Why do you need a certificate of conformity for your Volkswagen?
If you bought your Volkswagen in another European Union country, the Volkswagen certificate of conformity is required to register it. It proves the vehicle conforms to the type approved by Volkswagen at European level.
We obtain it from Volkswagen and deliver it as a digital copy by e-mail, with the paper original by post on request.
Volkswagen COC price and turnaround
| Price incl. VAT | 159 € |
|---|---|
| Average turnaround | 4 working days |
| Formats | Digital copy (PDF) by email & paper original by post |
| Vehicles | EU type-approved Volkswagen cars and vans |
Indicative price confirmed after checking the chassis number (VIN).
Volkswagen is the brand that appears most often in our files. Golf, Passat and Tiguan circulate across the whole of Europe, frequently resold two or three times before they cross a border, and the original certificate went missing somewhere along the way. That is the textbook duplicate request.
The difficulty with Volkswagen is not access to the data but pinning down the exact version. A Golf exists in dozens of power, gearbox and trim combinations depending on the country of sale, and the commercial versions — Caddy, Transporter, Caravelle — are frequently approved as N1 in Belgium or the Netherlands even though they look like family vehicles. The type code in field D.2 of the foreign registration document removes the ambiguity at once.
The case we see most often: a Golf bought privately in Germany, resold three times, whose original certificate disappeared at the first change of hands. The seller states in good faith that “there never was one”. We start again from the VIN and the type-approval department retrieves the file without difficulty. What we check first on a Volkswagen file is the category and the number of seats: a Caddy or Transporter bought in the Netherlands may be approved as a two-seat commercial vehicle even though the photograph shows a bench. The conversion is not free at registration, and it is better to know before signing than at the counter. Second check: the tyre sizes, often altered on R-Line trims.
A Volkswagen certificate is usually issued by the group type-approval department, shared across sister brands.
Where to find the chassis number (VIN) on a Volkswagen
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 Volkswagen, 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 the boot floor mat, near the spare wheel well
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 Volkswagen models
The Volkswagen vehicles we handle most often come from Germany, from Belgium and from Spain.
The requests we receive mostly concern:
- Volkswagen Golf
- Volkswagen Passat
- Volkswagen Tiguan
- Volkswagen Polo
- Volkswagen T-Roc
- Volkswagen Touran
- Volkswagen ID.3
- Volkswagen ID.4
The rest of the EU-approved Volkswagen range is handled the same way.
What to watch out for on an imported Volkswagen
“Company” derivative or car-derived van
Some Volkswagen 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.
Passenger car (M1) or light commercial (N1)?
The same Volkswagen can exist as M1 (passenger car) and as N1 (van, with the rear bench and side windows removed). Different certificate, different taxation. Field J of the registration document settles it — check it in particular on ID.3 and ID.4.
Vehicle modified after leaving the factory
The certificate describes the Volkswagen as it left the production line. Non-approved wheels, lowered suspension, tow bar, aftermarket exhaust: none of it appears on the document. The certificate stays valid, but it does not cover the modification — a common point on Golf and Passat.
Volkswagen and the eCOC: what changes in 2026
Since 5 July 2026, Volkswagen has been sending conformity data for its new vehicles to the approval authorities in eCOC format. Your used Volkswagen 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Volkswagen certificate of conformity cost?
The indicative price is 159 € for a Volkswagen, confirmed after checking the VIN.
How long does it take for a Volkswagen?
The average turnaround is 4 working days for a Volkswagen.
Where is the chassis number on a Volkswagen?
On a Volkswagen, the VIN is usually readable at the base of the windscreen, driver’s side, readable from outside, on the manufacturer’s plate on the driver’s door pillar and under the boot floor mat, near the spare wheel well. It is 17 characters long and never contains the letters I, O or Q.
Which Volkswagen models do you handle?
The whole EU-approved Volkswagen range. Most requests concern Golf, Passat, Tiguan, Polo and T-Roc; discontinued models are handled too, subject to the 10-year rule.
My Volkswagen comes from Germany — does that change anything?
No. The certificate of conformity is a European document, valid in every Member State, and the procedure is the same whatever the country of origin.
Other brands in the group
Volkswagen belongs to Volkswagen Group, whose brands often share the same approval channel:
How to order?
- 1
You fill in the request
Brand, model and chassis number (VIN). A few minutes is enough, all online.
- 2
We check and quote
We confirm the required format (paper or eCOC), the exact price and the turnaround. You approve.
- 3
We obtain the certificate
We retrieve the COC from the manufacturer and check every detail.
- 4
You receive your COC
Delivery of the certificate, ready for your registration. A contact remains reachable.