How to buy a classic car: from the advert to historic plates

This guide takes you through a purchase from the first advert to collecting the permanent registration certificate. It is written for buyers in Poland, but the checks and the contract apply anywhere. If you are still deciding whether and which classic to buy, start with Your first classic car in six steps, and a list of models that are easy to live with is in A shortlist for your first classic. Here I assume you already know what you are looking for.

Where should you look for a classic car?

You can buy a classic in four places: from a private seller, from a specialist dealer or broker, at auction (in a saleroom or online) and through a marque club. Each spreads the risk differently.

• Private seller — usually the lowest asking price and direct access to the car's history, but you do all the checks yourself, and a contract between private individuals may limit the statutory warranty for defects.
• Dealer or broker — the car is usually described and prepared, and the sale is invoiced. You pay for selection and convenience, so still check the car.
• Auction — wide choice and a quick transaction, but often little time for inspection, and the auction house's commission is added to the hammer price. Read the terms before you bid.
• Marque clubs — members often sell cars that have been known in the community for years; it is also the best place to ask about a specific car.

The cars I currently have for sale are in the MB Classics showroom, each with its condition and known faults described.

How do you check a classic before buying?

You check three things: whether the car is what it claims to be, what condition it is in and whether the seller has the right to sell it. The order matters — there is no point paying for an inspection of a car whose chassis number does not match.

Identity and history

Compare the VIN (or chassis number) on the car with the registration document and the contract, and check the engine number if the manufacturer recorded it. For cars registered in Poland, the free Historia Pojazdu service on gov.pl shows data from the Central Vehicle Register and roadworthiness test results; you need the registration number, VIN and date of first registration. For a car from Great Britain, MOT test history since 2005 can be checked on GOV.UK using the registration number.

For British marques (including MG, Triumph, Austin, Morris and Land Rover), the British Motor Museum issues a Heritage Certificate — a copy of the factory ledger entry with the build date, engine and body numbers and original colour scheme. It costs £52. If the manufacturer keeps a factory archive, it is worth asking for a similar extract before buying a car whose value depends on originality.

Mechanical condition

Start the inspection with the body and underside, because corrosion and the quality of old repairs cost the most. Then the engine from cold, a test drive, leaks and electrics. For a car with unusual engineering — mechanical injection, a V12, hydropneumatic suspension — take a mechanic who knows the model.

Ownership and documents

The seller should be named on the registration document or hold a chain of contracts from the last registered owner. Ask for invoices, the service book, restoration records and photos of the work. For a car on historic plates, ask for a copy of the heritage record card.

What should the sale contract include?

The contract must clearly identify the parties, the car and the price — the registration office accepts it as proof of ownership. Include:

• details of both parties (name, address, national ID or passport number),
• make, model, year, VIN, registration number, engine number and odometer reading,
• the price, method and date of payment,
• the date and time of handover and a list of documents, keys and parts handed over,
• known defects described specifically, not as "condition known to the buyer".

Between private individuals in Poland, the parties may extend, limit or exclude the statutory warranty (art. 558 § 1 of the Civil Code), but the exclusion has no effect if the seller fraudulently concealed a defect (§ 2). Describing known defects in the contract therefore protects both sides.

How do you pay and collect the car safely?

The safest way is a bank transfer on the day the contract is signed and the car handed over, after checking that the payee details match the seller. Cash for larger sums is a risk for both sides, and a deposit before inspection is a risk for the buyer. If the car is far away, arrange collection by trailer or enclosed transport; for a valuable car, check that the carrier's cargo insurance covers the amount.

What paperwork follows a purchase in Poland?

After buying from a private seller you have three obligations: third-party insurance (OC), the PCC tax and the registration application. The seller has one too — they must report the sale within 30 days or face a 250 zł penalty.

PCC. The buyer pays 2% of the car's market value, not the contract price if that is understated. You file and pay within 14 days of the contract; sales of movable goods worth up to 1,000 zł are exempt (gov.pl: civil law transaction tax, in Polish). PCC does not apply to a purchase subject to VAT, such as one invoiced by a dealer. A car located abroad is subject to PCC only if the contract was concluded in Poland.

Registration. Since 1 January 2024 the buyer no longer reports the purchase but files a registration application within 30 days. In 2024 the Ministry of Infrastructure confirmed that this deadline also applies to historic cars and restoration projects. A late application carries a 500 zł penalty, and if it is not filed within 180 days, 1,000 zł (art. 140mb of the Road Traffic Act). If the car cannot yet pass a roadworthiness test, the office can set a deadline for completing the documents and extend it at your request. The office registers the car temporarily for 30 days and issues plates while the permanent certificate is prepared (gov.pl: register a vehicle, in Polish).

How do you register a classic on yellow historic plates?

Yellow plates are issued to a car entered in the register of monuments, in the regional heritage record or in a museum inventory. The usual route is having the vehicle's record card entered in the regional heritage record, which you apply for to the regional conservator of monuments responsible for where the car is kept.

The criteria differ between regions and have been tightened in recent years. For example, in the Lubelskie region since 1 March 2026 the conservator requires a foreign-built car to be at least 40 years old (30 years for Polish designs), to retain at least 75% of its original parts, and cars with a retrofitted LPG system are not accepted. The card can be prepared by a vehicle appraiser or by the owner, following the instructions of the National Heritage Board of Poland.

With the registration application you submit the document confirming historic status and a certificate of a test of compliance with the technical conditions for historic vehicles. The plates cost 100 zł. After that the car is exempt from periodic roadworthiness tests (art. 81(10) of the Road Traffic Act), and historic vehicles can be covered by short-term third-party insurance for a minimum of 30 days (art. 27 of the Compulsory Insurance Act).

A caution when buying a yellow-plated car from another region: the record card has to be transferred to "your" conservator, who checks it against their current criteria. Ask about them before you pay extra for historic status.

How do you buy a classic in another EU country?

Buying in Germany, the Netherlands or Italy differs from a domestic purchase in three ways: excise duty, translations and the roadworthiness test.

1. Excise. A passenger car not previously registered in Poland is subject to excise: 3.1% for engines up to 2,000 cc and 18.6% above that (podatki.gov.pl: excise rates, in Polish). The simplified AKC-U/S return is due within 14 days and no later than on the day of registration. There is no excise exemption for historic cars.
2. Documents. With the application you submit the contract or invoice, the foreign registration document, the plates (or a statement that they must be returned), proof of excise payment and sworn translations of foreign-language documents. An EU registration certificate does not need translating as far as the harmonised codes are concerned.
3. Roadworthiness test. A foreign registration document showing a valid test, or a test certificate from another EU country, is enough. A right-hand-drive car must have a Polish test.

The deadline for the registration application is again 30 days from bringing the car into Poland. For a car from outside the EU, customs clearance is added, and proof of clearance is one of the required documents.

What does buying a classic cost on top of the price?

On top of the price you pay tax (2% PCC on a domestic purchase from a private seller, or 3.1–18.6% excise on an import), registration fees (160 zł, or 180 zł with historic plates), transport, insurance, a pre-purchase inspection and, for imports, translations. Add a reserve for the first repairs, which depends on the car's condition. How to plan the whole budget is covered in Your first classic car in six steps, and the costs and risks of ownership in Classic car investment risks. More buying guides are in the Buying and inspection category.