Certificate of conformity by make Smart

The European Smart range went fully electric in the early 2020s, after a long run of petrol Fortwo models. That switch draws a clear line through our files.

The most common petrol Fortwo models are now approaching or past the ten years after manufacture mark, beyond which Article 36 of the European regulation no longer obliges the manufacturer to supply a duplicate. Issuing one often remains possible, but it is no longer guaranteed and the turnaround becomes unpredictable. On the electric versions the file is recent and complete, but some authorities ask for battery data that does not systematically appear on the certificate.

The typical case is a Fortwo bought in Italy or Germany as a cheap second city car, whose owner then discovers the certificate is missing for registration. The vehicle is often ten years old or more. On a Smart our first reflex is therefore to check the date of manufacture, not the date of first registration. Past ten years the manufacturer no longer has an obligation to issue and archive retention is no longer guaranteed: we query the type-approval department before invoicing you, and we answer plainly if availability is uncertain. On the more recent electric versions the file is complete, but we ask whether your authority requires battery data.

A Smart 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 Smart

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 Smart, it also appears:

• at the base of the windscreen, driver’s side, readable from outside
• under a floor flap on the front passenger side
• 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 Smart models

The Smart vehicles we handle most often come from Germany, from Italy and from France.

The requests we receive mostly concern:

• Smart Fortwo
• Smart Forfour
• Smart EQ Fortwo
• Smart #1

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

Smart and the eCOC: what changes in 2026

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