Export Paperwork Compared: Fahrzeugbrief, Carte Grise Barrée, Kentekenbewijs and the Belgian Certificate (2026)
Every European country runs its own registration paperwork system, and knowing which document to ask for is the first thing to check before you buy. Incomplete or incorrectly signed paperwork is one of the most common causes of delay once the car reaches Spanish registration. Here is exactly what to request in each of the four countries.
Germany: the Zulassungsbescheinigung (still widely called the Fahrzeugbrief)
In Germany, the vehicle's ownership document is officially the Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II — still commonly known by its older name, Fahrzeugbrief — and it is distinct from Teil I, the circulation permit. To export the car out of Germany you need both original documents in your name as the buyer, plus the vehicle's deregistration (Abmeldung) from the German register if you intend to register it permanently in Spain. Without the original Teil II, you cannot complete either the deregistration or the export.
France: the carte grise barrée
In France, the registration card (carte grise, officially the certificat d'immatriculation) has to be handed over "barrée": the seller draws a line through the document, notes the date and time of the sale, and signs it to record the transfer of ownership. Alongside the carte grise barrée you need the certificat de non-gage (proof the car carries no liens or oppositions) and the certificat de cession (Cerfa form 15776) signed by both parties.
Netherlands: the kentekenbewijs
In the Netherlands, the kentekenbewijs is the registration document, split into several parts depending on the age of the system. To export, the seller must deregister the vehicle with the RDW, the Dutch road traffic agency, through what is called a vrijwaringsbewijs — a certificate of exemption from liability confirming the car has stopped being registered to them as of the sale date. Skip this step and the seller remains legally liable for the car in the Netherlands even though you already own it.
Belgium: the certificat d'immatriculation barré
Belgium works similarly to France: the certificat d'immatriculation (or inschrijvingsbewijs in Dutch, depending on the region) is handed over crossed out and signed by the seller, showing the sale date. If the vehicle is more than four years old, add the current periodic inspection certificate (contrôle technique or autokeuring), which Belgium requires to be checked at the point of transfer.
Quick reference: the key document per country
- Germany: Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II (formerly Fahrzeugbrief) + Teil I + Abmeldung (deregistration).
- France: carte grise barrée + certificat de non-gage + Cerfa 15776 (transfer certificate).
- Netherlands: kentekenbewijs + vrijwaringsbewijs (RDW deregistration/liability exemption).
- Belgium: certificat d'immatriculation barré + current contrôle technique/autokeuring if applicable.
What happens once the car is in Spain
Regardless of the country of origin, you will also need the manufacturer's European Certificate of Conformity (CoC), or the Ficha Reducida if the CoC is unavailable, to register the car in Spain without going through individual homologation. That step is identical for all four countries, since they all belong to the EU whole-vehicle type-approval system (WVTA).
The car can be in perfect condition, but if the export paperwork was not done correctly at origin, Spanish registration can drag on for weeks.
Caralyze checks that every piece of export paperwork is correct before you buy, and manages the full registration process in Spain.
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