Marktplaats: how to find a car in the Netherlands and what to check

Last updated: 11 October 2026

Marktplaats.nl is a popular Dutch classifieds site where both private sellers and dealers list cars — so a lot of the checking is left to you. This page covers how Marktplaats differs from Gaspedaal and AutoScout24.nl, how to read a Dutch ad, and what to check for free by plate number. The Latvian side costs €308–388: €208 at CSDD with the first roadworthiness test plus €100–180 of OCTA.

What Marktplaats is and how it differs from Gaspedaal and AutoScout24.nl

In 2026 the Dutch market sits on four sites. These are the three you will need; the fourth, AutoTrack.nl, is dealer ads with tidy specs. All work in Dutch: English versions are incomplete and the ad text stays in the original.

Site	What it is	Who sells	What to watch
Marktplaats.nl	A popular classifieds site in the country.	Both private sellers and dealers.	The checking is left to you: history, mileage, papers.
Gaspedaal.nl	A search engine over the other Dutch portals.	Sells nothing itself — shows offers from other sites.	Shows at once whether one car is listed in several places; a good place to start.
AutoScout24.nl	The Dutch section of the European portal.	Mostly dealers.	The search feels familiar after Germany.

In practice: to see the whole offer at once, start with Gaspedaal; to buy from a private seller and check things yourself, use Marktplaats. AutoPase is not affiliated with Marktplaats; the name belongs to its owner.

How to read the ad: APK, NAP, kenteken

Before you call, find seven fields in the ad: year of manufacture, mileage, APK expiry, the plate number (kenteken), seller type, the VAT mark and the service history. If one is missing, ask the seller in writing.

Word in the ad	What it means
Bouwjaar	year of manufacture
Kilometerstand	odometer reading
APK tot	roadworthiness test (APK) valid until the date given
Kenteken	the registration plate; with it the free RDW check shows the car’s data — ask the seller for it before the trip
NAP	the seller’s note on the odometer check; “NAP logisch” in an ad is the seller saying the readings rise logically — check it yourself by plate
Tellerstand logisch / onlogisch	odometer verdict: readings rise logically / a lower reading was once recorded
Marge-auto / BTW-auto	margin scheme, no VAT shown separately / VAT shown separately on the invoice
Eerste eigenaar	first owner
Onderhoudshistorie	service history
Vrijwaringsbewijs	proof the car is off the seller’s name

A word in an ad is not a check: the seller writes “NAP logisch” and “APK nieuw” himself. Verify them in the next step.

What to check before you buy: the RDW and the papers

Checking a Dutch car starts with one free page: the RDW kentekencheck (ovi.rdw.nl) takes a plate and shows the APK expiry date, an odometer verdict and open recalls. No account is needed.

Ask the seller for the plate (kenteken) and enter it in the RDW kentekencheck. Compare the APK date and the odometer verdict with what the ad says.
The odometer verdict is “logisch” (readings rise logically), “onlogisch” (a lower reading was once recorded) or “geen oordeel” (no verdict — often an imported car). “Onlogisch” is not proof of fraud, but it is a reason to ask for the service book before you pay anything.
What the RDW cannot see — crashes abroad, liens, a first registration outside the Netherlands — you check by VIN.
Ask for the vrijwaringsbewijs (proof the car is off the seller’s name) and the export document, part II of the registration certificate, which is issued once the RDW gives the car “Export” status.
If you are promised an “export price”, get it in writing: the BPM refund goes to whoever puts the car into “Export” status in the Netherlands, not to the buyer in Latvia (Belastingdienst).

A Latvian resident must register an imported car within 5 days of bringing it in (csdd.lv). A Dutch APK is not valid in Latvia — the first roadworthiness test is already inside the CSDD figure of €208 (€36.95 of it is the test).

Free VIN check

What next

Do not want to do it yourself? Order a car from the Netherlands, turnkey

Included: history and mileage check before purchase, delivery, CSDD registration and our work. Not included: first-year OCTA insurance and operation tax where it applies. We state the final price before you pay.

For the cars on autopase, delivery from the Netherlands takes up to 14 days from payment until the car arrives in Latvia; the delivery price is already inside the car’s final price.

How the purchase goes

If you would rather look yourself, here are the cars from the Netherlands we have gathered in one place, and the car selection with the country set:

Cars from the Netherlands on autopase Cars from the Netherlands: where to look and what it costs Car selection: the Netherlands

Frequently asked questions

How is Marktplaats different from Gaspedaal?

Marktplaats is a classifieds site where the sellers themselves list cars, both private sellers and dealers. Gaspedaal sells nothing: it is a search engine over the other Dutch portals and shows whether one car is listed in several places.

How do I check the mileage on a car from Marktplaats?

Free, on the RDW kentekencheck (ovi.rdw.nl), by plate number. An imported car often has no verdict — then only the service book and a VIN report help.

Is a Dutch APK valid in Latvia?

No. You will take a Latvian test, already inside the CSDD figure — €36.95. The APK history still tells you how regularly the car was inspected.

What does delivery from the Netherlands cost and how long does it take?

For the cars on autopase, up to 14 days from payment until the car arrives in Latvia; the delivery price is already inside the final price. If you arrange the transport yourself, the carrier names the amount once it knows the city and the condition of the car.

What is the BPM refund and is it mine?

BPM is the Dutch registration tax. Its remainder is refunded to whoever puts the car into “Export” status in the Netherlands, not to the buyer in Latvia. For the buyer one thing follows: a promised “export price” must be in writing.