Export buyers · Latvia
How to buy a car in Latvia and take it home
Data as of 9 November 2026: listings from Lithuania — 16,256; from Latvia — 25,672. Below are median asking prices for 10 models; these are listing prices, not completed-sale prices.
What is for sale in Lithuania and Latvia today
Compare active listing counts and median asking prices for the same models in both markets. These are today’s listings, not completed-sale prices.
Data date: 9 November 2026
Swipe the table sideways to see both markets.
The ten models follow UkrAutoprom’s full-year 2025 top 10 imported used passenger cars by first registrations in Ukraine. We use the ranking only as a proxy for buyer demand; it does not claim that those cars came from the Baltics. Today’s availability and asking-price medians come only from current LT and LV listings on AutoPase. The statistics exclude the European dealer ads that AutoPase shows in its catalogue (the cars stand abroad). The medians are not adjusted for year, mileage, trim or condition; they describe current supply, not a like-for-like value ranking. The public Latvia search adds 631 cars from Germany in dealer ads to the market listings; the prices are the sellers’, import through AutoPase is optional.
UkrAutoprom— UkrAutoprom: top imported used passenger cars in Ukraine, 2025(checked 2026-09-26)
As checked on 26 September 2026, a buyer living outside Latvia can take ownership of a Latvian-registered car when the ownership change and export deregistration happen together. To drive after deregistration you need transit plates: two plates and the card for a passenger car cost €30.73; deregistration, data verification, taxes and insurance are separate.
The guide separates the carrier and self-drive routes. Every rule links to CSDD, VID or legislation with its check date.
We do not calculate destination duties: Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Kazakhstan link directly to their authorities.
Search both markets with the same filters
Choose the model, year, fuel and price first, then switch between Lithuania and Latvia — otherwise you are not comparing like with like.
The advertised price is not the total purchase-and-export budget. Allow separately for condition, paperwork, insurance, export and delivery.
- Compare the same model and a similar year of manufacture.
- Check mileage, specification and disclosed damage.
- Save the listing and seller details before paying a deposit.
The ten-model demand set follows UkrAutoprom’s full-year 2025 first registrations of imported used passenger cars in Ukraine; it is a demand proxy, not evidence of Baltic origin or profit.
UkrAutoprom— UkrAutoprom: top imported used passenger cars in Ukraine, 2025(checked 2026-09-26)
Before paying, check the VIN, plate and document chain
Pay only when the VIN matches the advert, car, registration document and contract, and the seller can prove the right to sell.
VIN checks apply to both markets. The plate-check link on this page supports Latvian plates only; check a Lithuanian car’s SDK (savininko deklaravimo kodas, the owner declaration code issued by Regitra).
- Match the VIN across every document and the vehicle.
- Check the seller’s identity and a representative’s authority.
- Put the full price, payment, mileage and known defects in the contract.
- Do not pay for a promise to supply missing documents later.
CSDD— Export deregistration — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)Regitra— SDK paieška(checked 2026-09-26)
Sign the contract and record the ownership change for export
A buyer resident outside Latvia can become the owner of a Latvian-registered car when the ownership change and export deregistration are performed together.
Record the parties, VIN, plate, full price, payment, handover and known defects. A representative at CSDD needs proper authority.
- Buyer and seller passport or ID details.
- Sale contract or other proof of ownership.
- Registration certificate and the seller’s right to dispose of the car.
- Written agreement on who receives the export evidence.
A person resident outside Latvia may be recorded as the new owner when the ownership change and export deregistration are completed at the same time.
CSDD— Person in whose name a vehicle is registered(checked 2026-09-26)
CSDD’s export-deregistration list requires the registration certificate, Latvian plates and the applicant’s passport or ID; a representative must establish authority to act.
CSDD— Export deregistration — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)
Deregister for export and, if driving, obtain transit plates
A vehicle sold or re-registered abroad must be deregistered for export; once deregistered, road use requires transit plates.
Do not buy transit plates for a carrier out of habit — agree the handover first. For self-drive, make sure the plates and insurance cover the full route.
- For deregistration: registration certificate, Latvian plates and the applicant’s passport or ID.
- For transit: data-verification certificate, registration or technical-data document and ownership evidence where required.
- Keep the returned registration certificate and every receipt.
Export deregistration costs €3.02. CSDD cashier collection costs €1.20 per tax; the state taxes themselves vary by vehicle.
For a passenger car, two transit plates and the card cost €30.73. Data verification is €8.20 for a Latvian-registered vehicle or €19.25 for an unregistered vehicle; an extension card is €8.42.
CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — payments(checked 2026-09-26)
Transit plates are valid for five days in Latvia and 30 days abroad; they may be extended once for the same period.
CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — general information(checked 2026-09-26)
For transit plates, CSDD requires a data-verification certificate, the registration certificate or foreign technical document, ownership evidence where needed, and a passport or ID.
CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)
CSDD requires the registration certificate and Latvian plates for deregistration; the plates are destroyed and the registration certificate is returned.
CSDD— Export deregistration — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)
For a third country, file the export declaration and retain the MRN
A car permanently leaving the EU enters the export procedure; Latvia uses an electronic declaration and the carrier presents its MRN at the office of exit.
If the EU exit is in another member state, the MRN still accompanies the export to that point. An EU destination is not a third-country export — check the destination’s registration and VAT rules.
- Contract or invoice, registration and export-deregistration papers.
- Export-declaration MRN and transport document.
- Origin or restriction documents where the vehicle or route requires them.
- Proof of actual EU exit for the seller’s VAT file.
In Latvia the declaration is filed through the EDS customs section into EMDAS/AES; the carrier presents the MRN at exit even when that office is in another EU state.
Moving a used car to another EU state follows EU vehicle VAT rules based on the vehicle and seller status; it is not a third-country export.
European Commission — Your Europe— VAT when buying or selling a car(checked 2026-09-26)
Choose delivery after checking the documents and route
A carrier and self-driving are different jobs; ask for a written price and timing for the exact car, route and scope.
- Record who files the export declaration and receives proof of exit.
- Record the handover point, consignee and documents the carrier returns.
- For self-drive, check plates and insurance territory across the route.
VID— Customs procedure — export(checked 2026-09-26)CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — general information(checked 2026-09-26)
VAT: there is no automatic “21% refund to the buyer”
A documented export outside the EU can qualify for 0% VAT, but the seller must substantiate it. A VAT-sized deposit and later refund are dealer contract terms, not an automatic VID payment to the buyer.
Before paying, establish whether the invoice uses ordinary VAT or the second-hand margin scheme. Under the margin scheme VAT on the margin is not itemised, so 21% of the full car price cannot be reclaimed.
Agree in writing which exit evidence the dealer accepts, who supplies it and when any deposit becomes repayable.
VAT Law section 43(1) provides 0% for export, while section 51 denies it where the taxpayer cannot prove the export.
Likumi.lv— Value Added Tax Law, sections 43 and 51(checked 2026-09-26)
The principal proof is a correctly completed export declaration. Where the rules permit an alternative evidence set, it must contain at least two documents such as a transport document, third-country contract or proof of payment.
Likumi.lv— Cabinet Regulation No. 17, export evidence(checked 2026-09-26)
A margin-scheme invoice identifies the second-hand margin scheme, does not state VAT separately and gives the buyer no input-VAT deduction.
VID— VAT margin scheme for second-hand goods(checked 2026-09-26)
Carrier or self-drive
There is no universal price or guaranteed timing: both depend on the route, vehicle condition, borders and customs scope.
Vehicle carrier
Also works for a car you will not drive. Ask for a written quote covering collection, insurance, customs representation and handover.
- Carrier identity and liability
- CMR or other transport document
- Who retains proof of export
VID— Customs procedure — export(checked 2026-09-26)Likumi.lv— Cabinet Regulation No. 17, export evidence(checked 2026-09-26)
Drive it home
You need valid transit plates, insurance, original documents and a roadworthy car. Check every route country before departure.
- Plate validity for the full route
- Insurance territory
- Originals required at the border and destination
CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — general information(checked 2026-09-26)CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)
We do not invent a delivery price or number of days. Compare written quotes for the same route and scope.
Destination-country rules: official links only
Rates and reliefs change, so we do not calculate duties. Check the authority’s current rules for the exact VIN, year and engine.
Frequently asked questions
How to buy a used car in Lithuania and export it to Ukraine?
Check the VIN and SDK (savininko deklaravimo kodas, the owner declaration code issued by Regitra), sign the contract, choose a carrier or 30-day temporary registration, file an EU export declaration for a third-country destination, then follow the Ukrainian State Customs vehicle process. Decide before paying who will obtain and retain proof of exit.
Regitra— Registruoju laikinam laikotarpiui (tranzitinių numerio ženklų išdavimas)(checked 2026-09-26)Lietuvos Respublikos muitinė— Eksportas(checked 2026-09-26)Державна митна служба України— Розмитнення авто(checked 2026-09-26)
Best websites to find used cars in the Baltic states?
Use the AutoPase LT and LV filters above: choose the same model, year, fuel and price, then switch markets. The live panel shows today’s availability and median asking prices; it does not promise a final landed cost.
Buying a car in Latvia as a non-resident for export — what documents are needed?
The core set is the contract or invoice, registration certificate, CSDD export deregistration, transit documents if driven, export-declaration MRN and transport document. Ukraine’s current customs page also explains foreign deregistration, conformity evidence and the clearance process.
CSDD— Export deregistration — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)VID— Customs procedure — export(checked 2026-09-26)Державна митна служба України— Розмитнення авто(checked 2026-09-26)
How much do export or transit number plates cost in Lithuania and Latvia?
In Lithuania the transit plate set is €9.26; registration, document and insurance are separate. In Latvia two plates and the card for a passenger car are €30.73; €3.02 deregistration, data verification, taxes and insurance may be additional. At CSDD, first deregister the car for export, then provide the data-verification certificate, registration certificate or foreign technical document, ownership evidence where needed, and a passport or ID.
Regitra— Transporto priemonių paslaugų kainos(checked 2026-09-26)Regitra— Transporto priemonių registravimo paslaugų kainoraštis(checked 2026-09-26)CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — payments(checked 2026-09-26)CSDD— Export deregistration — payments(checked 2026-09-26)CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)
Can a non-resident buy a car in Latvia and export it immediately?
Yes. CSDD allows a buyer resident abroad to be recorded when ownership change and export deregistration are completed together. Road use after deregistration needs transit plates; for a carrier, agree the handover process.
CSDD— Person in whose name a vehicle is registered(checked 2026-09-26)CSDD— Removal of a vehicle from the register for export from Latvia(checked 2026-09-26)CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — general information(checked 2026-09-26)
Is it cheaper to buy a used car in Lithuania, Latvia or Poland for export?
We can compare only today’s LT and LV listings honestly. This dataset has no comparable live Polish prices, so we do not call Poland cheaper. Compare the same model and a similar year, mileage and condition, then add paperwork, delivery and destination charges.
How to ship a car from the Baltics to Georgia or Kazakhstan?
Choose a carrier or self-drive, complete EU export and use the official import guidance from Georgia Revenue Service or Kazakhstan’s State Revenue Committee.
Lietuvos Respublikos muitinė— Eksportas(checked 2026-09-26)VID— Customs procedure — export(checked 2026-09-26)Georgia Revenue Service— Vehicle customs clearance(checked 2026-09-26)Комитет государственных доходов Министерства финансов Республики Казахстан— Таможенное декларирование товаров для личного пользования(checked 2026-09-26)
VAT refund when exporting a car bought in Lithuania — how does it work?
There is no automatic 21% refund. The seller and invoice scheme control the result: a margin invoice has no itemised VAT, while 0% on an extra-EU export requires evidence held by the seller. Agree any dealer deposit repayment in writing before paying.
VMI— Naudotų automobilių pardavimo apmokestinimas PVM(checked 2026-09-26)VMI— PVMĮ komentaras (aktuali redakcija 2026-04-29)(checked 2026-09-26)VMI— PVM tarifai(checked 2026-09-26)
Which cars are most profitable to import from the Baltics to Ukraine?
No model is profitable at every price and condition. The ten table models are the leading imported used cars by first registrations in Ukraine during 2025: a demand proxy, not a profit promise and not a claim that they came from the Baltics.
UkrAutoprom— UkrAutoprom: top imported used passenger cars in Ukraine, 2025(checked 2026-09-26)
Average used car prices in Lithuania and Latvia in 2026?
One market-wide average mixes unlike cars. The live panel therefore shows the median asking price for each named model, separately for LT and LV, with its date and sample size. These are listing prices, not transaction prices.
Sources and methodology
Every rule and fee has an authority link beside it. The full set of primary and demand-methodology sources used on this page is listed below.
- UkrAutoprom— UkrAutoprom: top imported used passenger cars in Ukraine, 2025(checked 2026-09-26)
- CSDD— Person in whose name a vehicle is registered(checked 2026-09-26)
- CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — payments(checked 2026-09-26)
- CSDD— Export deregistration — payments(checked 2026-09-26)
- CSDD— Export deregistration — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)
- Regitra— SDK paieška(checked 2026-09-26)
- CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — general information(checked 2026-09-26)
- CSDD— Receipt of transit number plates — necessary documents(checked 2026-09-26)
- VID— Customs procedure — export(checked 2026-09-26)
- European Commission — Your Europe— VAT when buying or selling a car(checked 2026-09-26)
- Likumi.lv— Value Added Tax Law, sections 43 and 51(checked 2026-09-26)
- Likumi.lv— Cabinet Regulation No. 17, export evidence(checked 2026-09-26)
- VID— VAT margin scheme for second-hand goods(checked 2026-09-26)
- Державна митна служба України— Розмитнення авто(checked 2026-09-26)
- Serviciul Vamal al Republicii Moldova— Plasarea sub regim vamal de import a mijloacelor de transport(checked 2026-09-26)
- Georgia Revenue Service— Vehicle customs clearance(checked 2026-09-26)
- Комитет государственных доходов Министерства финансов Республики Казахстан— Таможенное декларирование товаров для личного пользования(checked 2026-09-26)
- Regitra— Registruoju laikinam laikotarpiui (tranzitinių numerio ženklų išdavimas)(checked 2026-09-26)
- Lietuvos Respublikos muitinė— Eksportas(checked 2026-09-26)
- Regitra— Transporto priemonių paslaugų kainos(checked 2026-09-26)
- Regitra— Transporto priemonių registravimo paslaugų kainoraštis(checked 2026-09-26)
- CSDD— Removal of a vehicle from the register for export from Latvia(checked 2026-09-26)
- VMI— Naudotų automobilių pardavimo apmokestinimas PVM(checked 2026-09-26)
- VMI— PVMĮ komentaras (aktuali redakcija 2026-04-29)(checked 2026-09-26)
- VMI— PVM tarifai(checked 2026-09-26)
