Buying a Used Car in the Czech Republic: Register, STK and Checks

Published 2026-10-23 · 7 min read

The Czech Republic is one of the more transparent places in Europe to buy a used car. The state publishes much of its vehicle register as open data, and odometer readings taken at technical inspections can be looked up for free. Those tools only help if you use them before you pay, so this guide covers what to check and how the transfer works.

The Czech vehicle register and its open data

The road vehicle register (Registr silničních vozidel) is kept by the Ministry of Transport and maintained by municipal offices with extended powers (obecní úřad obce s rozšířenou působností, often shortened to ORP). Since the end of 2021 the ministry has published selected register data through a project called Datová kostka ("data cube") at dataovozidlech.cz. At launch it offered a CSV export of register data and a statistics module (kurzy.cz, 31 Dec 2021).

As of October 2026, the portal also offers full downloadable files for the whole register. These include a vehicle file with the VIN, the date of first registration anywhere and the date of first registration in Czechia. Other files cover technical inspections (type of inspection, testing station, validity dates), imported vehicles (country of origin and import date), periods when a vehicle was taken out of service, and owner and operator records with start and end dates (Datová kostka downloads). The files are large and meant for data processing, not quick lookups, but they show what can be checked for a Czech-registered car:

• First registration vs. first registration in Czechia. If the two dates are years apart, the car was imported used. Read its history with that in mind.
• Country of import. This tells you where to look for older records.
• Number of owner and operator changes. Several changes in a short time are worth asking about.
• Out-of-service periods. A car that was deregistered for a long time may have been off the road after an accident.

Private individuals' personal data is not part of what you should be looking for. The point is the car's timeline, not who owned it.

STK inspections and mileage records

Under the Road Traffic Act (Act No. 56/2001 Coll.), a passenger car (category M1) first registered in Czechia must have its first periodic technical inspection (STK) within 4 years of registration, and then every 2 years (Act 56/2001, § 40, version in force for 2026). A car that is around ten years old should therefore have a fairly regular trail of inspections.

The same act says the total distance recorded on the odometer must not be changed, except when the odometer is repaired or replaced. In that case the workshop must issue a protocol stating the VIN, the readings before and after, the date and reason, and who did the work. The owner hands this protocol to the testing station at the next inspection (Act 56/2001, § 36). Since October 2018, testing stations have had to record the odometer reading and compare it with the previous one. If the new figure is lower, the owner must explain why (ČT24, 1 Oct 2018).

You can see these readings yourself. The Ministry of Transport's free site kontrolatachometru.cz takes only the VIN and a CAPTCHA, and shows the odometer readings recorded at inspection and emissions stations (kontrolatachometru.cz). Compare the latest reading with what the dashboard shows. The mileage should only ever go up, and the yearly distance should look plausible.

The weak point is imports. When the 2018 rule took effect, it did not cover cars brought in from abroad (ČT24). For an imported car, the Czech record often starts at its first Czech inspection, and anything before that has to be found in the country it came from.

How ownership transfer works

The rules are in § 8 and § 10 of Act 56/2001 and on the government portal:

• Deadline. The request to record the new owner must be filed within 10 working days of the transfer (Act 56/2001, § 8).
• Joint request. For a sale, the previous and new owner request the change together. They can do this in person at any ORP, or online: the seller starts the request on Portál dopravy and passes a code to the buyer, who completes it and then visits the office (portal.gov.cz).
• Documents. You need the vehicle registration certificate (osvědčení o registraci vozidla, the small "techničák"). If someone acts for one of you, a power of attorney with an officially verified signature is required. The office checks that the car has valid liability insurance (portal.gov.cz).
• Inspection condition. The change is only recorded if the car's identity check (evidenční kontrola) is recent enough. That means the time since it was done must not exceed the vehicle's periodic inspection interval (Act 56/2001, § 10).
• Fee. As of October 2026 the portal lists CZK 800 for a four-wheeled vehicle, or CZK 640 when the request is started online (portal.gov.cz).

Until the transfer is recorded, the seller is still the registered owner. Do it together and promptly.

If you are buying a car that is still registered in another EU country and bringing it to Czechia, the requirements are different. You need the COC or the foreign registration certificate, a technical inspection certificate, an evidenční kontrola protocol no older than 30 days and confirmation that VAT has been paid. The fee is the same CZK 800, or CZK 640 online (portal.gov.cz).

Common scams

Rolled-back mileage on imported cars. Odometer fraud has long been a known problem in the Czech used-car market. In 2017 Radio Prague reported on a 2016 survey by the vehicle-check firm Cebia, which found that 42% of vehicles sold had tampered mileage, including imports (Radio Prague International, 18 Apr 2017). That figure is now old, but the risk pattern remains: a car imported with a "fresh" low reading has no Czech history to contradict it.

Hidden accident or flood damage. A long out-of-service period, or a first Czech registration well after the original one, can mean the car was rebuilt. Ask for repair invoices.

Stolen or cloned cars. The Czech Police run a free search of vehicles and plates reported stolen. It needs the complete VIN or plate, and it only covers thefts reported to the Czech police (policie.gov.cz).

Seller who is not the owner. If the name on the registration certificate does not match the seller's ID and there is no verified power of attorney, walk away.

Documents to check

• Registration certificate (osvědčení o registraci vozidla). Check that the VIN matches the car (windscreen, door pillar, body) and that the owner matches the seller.
• STK protocol. Check its validity date, any defects recorded and the odometer reading.
• Workshop protocol for any odometer repair or replacement, if the readings are inconsistent.
• Service book and invoices. Dates and mileages should line up with the inspection readings.
• For imported cars: the foreign registration documents, COC and proof of VAT payment.

Checklist before you pay

1. Get the full VIN and compare it with the car itself and the registration certificate.
2. Enter the VIN on kontrolatachometru.cz and compare the inspection readings with the dashboard.
3. Look at the dates of first registration abroad and in Czechia, the import country, the number of owners and any out-of-service periods.
4. Check the VIN in the police stolen-vehicle search.
5. If the car was imported, look up its history in the country of origin and any auction or damage records.

1. Confirm the STK is valid and the evidenční kontrola is recent enough for the transfer.
2. Confirm the car has liability insurance.
3. Sign a written contract with the VIN, the mileage, the price and both parties' details.
4. File the change of owner together with the seller within 10 working days.