The registration (pollution) tax when registering a car from the USA
When a passenger car or a light commercial vehicle (for example a pickup) is registered in Lithuania, a registration tax, also called the pollution tax, is paid. It is worth including it in the price before bidding.
When it is paid
- When M1 (passenger) and N1 (light commercial, e.g. pickups) vehicles are registered at Regitra: for the first time in Lithuania and every time the keeper changes.
- Only when the car's CO2 emissions exceed 130 g/km. It does not apply to electric cars.
- The amount depends on the CO2 figure and fuel type. The rates are indexed every year (last on 9 January 2026).
- It is paid before registration.
For cars from the USA
US documents usually have no European CO2 figure. Regitra then sets it from equivalent cars already registered in Lithuania (the median), or, if that is not possible, by the formulas in the law from the car's technical data. Where there are several figures (NEDC, WLTP), the lowest applies. For cars with big engines (V8s, pickups) the tax can be high, so we estimate a preliminary amount before you bid.
Where to check
Regitra's tax calculator gives a preliminary amount; the exact amount is set at registration. The whole registration – Registering in Lithuania.