Austria Requires Registration of Cars with Ukrainian License Plates: Deadlines, NoVA Tax, and Options

Austria is ending the special exemption for vehicles with Ukrainian license plates—owners must either register their vehicles or remove them from the country. This decision affects tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees who use their own vehicles in Austria. Learn more about registration deadlines, the NoVA tax rate, and possible options for owners of Ukrainian vehicles in Austria

Green Card insurance policy for traveling abroad by car

BUY

The preferential treatment for vehicles with Ukrainian license plates in Austria is officially coming to an end. As reported by Holos Ukrainy, on May 13, 2026, the Austrian Council of Ministers (Ministerrat) unanimously approved the repeal of the special conditions that had been in effect since 2022 for vehicles imported by Ukrainian refugees. The decision means that owners of such vehicles must either register them according to Austrian regulations or remove them from the country.

We discuss deadlines, tax amounts, sample calculations, and possible courses of action further in this article.

Planning a trip abroad in your own car?

Apply for a Green Card on the Visit Ukraine portal in just a few minutes.

What obligations were Ukrainian car owners in Austria exempt from?

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Austrian authorities have implemented a special regime for vehicles imported by Ukrainian refugees. Specifically, in July 2024, an amendment was made to §79 of the Motor Vehicle Act (Kraftfahrgesetz, KFG): Ukrainians with temporary protection status (holders of the “blue card”—Ausweis für Vertriebene) were granted the right not to re-register their cars in Austria for the entire duration of this status. The standard one-year restriction for foreign cars did not apply to them.

In addition to registration, the benefits included exemptions from:

• NoVA (Normverbrauchsabgabe) — a one-time tax on standard fuel consumption upon the first registration of a car in Austria;
• Pickerl (§57a KFG) — mandatory technical inspection;
• Vignettes (Vignette) on Austrian autobahns — until October 31, 2025.

The decision of the Council of Ministers dated May 13, 2026, revokes these guarantees. The temporary protection status itself remains in effect—it has been extended until March 4, 2027.

For detailed information on Austria for Ukrainians 2026 — follow the link.

Why is Austria revoking tax benefits for Ukrainian cars?

The coalition parties ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS voted to abolish the benefits. ÖVP State Secretary Alexander Pröll stated that anyone who permanently resides in Austria and uses a car must follow the same rules as all other road users. According to him, this is a matter of fairness.

Pröll also announced the development of a “fair retroactive taxation procedure” (Nachversteuerung) for cars already in Austria. Details of this procedure have not yet been released.

Don't want to miss important updates and useful articles? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

By what deadline must a car be registered in Austria?

The deadlines depend on when the car was imported into Austria.

Vehicles imported by June 30, 2026, are subject to a transition period. They must be registered in Austria by July 1, 2027, in compliance with all standard requirements: payment of NoVA, passing a technical inspection, obtaining an insurance policy, and receiving Austrian license plates.

Vehicles imported after June 30, 2026 are subject to the general rule of §79 KFG as of January 1, 2027, without any special transitional provisions. Registration must take place within one year of importation.

After the relevant deadlines expire, driving a car with Ukrainian license plates while having a permanent residence (Hauptwohnsitz) in Austria will constitute an offense. This carries the risk of fines and the confiscation of license plates.

By the way, in a previous article we reported that Austria has extended free education for Ukrainian students through 2026.

How is the NoVA tax calculated in 2026?

NoVA is a one-time tax paid upon the initial registration of a vehicle in Austria. The amount depends on the level of CO₂ emissions and

the market value of the vehicle.

Rate formula: (CO₂ in g/km − 91) ÷ 5; the result is rounded to the nearest whole number and represents a percentage of the car’s net value.

Important details of the calculation:

1. The calculation is based on the current market value according to the Eurotax system, not the original purchase price. The older the car, the lower the tax base.
2. The calculation uses the year of the car’s first registration (in Ukraine or another country). For cars registered before 2020, a higher CO₂ deduction applies (115 g/km instead of the current 91 g/km), which significantly reduces the amount.
3. A fixed deduction of 350 euros (Abzugsposten) is subtracted from the calculated amount.
4. For CO₂ emissions exceeding 155 g/km, a penalty fee (Malus) is charged—€80 for every gram above this limit. For cars older than 8 years, the Malus can be completely waived thanks to the so-called “eighth rule” (Achtelung).
5. The maximum NoVA rate is 80% of the car’s net value.
6. Electric vehicles (0 g/km CO₂) are fully exempt from NoVA.
7. For older cars not tested under the WLTP standard, the CO₂ value is calculated using the formula: engine power in kilowatts × 2. For example, a 110 kW (150 hp) engine → CO₂ = 220 g/km.

The CO₂ value in g/km is listed in the vehicle’s technical passport (Certificate of Conformity / CoC). If this document is unavailable, the data can be found by make and model on the manufacturer’s website or in databases such as car-emissions.com. You can calculate NoVA using the official calculator of the Austrian Ministry of Finance.

Examples of NoVA calculations for popular cars

• Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI (2020 model year), diesel CO₂: ~117 g/km. Market value according to Eurotax: ~12,000 euros net. Rate: (117 − 107) ÷ 5 = 2% (CO₂ deduction for 2020 model year — 107 g/km). NoVA: 12,000 × 2% = 240 euros. Minus a deduction of 350 euros → negative result → NoVA = 0 euros.
• Toyota RAV4 2.0 gasoline (2018 model year) CO₂: ~170 g/km. Market value: ~€14,000 net. Rate: (170 − 115) ÷ 5 = 11% (CO₂ deduction for 2018 model year — 115 g/km). NoVA: 14,000 × 11% = 1,540 euros. Minus a deduction of 350 euros → NoVA payable: ~1,190 euros.
  

How to transition from temporary protection to permanent status in Austria — we explain here.

What options do owners of Ukrainian cars in Austria have?

• Register the car in Austria by July 1, 2027. This involves paying NoVA at the tax office (Finanzamt) in your place of residence, passing a technical inspection (Pickerl), obtaining an Austrian insurance policy, getting Austrian license plates, and paying the motor insurance tax (motorbezogene Versicherungssteuer).
• Export the car from Austria. Provided the car is exported before the end of the transition period, no additional taxes need to be paid.
• Sell the car. The car can be sold in Austria (the buyer will pay the NoVA when registering the car in their name), in Ukraine, or in another country.
• Taking no action is the riskiest option. After the transition period ends, using an unregistered car with Ukrainian license plates while having a Hauptwohnsitz in Austria constitutes a violation of the law.

We previously reported that the Ukrainian language can be studied at two schools in Vienna.

Cars and Grundversorgung: What to Consider?

A separate situation applies to Ukrainians receiving state basic assistance (Grundversorgung). Some Austrian federal states require recipients of assistance to sell cars valued above a certain threshold to retain their right to social benefits. There is no uniform approach across Austria—in particular, Vienna takes a more lenient stance compared to other regions.

Statistics on traffic accidents involving cars with Ukrainian license plates in Austria

According to the response from the Ministry of Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure (BMIMI) to a parliamentary inquiry dated May 27, 2025,

from the beginning of 2022 to September 2024, out of 123,810 vehicles involved in traffic accidents with casualties in Austria, only 110 had Ukrainian license plates—that is, 0.1%.

Traveling abroad in your own car? Get a Green Card on the Visit Ukraine portal!

Those planning a trip abroad in their own car should take care of international auto insurance in advance. On the Visit Ukraine portal, you can quickly and conveniently apply for a Green Card—an international auto liability insurance policy required to cross the border in your own vehicle.

Get your Green Card online on Visit Ukraine and hit the road worry-free!

Reminder! In our previous article, we discussed whether the EU might extend temporary protection for Ukrainians until 2028.

Photo: Magnific

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

Visit Ukraine Merch - buy patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

© 2018-2026, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.