Certificate of conformity by make Porsche

Porsche is the brand where geographical origin matters most. A significant share of the 911 and Cayenne models on European roads were sold new in the United States and later brought back, often by enthusiasts or specialist importers.

In that case there is simply no European certificate of conformity to obtain: the vehicle was never type-approved to EU standards. No provider can produce one, and the only lawful route is individual vehicle approval by the competent authority. The VIN settles it in seconds. Send it to us before paying anything: if the car is American, we say so and we do not open a file.

The file that comes back most often is a 911 or Cayenne whose seller cannot say whether the car was delivered new in Europe. The price is often below market, which ought to raise a flag. On a Porsche our very first check is therefore the origin of the vehicle, read from the VIN. If it is a version sold new outside the Union, there is no European certificate: we tell you straight away, we do not open a file and we do not invoice. It is a disappointing answer but an honest one, and it saves you weeks of waiting for a refusal. Second check, on European cars: the factory packs and options, numerous at Porsche, which shift the approved values.

A Porsche certificate is usually issued by the manufacturer’s type-approval department, centrally for the whole of Europe.

Where to find the chassis number (VIN) on a Porsche

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 Porsche, 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
• stamped under the bonnet, on the front crossmember
• 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 Porsche models

The Porsche vehicles we handle most often come from Germany, from Belgium and from Italy.

The requests we receive mostly concern:

• Porsche 911
• Porsche Cayenne
• Porsche Macan
• Porsche Panamera
• Porsche Taycan
• Porsche Boxster
• Porsche Cayman

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

Porsche and the eCOC: what changes in 2026

Since 5 July 2026, Porsche has been sending conformity data for its new vehicles to the approval authorities in eCOC format. Your used Porsche 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.