Certificate of conformity by make Ford
Ford covers a very wide range, from the Fiesta to the Transit, and the two ends call for different handling. On the passenger cars the European channel is direct and files move quickly.
The Transit is probably the most heavily converted vehicle in Europe: dropside, tipper, box body, tail lift, camper conversion. As soon as a body builder has been involved, Ford issues the certificate for the base vehicle only, as it left the factory; the conversion is covered by a separate document from the converter. The Ranger raises a related question: approved as a commercial vehicle, it follows weight and licence rules that are not those of an SUV.
The most frequent file is a Focus or Kuga bought in Germany or Belgium, handled quickly by the brand’s European organisation. The trickiest is a Transit. On that vehicle we ask up front whether a body builder was involved: dropside, tipper, box body, tail lift, leisure conversion. The manufacturer then documents the base vehicle only, and the conversion certificate comes from the converter, whose plate is usually fixed in the cab. On Rangers our check concerns the category and gross weight, which are not those of an SUV despite appearances. Those two checks head off most of the unpleasant surprises.
Ford requests are usually handled by the brand’s European organisation, which centralises type-approval data.
Where to find the chassis number (VIN) on a Ford
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 Ford, 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
- under a floor flap on the front passenger side
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 Ford models
The Ford vehicles we handle most often come from Germany, from Belgium and from the Netherlands.
The requests we receive mostly concern:
- Ford Fiesta
- Ford Focus
- Ford Kuga
- Ford Puma
- Ford Transit
- Ford Ranger
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
The rest of the EU-approved Ford range is handled the same way.
Ford and the eCOC: what changes in 2026
Since 5 July 2026, Ford has been sending conformity data for its new vehicles to the approval authorities in eCOC format. Your used Ford 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.
Watch-outs for an imported Ford
Bodywork or multi-stage conversion
Motorhome, refrigerated box, tipper, ambulance: approval was granted in several stages. Ford then issues the certificate for the base chassis only; the conversion document comes from the body builder and must be requested from them.
US-specification vehicle
A Ford sold new in the United States differs from the European version — lighting, indicators, emissions, instrumentation. It has no European certificate: the route is individual vehicle approval, not a COC.
“Company” derivative or car-derived van
Some Ford vehicles were sold as stripped-out commercial versions for local tax reasons, notably from Germany and from Belgium. The certificate then shows category N1 and a reduced number of seats, which cannot be freely converted back.
Ford models
These models come up most often in our files. The certificate is obtained the same way for the rest of the EU type-approved range.