Importing a Car from Germany to Latvia with Leasing — Step by Step (2026)

Buying a used car in Germany and financing it with Latvian leasing is a ~10-step process with several actors (you, a broker, the bank, an appraiser, CSDD) and quirks the bank websites never mention.

This guide follows one principle: the next step, not a lecture. Each stage shows who acts, which documents are involved, and ends with one concrete action. Tick off stages — progress is saved on your device.

🇩🇪 → 🇱🇻•Updated: June 2026

Synthesized from a real buyer journey (Germany import + financial leasing, early 2026) and checked against the banks’ public pages in June 2026. Not financial advice — always confirm final terms with the bank.

The process, stage by stage

Open a stage, do its “next step”, mark it done — the guide shows you where to continue.

Your progress0 of 10 steps

Progress is saved on this device

Decide how you will pay before searching: a car loan (money to your account, car owned by you, capped amount) or financial leasing (the bank buys the car, you pay it off).
- •Car loan (e.g. Swedbank): €3,000–30,000, no down payment, KASKO optional, fixed rate from ~6.9%. Above €30,000 this route is closed.
- •Financial leasing: lower rate (~1.5–2% + Euribor), no €30k cap, but 10%+ down payment, mandatory KASKO and a valuation for used cars.
- •Budget the landed cost, not the German sticker price: delivery, broker fee, valuation and registration usually add €1,000–2,000.
📄 Documents
- Internet bank access (applications are filed there)
→ Your next step
Open your bank’s leasing calculator in internet banking and check your approvable amount.
Search mobile.de or autoscout24.de. The leasing application needs a specific car with a VIN — nothing starts without it.
- •Request the VIN, full options list and service history from the seller.
- •For EVs, insist on a written battery health (SoH) report — the main value driver of a used EV.
- •Run a VIN history check (carVertical etc.) before paying anything.
📄 Documents
- Listing link / PDF
- VIN
→ Your next step
Request the VIN from the seller or broker — the leasing application cannot start without it.
Most leasing buyers use a full-service import broker: on-site inspection in Germany, purchase, delivery and paperwork — and daily experience with Latvian banks.
- •Ask for ONE written all-in quote: car price, delivery, commission, valuation, registration, VAT treatment.
- •Verify the company’s legal details (name, reg. no.) at info.ur.gov.lv and read recent reviews.
- •DIY is realistic without leasing; with leasing the bank still requires a valuation and Latvian paperwork.
📄 Documents
- Broker’s written cost calculation
→ Your next step
Request one complete written quote from the broker — not a verbal estimate.
The same car gets different terms at different banks — both down payment and rate. Brokers often submit to several banks for you; answers typically take 1–2 working days.
- •Compare: down payment %, margin + Euribor tenor (3 vs 6 months), monthly payment, contract fee, offer validity.
- •A bank may require a higher down payment for specific models — buyers reported 15% for certain EVs in Feb 2026 despite public “from 10%” terms.
- •Co-borrower policies differ: at one bank only a spouse qualifies (buyer-reported, Feb 2026).
📄 Documents
- Leasing offers (PDF)
- 6-month salary statement (if requested)
→ Your next step
Apply to at least 2–3 banks in parallel — receiving an offer commits you to nothing.
While leasing is processed in Latvia, the car stays on sale in Germany. Good cars do sell within days — but “buy today or it’s gone over the weekend” is also a classic closing tactic.
- •Ask in writing whether the seller can reserve the car and on what terms.
- •Clarify what happens to a paid valuation and documents if the car sells — parts may be reusable for a similar car.
- •Never wire a deposit directly to an unknown German seller — go through the broker or a verifiable scheme.
📄 Documents
- Reservation confirmation (if offered)
→ Your next step
Ask the broker in writing: can this car be reserved, and what happens to the valuation if it sells.
Banks require a valuation for used cars in financial leasing. Expect roughly €45–75 depending on the channel.
- •Swedbank: €45 incl. VAT at a branch (cars up to €70,000) or via approved partners SIA “BRC” and SIA “AR Control” (verified June 2026).
- •Broker quotes often list ~€75 — the broker arranges it for you.
- •The fee is not refunded even if financing is declined.
📄 Documents
- Valuation report
→ Your next step
Confirm who orders the valuation — you, the bank or the broker — and whether it transfers to another car.
Once you pick an offer, you sign the leasing agreement and make the first payment. The key is knowing exactly who you are paying and for what.
- •First payment usually = down payment + contract fee (~1.5%, min €150–165 depending on the bank).
- •It is paid by bank transfer against an invoice — cash is typically not accepted.
- •The leasing company pays the German seller the remainder; that money never passes through you.
📄 Documents
- Leasing agreement
- Invoice for the first payment
- Payment schedule
→ Your next step
Before transferring, ask in writing who issues the invoice and what exactly it covers.
The broker completes the purchase and arranges delivery to Latvia — usually 3 days to 2 weeks.
- •Request the photo/video inspection report (paint readings, diagnostics, EV battery SoH) before the purchase is finalised.
- •German documents to receive: Kaufvertrag, Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I + II, Abmeldebescheinigung, TÜV report; CMR if transported.
📄 Documents
- Kaufvertrag
- Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I + II
- Abmeldebescheinigung
- CMR (if transported)
→ Your next step
Request the inspection photo/video report before approving the purchase.
In Latvia the car passes technical inspection, gets insured and registered at CSDD — under leasing, in the leasing company’s name (you are the holder).
- •KASKO is mandatory for the whole contract; the bank is the beneficiary and caps the deductible.
- •OCTA is needed before registration. Get KASKO quotes from at least 3 insurers (BTA, Balcia, ERGO, Compensa, Gjensidige, If) — prices vary a lot.
📄 Documents
- OCTA policy
- KASKO policy
- CSDD registration certificate
→ Your next step
Collect KASKO quotes from at least 3 insurers during delivery week — no KASKO, no car.
Congratulations! A few more steps to close things out properly.
- •On handover day, check the actual equipment against the listing and contract — promised options sometimes “disappear”.
- •For EVs, plan home charging — a 3-phase connection changes daily use dramatically.
- •Under financial leasing the car becomes yours only after the final payment — check early-buyout terms.
📄 Documents
- Complete deal document set
→ Your next step
Verify the equipment against the contract on handover day — discrepancies are fixed now, not in a month.

🏦 Bank comparison and quirks

Public terms all look alike (“from 10%”), but in practice the same car gets different terms at different banks. Apply to several banks in parallel.

Public bank terms verified on the banks’ websites on 10.06.2026. Buyer-experience notes are from February 2026. Terms change — confirm with the bank before deciding.

Bank / product	Down payment	Rate	Terms	Quirks from practice
Swedbank — financial leasing	from 10% (amount from €11,000)	from 1.99% + 6M Euribor (eco cars from 1.49%)	Up to 7 years; KASKO mandatory; fee 1.5% (min €150); income from €700 (€1,200 with co-borrower); used-car valuation €45 at a branch (cars up to €70,000) or via SIA “BRC” / SIA “AR Control”	◌ Buyer-reported (02.2026): 15% down required for certain fast-depreciating EV models (e.g. Audi e-tron) despite public “from 10%” terms.
Swedbank — car loan (alternative)	0%	fixed from 6.9%	€3,000–30,000; 6 months–7 years; KASKO optional; money to your account, car in your name; fee 1% (min €100); income from €550 (€1,000 with co-borrower)	✓ The €30,000 cap rules out most newer premium/EV imports — above it, leasing is the only route.
SEB — financial leasing	from 10% (amount from €9,000)	new from 2.00% + Euribor; EVs from 1.45%; PHEVs from 1.55%	Up to 7 years; used car max 12 years old at contract end; KASKO with deductible ≤ 20% and the bank as beneficiary; answer in ~2 working days	◌ Buyer-reported (02.2026): only a spouse can be a co-borrower — other applicants are assessed individually and may need a 6-month salary statement.
Citadele — financial leasing	from 10% (financing from €5,000)	individual (not published)	Used cars require a valuation by an accredited appraiser	◌ Buyer-received offer (02.2026): 10% down at 1.99% + 3M Euribor — pricier than competitors in the same deal.
Luminor — financial leasing	from 10% (leasing from €8,000)	EVs from 1.45% + 3M Euribor; new cars from 1.89%	Up to 7 years; used cars ≤ 15 years at contract end (EVs ≤ 11); KASKO mandatory; valuation report for used cars; fee 1.5% (min €165); age 21+	◌ Buyer-reported (02.2026): the slowest of four banks to answer in one multi-bank application — plan buffer time.

✓ Verified on the bank’s public page (06.2026)◌ Buyer-reported (02.2026) — confirm with the bank

Core table data (down payment, rate, terms) verified on the banks’ public pages on 10.06.2026. The “Quirks from practice” column reflects buyer experience from February 2026 — not the banks’ official position.

📇 Import service directory

Companies that deliver cars from Germany to order and help arrange leasing. This is not a ranking and we are not affiliated with any of them.

Compiled from buyer research in February 2026 and company websites; reviewed June 2026. Services and prices change — verify before engaging.

Company	What they do	Leasing
BRC Autocentrs (lv.brcauto.eu)	mobile.de partner in Latvia; full cycle: search, inspection, purchase, delivery ~1–2 weeks, CSDD, inspection	Works with all leasing companies; also a Swedbank-approved appraiser
Carweb Latvia (lv.carweb.eu)	Licensed mobile.de partner; automated ordering platform; delivery from ~3 days	Leasing arranged while the car is still in Europe; down payment from 10%
Autopiegāde (autopiegade.lv)	To-order delivery from Germany and EU auctions; paint-scanner inspection, diagnostics, photo/video report	Works with Latvian leasing companies
Emija (emija.lv)	20+ years of experience; inspection, purchase, delivery, CSDD registration	Helps find leasing
Autodirect.lv	Own team in Germany; photo/video report after inspection; mobile.de and autoscout24	Helps find leasing
Procar.lv	mobile.de, autoscout24 and auctions (Autobid, Openlane, Auto1); EV experience	Helps with leasing
Elite Cars (elitecars.lv)	European auctions and trade platforms; full paperwork	Helps with leasing
Carmax.lv	Low-mileage cars (2016–2023); courtesy car during the process; trade-in accepted	Offers leasing
e-mobile.lv	mobile.de; EV specialization; video walkthroughs of delivered cars	Helps with bank financing
CAR.LV	Premium segment (BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi etc.) from Germany, Sweden, Netherlands	Co-financing options
Labs Auto (labsauto.lv)	To-order import from Germany; also transports cars bought by the client	Cooperates with leasing companies
First Auto (firstauto.lv)	Cars in stock + orders from European auctions and partner dealers	Offers leasing

Transport only (if you buy the car yourself): Kurbads (kurbads.lv) — specialized carriers, including non-running, luxury and vintage cars.

⚠️ Before paying any advance: request legal details (entity name, reg. no.), verify them at info.ur.gov.lv and read recent reviews.

🛡️ OCTA and KASKO for a leased car

KASKO is mandatory for the whole leasing term with the bank as beneficiary; OCTA is needed before CSDD registration.

KASKO prices for the same car vary a lot between insurers — get at least 3 quotes (BTA, Balcia, ERGO, Compensa, Gjensidige, If) and make sure the policy meets the bank’s requirements.

🧮 Estimate your import costs

Enter the car price and parameters — the import calculator shows the approximate landed cost.

Open the import calculator →

❓ FAQ

Can I get leasing for a car that is still in Germany?

Yes — standard practice. You apply with the specific car’s data (VIN required), the bank approves financing, the broker buys and delivers the car, and it is registered at CSDD in the leasing company’s name.

Who receives the first payment?

It is paid by bank transfer against an invoice — issued by the broker or the leasing company depending on the deal structure. Cash is typically not accepted. Confirm in writing who invoices you and what it covers; the leasing company pays the seller the rest.

How much is the used-car valuation?

Roughly €45–75. Swedbank charges €45 at a branch (cars up to €70,000) or via approved partners SIA “BRC” and SIA “AR Control” (verified 06.2026); broker quotes often list ~€75.

What if the car sells in Germany while my leasing is processed?

The risk is real — good cars sell within days. Ask whether the seller can reserve it and whether the valuation transfers to a similar car. But remember that artificial urgency is also a classic sales tactic — decide on documents, not emotions.