Short answer (October 2026)
Tesla Denmark accepts trade-ins of any make. You get a free, non-binding estimate on tesla.com, but the final offer comes after you order. If you accept it, the value is deducted from what you pay, and you hand the old car over on the day you collect the new one. Any loan on the car has to be settled as part of the deal.
How it works, step by step
- Get an estimate. On Tesla's trade-in page you enter the car's VIN, registration number, mileage, model year, trim and date of first registration. You also say whether the car is VAT-registered and whether it has, or has had, any damage. Tesla says the estimate is based on vehicle data, the details you give and market conditions on the day.
- Order your Tesla. The estimate commits neither you nor Tesla to anything. It just gives you a realistic number before you press order.
- Receive the actual offer. After you order, Tesla lets you know in the app or by email when the offer is ready. You accept it and upload a photo of the registration certificate. Only then can you book your final delivery slot.
- Swap on delivery day. You drive the old car to the handover, leave it there with the registration certificate and drive home in the new one. The trade-in value has already come off the balance.
The order itself, and the referral code, belong to step 2. The trade-in is settled later, so it doesn't change when you need to use the code. The rest of the buying sequence is in how to buy a Tesla in Denmark.
If there's still a loan on the car
Plenty of cars are bought on finance, and that doesn't rule out a trade-in. The car has to be free of any security interest when Tesla takes it over, or that interest has to be removed along the way. If the car is financed, Tesla asks for a settlement letter (indfrielsesbrev) from the bank or finance company, so the loan can be paid off out of the trade-in value. If you owe more than the car is worth, you cover the difference.
Not sure what is registered against the car? You can look it up for free in the Danish personal property register, Bilbogen, at tinglysning.dk, using the VIN or number plate. It shows retention of title, charges and attachments, but not how much is owed. That figure comes from your lender.
Which cars can't be traded in?
The obvious one is a leased car. It belongs to the leasing company, so it goes back under the terms of your lease. According to teslatips.dk, which has been through Tesla's Danish terms, Tesla also excludes former taxis, rental and car-sharing vehicles, flood-damaged cars, cars not registered in Denmark, and trade-ins alongside a private lease of a Tesla. If the car isn't registered to you alone, the co-owner has to give power of attorney. If your car falls into one of those groups, check the current terms before you count on the trade-in.
Trade-in bonus: what is it?
From time to time Tesla runs campaigns that pay a fixed extra amount when you trade a car in. The bonus comes on top of what your old car is worth. A few examples reported in the Danish press:
| Period | Campaign | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2025 | DKK 25,000 on Model 3 and Model Y, whatever the make of the car you trade in | Bilbasen |
| January-March 2026 | Up to DKK 40,000 | meremobil.dk, hvilkenbil.dk |
| October-December 2026 | DKK 25,000 on a new Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive, not combined with Tesla's own financing | teslatips.dk |
The first two campaigns have ended. I have only seen the last one described by a single independent source, not on a Tesla page I could read. Whether there is a campaign when you order, and on what terms, is shown on tesla.com.
A bonus is nice, but look at the total. A big bonus on top of a low valuation can still leave you with less than a good offer from another buyer.
Tesla or sell it yourself?
In February 2026 the Danish motoring organisation FDM tested what three car owners were offered for their cars in different places. The outcome won't surprise anyone, but the numbers are worth knowing:
- Online car buyers were the quickest but made the lowest offers, up to DKK 34,000 below the dealer's trade-in price.
- Dealers paid the most in all three cases, though still below what similar cars were listed for on Bilbasen.
- A private sale can pay more, but it takes time, and the attempt in the test didn't lead to a sale. A private buyer also doesn't get the two-year statutory complaint right a dealer must give, which pushes the price down.
Three cars is a small test, so treat it as a rough guide rather than a rule. FDM's advice is to collect several offers and, if you try a private sale, to use a trade-in price as your floor.
My own view: trading in with Tesla is the easy option, because it all happens on one day and you are never without a car. It usually costs something compared with a good private sale. How much, you only find out by getting offers, and that takes half an hour online.
Practical things before the handover
- Paperwork: bring the registration certificate. If there's a loan on the car, the settlement letter should already have been sent.
- Insurance: make sure the old car's policy ends once it has been handed over, and that the new one is insured before you drive off. More in the Tesla insurance guide.
- Personal data: log out of apps in the car, delete paired phones, saved addresses and garage door openers. Once the car has been handed over, the deal can't be undone.
- Condition: the offer is based on the information you gave. Be honest about damage from the start so there are no surprises on delivery day.
If you sell the car privately instead, it is the buyer who must register the change of ownership with the Danish Motor Vehicle Agency within four working days. According to borger.dk this can be done in the Ejerskifte app.
What if you'd rather lease?
A trade-in goes with a purchase. If you are thinking of leasing your Tesla instead, the old car has to be sold separately. I've set out the pros and cons in leasing vs buying.
Frequently asked questions
Does Tesla take trade-ins in Denmark? Yes. You can trade in a car of any make, petrol and diesel included, when you buy a Tesla. The value comes off what you owe. A leased car belongs to the leasing company, so you can't trade that in.
Is Tesla's online valuation binding? No. The valuation on tesla.com is free and non-binding. The real offer arrives after you order, in the app or by email, and that is the one you accept or turn down.
Can I trade in a car that still has a loan on it? Yes, as long as the loan is paid off as part of the deal. Tesla asks for a settlement letter from your bank or finance company so the debt can be cleared out of the trade-in value.
When do I hand over my old car? On the day you collect your new Tesla. You drive the old car to the handover and bring its registration certificate.
Will I get more by selling the car myself? Often, but not always, and it takes more work. In FDM's February 2026 test, dealer trade-ins paid more than online car buyers but less than the cars' listed market prices. Get several offers before you decide.
Sources: Tesla's Danish support pages on trade-ins and ordering (tesla.com/da_DK/support/trade-ins, read via search results in October 2026), FDM (February 2026), Bilbasen (2025), meremobil.dk (January 2026), teslatips.dk (October 2026) and borger.dk. Terms and campaigns are set by Tesla and may change.