Export / Import of Vehicles

I need to export my car outside of European Union, do I need a Certificate of conformity?

Since a COC is a European certificate, we can guarantee its validity only in EU member states. Sometimes COCs are also accepted by non-European authorities, but it is necessary to check this information in the country which the vehicle will be exported to.

I have a car originating from the USA. Can I register it in Europe? Is a COC available for the vehicle?

The COC is available only for vehicles produced for the European market. It is possible to register this car, but first it is necessary to contact the manufacturer in the country of next registration to get a certificate of non-conformity and subsequently request single vehicle approval for the given vehicle, within which the vehicle will be modified according to the country-of-next registration standards.

My car was firstly registered in Germany, then in Dubai. Can I get a COC?

The certificate of conformity is not available for vehicles ever registered outside of the EU. There it was subjected to national homologation that is valid only in the country where it has been done. Therefore, the vehicle does not necessarily have to be in compliance with EU standards. It is recommended to contact manufacturer for more information.

My car was registered in Bulgaria in 2004. Can I get a COC despite the fact that Bulgaria was not a EU-member country that time?

No. The COC is not available for vehicles ever registered outside of the EU. Bulgaria was not an EU-member country in 2004 and there the vehicle was subjected to national homologation that is valid only in the given country. Issuance of the COC is not possible. In France you may proceed through single vehicle approval procedure. Otherwise we recommend that you contact the manufacturer in the country of next registration for more information.

Am I eligible to get a certificate of conformity for a vehicle originating from Switzerland?

Yes. The COC is available also for vehicles originating from EFTA member countries (European Free Trade Association) – like Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland, so a COC is available for a Swiss vehicle as well.

I have got a British car with a steering wheel on the right. Can it be registered in a country using right-hand traffic?

When COC states the vehicle can be registered without any further modifications in countries using right-hand traffic (most of EU countries), the COC should be sufficient. However, once the COC states the vehicle can be registered only in countries using left-hand traffic (UK, Japan), it is possible the single vehicle approval will be needed. In case no major deficiencies of the vehicle are proven after a technical inspection of the vehicle, the single vehicle approval is not necessary. The most important elements that need to conform to standards of the country of next registration are front and rear lights, speedometer and rear-view mirrors.

I have a European car that has been previously registered outside Europe. Is it possible to get a COC?

The COC is not available for vehicles ever registered outside of the EU. There it was subjected to national homologation that is valid only in the country where it has been done. Therefore, the vehicle does not necessarily have to be in compliance with EU standards and single vehicle approval can be required. It is recommended that you contact the manufacturer for more information.

I want to import car into France. What should I do?

If you wish to know what are the procedures to follow when importing the car into France, we recommend you to read this article.
https://www.eurococ.eu/en/blog/importing-and-registering-a-vehicle-in-france

I want to import a motorbike to France.

This is the best article you must read before importing motorcycle into France.

I live in France and I just bought a vehicle from abroad. Should I provide an original certificate of conformity to get my certificate of registration?

Yes, if your vehicle was bought in the EU by an individual or a car dealer, you will generally be asked to provide an original certificate of conformity for any certificate of registration request .It can be in French or any other language, but it must be an original document, the reason being that copies aren’t accepted by the Ministry of the Interior. You can find the list of the required documents for the registration following a vehicle purchase from an EU country in our partner’s website Cartegrise.com

How do I register my imported vehicle?

The registration process of an imported vehicle differs in individual EU countries. More information on registration in a specific country can be found at the following websites: