Costs & fees

Import costs clearly explained.

All costs for importing a vehicle to Austria at a glance: NoVA, transport, documents and service.

When importing a vehicle to Austria, several additional costs come on top of the purchase price: the Normverbrauchsabgabe (NoVA), transport costs, fees for the Austrian type certificate or individual approval, and a service fee if an import specialist handles the process. The total depends on the vehicle, CO2 emissions and transport route. This overview breaks down every cost item clearly.

At a glance

Key points

Import costs consist of NoVA, transport, document fees and the service package.
NoVA is often the largest single item and depends mainly on CO2 emissions.
Transport typically ranges from 400 to 1100 euros depending on route and transport type.
The Austrian type certificate usually costs 180 to 320 euros and is set by the general importer.
You can estimate all costs in advance with our cost calculator.

What do import costs consist of?

Anyone importing a vehicle from the EU to Austria needs to budget for several cost items in addition to the purchase price. The structure is similar for most imports, but the exact amounts depend strongly on the vehicle, route and service level.

Below we explain each cost item so you can make an informed decision before buying.

The five cost components

Normverbrauchsabgabe (NoVA) - CO2-based tax due at first Austrian registration
Transport costs - insured vehicle transport to Austria
Official documents - type certificate, registration fees and approvals
Service fee - complete import handling by Autohaus Zwer
Optional services - for example DEKRA inspection, express handling or insurance support

Normverbrauchsabgabe (NoVA)

NoVA is usually the largest individual cost item. It is due when a vehicle is registered in Austria for the first time and is based mainly on the vehicle's CO2 emissions (WLTP value).

The calculation is progressive: higher CO2 emissions mean a higher percentage. Vehicles with very high emissions may also trigger a CO2 surcharge. Fully electric vehicles are exempt from NoVA.

For used vehicles, Austria applies an age reduction. A portion of the base NoVA is deducted according to the time since first registration, up to the legal maximum.

You can find a detailed explanation of NoVA calculation on our NoVA information page .

NoVA example values

Electric vehicle: 0 euros
Petrol car with 120 g/km CO2: from about 4-7% of the net price
Diesel SUV with 180 g/km CO2: from about 15-22% of the net price
Sports car with 260 g/km CO2: 30% and more plus surcharge

Transport costs

Vehicle transport costs depend on the distance between the dealer location and the delivery address in Austria, plus the chosen transport type. Autohaus Zwer works with professional vehicle logistics partners. All transports are insured.

We calculate the exact transport cost individually for the concrete route. In the cost calculator transport is estimated automatically based on distance.

Short route - for example Munich-Salzburg, about 150 km: from around 350 euros
Medium route - for example Stuttgart-Vienna, about 600 km: from around 500 euros
Long route - for example Hamburg-Vienna, about 900 km: from around 1050 euros

Official documents and fees

Different document costs apply before an imported vehicle can be registered in Austria.

Autohaus Zwer handles the organization of the Austrian type certificate and coordinates the required steps with importers and authorities.

Type certificate / data extract - about 180 to 320 euros. Available for most standard production vehicles.
Individual approval - about 150 to 500 euros. Required only when no type certificate is available, for example rare models or modified vehicles.

Import service packages

Autohaus Zwer offers three service packages for different needs. Each package builds on the previous one.

Basic package

€ 899

Import handling after you have already prepared the purchase

NoVA handling with the tax office
Collection of all import documents
Organization of insured transport
Preparation for registration in Austria
Customer portal access with real-time status tracking

Plus package

Carefree package

€ 1,990

Everything in Plus, plus inspection and personal support

Technical inspection at the dealer location
Organization of car insurance
Personal contact throughout the import process
Priority processing of your order

All prices include VAT. The packages are shown transparently in the cost calculator. There are no hidden additional fees.

Optional services

Additional optional services can be added depending on what you need.

Vehicle inspection

An independent DEKRA inspection costs 350 euros and is especially useful for higher-value used cars. The inspector checks the technical condition and bodywork directly at the German dealer.

Express transport

If timing is important, we offer express transport with a shorter delivery window. The additional cost compared with standard transport is shown transparently in the calculator.

Premium transport

Premium transport provides enclosed single-vehicle transport for particularly valuable cars. Your vehicle is transported individually and protected from weather exposure.

Insurance support

Together with our insurance partner, we support the organization of car insurance for registration in Austria.

Cost example: what does a typical import cost?

To make the costs tangible, here is a concrete example: a used car from Stuttgart imported to Vienna.

Example: VW Tayron Life TDI 4MOTION DSG, model year 2025, 190 g/km CO2

Vehicle price gross47,930 euros

NoVA9,796.44 euros

Standard transport Stuttgart-Vienna (approx. 630 km)746.75 euros

Type certificate180 euros

Service fee (Basic package)990 euros

Total import cost60,043.19 euros

In this example, the import-related extra costs are 11,713.19 euros. Comparable vehicles in Austria currently average 65,875 euros, so the import still saves 6,232 euros.

Individual calculation

This example is based on a real listing on mobile.de. Your costs depend on the exact vehicle, CO2 emissions, tax type and transport route. For your own calculation, use our free cost calculator .

Short answers

Which costs apply when importing a vehicle?

Typical costs are the vehicle price, NoVA, transport, type certificate or approval costs and the import service fee.

Is importing a car financially worthwhile?

It depends on the vehicle. For premium cars from about 30,000 euros, the price gap between Germany and Austria is often 5 to 15 percent. Electric vehicles benefit especially because NoVA does not apply.

Frequently asked questions

How much does importing a car to Austria cost in total?

The total depends on the vehicle. Transport, type certificate, NoVA and the service package vary by vehicle data and route. Use our free calculator for a precise estimate.

Can I calculate import costs in advance?

Yes. Enter the listing URL in our cost calculator and it estimates NoVA, transport costs and fees.

Is NoVA the only tax on import?

In addition to NoVA, Austrian VAT may apply for regularly taxed vehicles. For margin-taxed vehicles, this additional VAT normally does not apply.

What does car transport to Austria cost?

For routes from Germany to Austria, standard transport typically ranges from 400 to 1100 euros. All transports arranged by Autohaus Zwer are insured.

Are there hidden costs?

No. Autohaus Zwer calculates vehicle price, NoVA, transport, type certificate, service fee and optional services transparently in advance.

Is importing from Germany financially worthwhile?

Generally, the higher the vehicle value and the lower the CO2 emissions, the more attractive the import. Electric vehicles benefit especially because NoVA does not apply.