What is the “luxury tax” on cars
- It is a special tax introduced by Law 296/2023.
- It applies to individuals and legal entities that own cars whose acquisition value exceeds a threshold.
- The non-taxable threshold is 375,000 lei (approx. 75,000 €).
- The tax rate is 0.3% applied to the difference between the acquisition value and the non-taxable threshold.
- The tax is owed for 5 years from the moment of ownership transfer (handover) of the vehicle.
How to declare it
- Formularul 216 is used (“Declaration regarding the special tax on high-value real and movable property”).
- The form is submitted to ANAF (central tax authority).
- Submission deadline: by December 31 of the current fiscal year, for cars.
- The declaration can be submitted electronically or in physical form, using the assistance software provided.
- If there are errors, a corrective declaration can be filed.
How the tax is calculated and paid
Determining the base:
- Take the acquisition value of the car.
- Subtract the threshold of 375,000 lei.
- The result is the taxable base.
Applying the rate:
- Apply the rate of 0.3% to the resulting taxable base.
Example:
- If the car cost 100,000 €, the difference from the threshold (75,000 €) is 25,000 €, so the tax is 0.3% × 25,000 = 75 € (according to sources).
- If the car costs 200,000 €, the tax would be 0.3% × (200,000 € − 75,000 €) = 375 € (indicative calculation from sources).
Payment:
- The tax is paid to the state budget, through ANAF.
- It is paid once, but is linked to the 5-year period (see the point above on the duration of the obligation).
What happens if you do not declare or pay
- If you do not submit declaration 216 on time, ANAF may assess the tax by default.
- There are sanctions: for individuals, a fine between 5,000 and 10,000 lei; for companies, between 10,000 and 20,000 lei.
- Enforcement measures may be applied if payment is not made.
Other important aspects
- The luxury tax is separate from the regular vehicle tax (it does not replace local taxes or the basic vehicle tax).
- ANAF issued Order 3,738/2024, which regulates the model of declaration 216 and the submission procedure.
- The General Directorate of Tax Antifraud (DGAF) has begun audits of luxury car transactions to verify whether declarations and payments are being made correctly.