
You can choose to receive automatic emails that let you know whether or not you have been assigned the vehicle. You can change your email settings in ‘My account’ in ‘Account Settings’ under ‘Adjust my notification settings’.

3. Guaranteed assignment
If you don’t want to rely on the seller to assign your bids? There are alternatives. OPENLANE run auctions where there is guaranteed assignment. Look for:

  • Buy Now auctions: You can avoid the whole bidding process by being the first to enter the Buy Now price. The vehicle will be assigned to you when the auction concludes.
  • Target auctions: If your winning bid is at least as high as the target price, you’ll be assigned the vehicle at the end of the auction.

Click here to find out more about the different types of auctions OPENLANE run and how they might benefit you and your particular situation.

3.6 What if I want to cancel my purchase?

You cannot cancel a bid you have made. The seller has the choice of refusing your bid, but this is entirely at the discretion of the seller.

Every bid is binding. If your offer is accepted and the vehicle is sold to you, you cannot cancel your bid or the purchase. The payment must be made.

If you refuse to pay? You will be breaking a legal contract. Aside from the obvious legal ramifications, you will be blocked from bidding.

For a full explanation of our policy with regards to cancellations please read our Terms and Conditions, especially the section about ‘Blocking and cancellations’.

3.7 Does the EU Directive on Consumer Rights apply on my purchase?

Customers cannot cancel a purchase based on EU Directive on Consumer Rights (Directive 2011/83/EU). 

Article 2.1. of Directive 2011/83/EU of 25 October 2011 on Consumer Rights defines a consumer as “any natural person who, in contracts covered by this Directive, is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession”. Besides, the European Court of Justice has already determined that the consumer protecting measures are not applicable in dual purpose contracts unless the professional use is practically non-existent. 

Since you are a Corporation or a natural person trader, the EU Directive on Consumer Rights -and any other consumer protecting legislation- is not applicable on our commercial relationship. Furthermore, Article 4.1.2 and Article 8.1. of our Terms and Conditions indicate that the vehicle is purchased for substantial professional purposes.

3.8 How do I make a complaint?

Did the condition of the vehicle or the service you received fall short of your expectations? We want to know about it! We have procedures in place to ensure your claim is handled fairly and quickly.

Please read our claims policy. It has detailed information about how we process complaints. It also includes a list of elements that are excluded. You can find our claims policy in ‘My account’ under ‘Claims’.

If your complaint is something we cover in our claims policy, you can submit your claim directly in ‘My claims’:

  • Select ‘Claims’.
  • Select ‘File a new claim’.
  • Select the correct vehicle.
  • Enter the claim details and add any additional images/videos or documents that support your claim.

If you cannot find your vehicle in the ‘claims’ section, please send your claim and any additional supporting documents/videos/images directly to claims@openlane.eu.

Our claims department will analyse your claim and check whether your claim is valid based on our terms and conditions. You will be informed directly via email from claims@openlane.eu.

You have five days to accept the outcome. If your bank details are required, we will ask you to provide them within these five days.

3.9 Why is selling Dutch cars to non-EU buyers restricted?

This is linked to a special vehicle tax, called BPM, which is related to the CO2 emissions of a vehicle, which is the case for the vast majority of Dutch vehicles.

One of the Dutch tax regulations stipulates that refund of the car tax paid (BPM) is only allowed for Dutch BPM cars that have been exported to and permanently/sustainably re-registered in a EU/EEA country*.

The Dutch Tax authorities conducted an investigation in 2019 and concluded that exporting BPM cars to non-EU/EEA countries is not allowed and may result in additional taxes.

* Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

3.10 How does OPENLANE support the Greek requirements for imported cars?

The Greek government has several important requirements for imported cars. While OPENLANE is committed to supporting professional car traders in exporting vehicles, it is challenging to ensure that all our vehicles comply to every import regulation of the different countries in our market. However, we are still continuously improving the availability of vehicle information and documentation. Here’s what we are helping you with today:

Validity of the technical inspection: For some cars the validity date of the technical inspection is readily available on our website. You can find it on the car description page under “Condition”.

FAQ greek-requirements_en

For cars where this information is not stated on our website, we advise you to consult the following resources:

* IMPORTANT: For the majority of Dutch vehicles older than 3 years OPENLANE provides German vehicle documents. In this case, the German technical inspection document is not issued.


Availability of the technical inspection document:
 currently this document is not mandatory for exporting cars. OPENLANE provides this document only if we receive it from the Seller.

EURO Norm: OPENLANE provides all the information regarding the emission standard received from the seller or from an external database. We advise you to consult another source to acquire the exact information regarding Euro 5a and Euro 5b.

Please note: a missing technical inspection is not considered a valid reason to request the cancellation of an assigned vehicle. 

3.11 Does OPENLANE only sell second-hand vehicles?

Whilst OPENLANE only sells previously purchased vehicles, the EU VAT Directive states that a vehicle is still considered to be new if it meets one of the following conditions:

  • The vehicle has been in use for less than six months from the date of commissioning, meaning the buyer has taken possession of the vehicle within six months of its entry into function.
  • The vehicle has been driven for no more than 6000 kilometres.

Vehicles that meet either of these conditions are still classed as new, and the registration procedures will be arranged as for a new vehicle.

OPENLANE’s invoices are created automatically, as soon as payment for the vehicle is received, in accordance with Belgian legislation and the VAT regime. All related legal provisions are stated on the invoice.

Please note: When reselling these goods, buyers in the European Union will not be able to apply special regimes for second-hand goods that might be provided for in their national legislation.

1.1 Can I use OPENLANE?

Our auctions are available for professional car dealers and traders and not for private individuals. They must be represented by persons who are authorised to enter into legally binding contracts in accordance with the legislation in effect.

To register with OPENLANE, customers must provide legitimate company and VAT credentials. They are also required to allow us to check their activities. For this reason, they must provide us with their NACE codes.

If you fit this criteria, please follow this link to register with us.

1.2 How do I register?

OPENLANE is an automotive marketplace aimed specifically at professional car traders and dealers. It’s free to register no matter where you live.

See below to find out how to register:

1.  Fill in your VAT number
Please enter your VAT number and click ‘Verify VAT number’. The system will automatically check the validity of your VAT number.

2.   Company and contact details
Fill in your company and contact details. Make sure you enter a valid email address. Choose your username and password, and whether you would like to stay informed by email or phone (you can change this later in your ‘My account’ portal). Confirm that you are a professional car trader, agree with the terms and conditions, click submit and you’re good to go!

3.  Confirm your email address
Immediately after registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Please click on the link to activate your account. If you skip this step, you will not be able to start bidding!

4.   First auction won
What happens if your bid wins? It’s now time to verify your identity. Upload a copy of your identity card in ‘My account’. We’ll check it within one working day. In the meantime, you won’t be able to place bids. Once your ID is approved, you can bid as much as you like.

5.  A five-time buyer
After buying five vehicles, it’s time for you to provide us with your company documents. Upload a copy of your company registration documents in ‘My account’. We’ll use these documents to verify your status as a professional car trader.

6.  Full access to OPENLANE
Once your ID card and company registration documents are validated, you have full access to OPENLANE!

1.3 How can I prove my activity as a car trader or dealer?

If you’ve registered with OPENLANE, we’ll ask you to prove you are a professional car trader or dealer. The easiest way to do this is by supplying your NACE codes. You can find them on your company registration documents.

If the NACE codes related with car-trading (45.11, 50.10…)  are not mentioned on your company registration documents, your access to our platform will be blocked. In this case, we advise you to extend your company’s activities in your country.

Not finding what you are looking for?

Use the self-help assistant.

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