Agricultural categories
Regulation (EU) 167/2013 distinguishes four families: T for wheeled tractors, subdivided by maximum speed and track; C for tracked tractors; R for farm trailers; S for towed interchangeable equipment — sprayers, axle-mounted seed drills, spreaders.
Combine harvesters and other self-propelled machines have their own approval regime. Mini-excavators and construction plant come under public works equipment, outside the scope of this page.
Why a COC for a tractor?
As with a car, the Certificate of Conformity links the unit to the approved type and supplies the data the registration certificate needs: masses, dimensions, maximum design speed, power. Without it, registering an imported machine requires an individual approval.
Since the agricultural market is highly cross-border — much machinery comes from Germany, the Netherlands or Italy — agricultural COC requests are common.
Registering an agricultural machine
Agricultural vehicles used on public roads must be registered and carry a plate. The file gathers proof of purchase, the document of origin from the selling country, tax clearance where applicable, and the Certificate of Conformity.
Maximum design speed, stated on the COC, determines the traffic regime and the equipment required — lighting, trailer braking, beacon.
Trailers and towed implements
A category R farm trailer follows the same logic as a road trailer: its own manufacturer, its own VIN and its own certificate. Category S towed equipment is approved separately from the implement it carries.