Certificate of conformity by make DS Automobiles

DS has only been a brand distinct from Citroën since 2014. On early DS 3 models the foreign registration document sometimes still reads “Citroën DS3” as a single designation, which makes searching by commercial name impossible.

This is the textbook case where the VIN is the only reliable entry point. We always start from it, never from the model name. Second point: DS models were sold with sharply differentiated trim levels depending on the market, including outside Europe where the brand had a life of its own. A vehicle whose VIN does not match a European manufacturer identifier does not fall under the European certificate of conformity. We check that before opening the file.

The most frequent case is an early DS 3 bought in Belgium or Germany whose registration document carries a designation mixing Citroën and DS. The seller cannot explain the difference and the buyer fears an irregularity. There is none. On a DS we therefore always start from the VIN, the only stable identifier, and ignore the commercial name. Our second check concerns the actual origin of the vehicle: the brand had a commercial existence outside Europe, with models bearing the same names but approved elsewhere. A VIN that does not match a European manufacturer means there is no European certificate to obtain, and we say so before invoicing anything.

A DS Automobiles certificate is usually issued by the group type-approval department, shared across sister brands.

Where to find the chassis number (VIN) on a DS Automobiles

A certificate covers one vehicle only, identified by its chassis number (VIN). The safest place to read it is field E of the foreign registration document. On a DS Automobiles, it also appears:

• at the base of the windscreen, driver’s side, readable from outside
• on the manufacturer’s plate on the driver’s door pillar
• copied into the service book

A VIN never contains the letters I, O or Q: mistaking one for a 1 or a 0 is enough to send the search astray.

Most frequently imported DS Automobiles models

The DS Automobiles vehicles we handle most often come from France, from Belgium and from Germany.

The requests we receive mostly concern:

• DS Automobiles DS 3
• DS Automobiles DS 4
• DS Automobiles DS 7
• DS Automobiles DS 9

The rest of the EU-approved DS Automobiles range is handled the same way.

DS Automobiles and the eCOC: what changes in 2026

Since 5 July 2026, DS Automobiles has been sending conformity data for its new vehicles to the approval authorities in eCOC format. Your used DS Automobiles is not affected: you need the ordinary COC, issued exactly as before. Paper and printouts of the eCOC remain accepted until 29 November 2026 at the latest. Understand the eCOC.