No CoC? Individual vehicle approval for imported cars
No CoC for an imported car? How to get a CoC from the maker, what it may cost, when individual vehicle approval is needed and how it should cut your bid.
· 7 min read
If an imported car has no certificate of conformity (CoC), you either order a duplicate from the manufacturer, use other technical documents your registration authority accepts, or have the car approved individually. Individual vehicle approval is the route for cars without EU type-approval, such as US or Japanese imports, and for cars modified before first registration. Each route costs time and money, so price it into your bid.
What is a CoC and why registration offices ask for it
A certificate of conformity is the manufacturer's declaration that a vehicle matches an EU-approved type. Under Article 36 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858, the manufacturer must issue a paper CoC with every vehicle built to an approved type and deliver it free of charge to the buyer with the vehicle.
When a used car moves to another member state, the registration authority uses the CoC to confirm the type-approval and to enter technical data such as CO2, which in several countries sets the registration tax. Without it, the authority needs another reliable source of data, and that is where delays start. Our certificate of conformity guide explains which countries insist on it.
How to get a CoC certificate for a used car
For an EU-approved car, the simplest route is a duplicate from the manufacturer:
- Find the right channel. Most brands handle CoC requests through the national importer or the brand's dealer network; some have online portals.
- Provide the VIN and proof of ownership, usually the registration certificate and your invoice.
- Pay the fee and wait. Delivery takes days to a few weeks depending on the brand.
- Check the document against the car: VIN, variant and version codes, engine, wheels and tyres.
Article 36(3) of Regulation 2018/858 obliges the manufacturer, for ten years after the vehicle's date of manufacture, to issue a duplicate at the owner's request. The duplicate must be clearly marked "duplicate".
How much does a CoC certificate cost?
The regulation says the fee for a duplicate may not exceed the cost of issuing it, but it does not set a figure, and prices vary by brand and country. Some importers charge a modest administrative fee, others considerably more, and specialist agencies that order the document on your behalf add their own margin. Ask for the price before you buy the car, not after.
Electronic CoCs from July 2026
From 5 July 2026, Article 37 of the regulation requires manufacturers to make the CoC available free of charge, as structured electronic data, to the approval authority that granted the type-approval, so that registration authorities across the EU can access it. Manufacturers that do so may stop issuing the paper version. For newer cars this should gradually make missing CoCs less of a problem. For the used cars dealers trade today, the paper CoC or a duplicate remains the norm.
For car dealers
Know your margin before you buy
MyCarDealer compares any car from an auction or listing with the market in your country and shows the net margin after VAT, transport and costs – and the maximum bid.
Request accessWhat is individual vehicle approval and when is it needed?
Individual vehicle approval is an approval granted to one specific vehicle rather than to a type. You need it when a car has no EU type-approval, or when it was modified before first registration so that it no longer matches its type.
Regulation 2018/858 provides two forms:
| Type | Legal basis | Where it is valid |
|---|---|---|
| EU individual vehicle approval | Article 44 | Member states must permit registration of vehicles with a valid EU individual approval certificate |
| National individual vehicle approval | Articles 45 and 46 | Valid in the member state that granted it; other states should accept it unless they have reasonable grounds to doubt equivalence |
An application can be made by the owner, the manufacturer, the manufacturer's representative or the importer. The authority may not carry out destructive tests and must use the information the applicant provides, such as test reports and technical data.
In practice, national procedures carry national names:
- Germany: Einzelgenehmigung under § 21 StVZO, with a report from a recognised technical expert (TÜV, DEKRA and others).
- Netherlands: individual approval by the RDW. The RDW notes that an individual approval certificate (IGC) issued without a Dutch registration is only valid in the Netherlands; another country decides itself whether to accept it.
- Great Britain: IVA for cars from outside the EU, and GB conversion IVA for left-hand-drive EU cars; see the UK import duty and registration guide.
What can I do if an imported car has no CoC?
If an imported car arrives without a CoC, work through the options in order of cost:
- Ask the seller. Many CoCs are simply left in a drawer, or with the leasing company.
- Check whether your authority already has the data. Some registration offices can take data from the previous country's register or a data sheet, especially for common models.
- Order a duplicate from the manufacturer if the car is less than ten years old.
- Get a manufacturer's data sheet or technical statement, which some authorities accept instead of a CoC.
- Apply for individual approval if nothing else works or the car is not EU-approved.
The Dutch RDW, for example, does not make the CoC compulsory for importing a car from another EU country, but uses the CO2 value on it to determine BPM. Without it, proving a low CO2 value may be harder, and the tax can end up higher. See car registration in the Netherlands for the full procedure.
Which cars cannot get an EU CoC?
A car cannot get an EU CoC if it was never built to an EU-approved type. Typical cases:
- US, Canadian and Middle Eastern market cars, including European brands built for those markets, with different lighting, emissions and safety specifications.
- Japanese domestic market imports.
- Cars built before EU whole-vehicle type-approval became mandatory for passenger cars in the late 1990s, unless the manufacturer can confirm conformity.
- Cars modified before first registration so they no longer match the approved type.
For these cars, individual approval is the only way to registration, and conversion work such as lighting, mirrors or emissions documentation may be needed first.
How the extra time and cost should lower your bid
A missing CoC is a cost line, not a detail. Put each item into your calculation before bidding:
| Item | What to include |
|---|---|
| Duplicate CoC | The brand's fee, plus courier |
| Individual approval | Expert report, authority fee, any test reports |
| Conversion work | Lighting, speedometer, mirrors, emissions data |
| Time | Days or weeks of the car not being sellable, financing cost |
| Risk | Possibility that approval fails or the tax comes out higher |
A sensible rule: if the margin on the car is thin, skip cars without a CoC. If the car is rare or very cheap, calculate the full cost and bid accordingly. Our article on car bid strategy shows how to turn costs into a maximum bid, and MyCarDealer calculates the margin after costs for each car; dealers can request access.
Frequently asked questions
What can I do if an imported car has no CoC?
Ask the seller first, then check whether your registration authority can use other data. If not, order a duplicate from the manufacturer, use a manufacturer's data sheet if accepted, or apply for individual vehicle approval.
How much does a CoC from the manufacturer cost?
EU law limits the fee for a duplicate to the cost of issuing it, but sets no fixed amount. Prices vary by brand and country, and agencies add their own fee, so ask before buying the car.
What is individual vehicle approval and when is it needed?
It is an approval for one specific vehicle, used when the car has no EU type-approval or was modified before first registration. Regulation (EU) 2018/858 provides an EU individual approval (Article 44) and a national individual approval (Article 45).
Which cars cannot get an EU CoC?
Cars not built to an EU-approved type: US, Canadian, Middle Eastern and Japanese market cars, cars built before EU type-approval for passenger cars was mandatory, and cars modified before first registration.
Is a CoC needed to register an imported car in every EU country?
Not everywhere. Some authorities, such as the Dutch RDW, do not require it for cars from other EU countries but use its data, for example CO2 for registration tax. Others ask for it as standard, so check your country's rules before buying.