Frequently asked questions about the certificate of conformity

Question 1

What is a certificate of conformity (COC)?

Accepted Answer

The European certificate of conformity is the document by which the manufacturer certifies that your vehicle conforms to the type approved in the European Union. It carries all the technical data needed for the registration certificate and allows an imported vehicle to be registered without an individual approval.Read the answer →

Question 2

How do I order a certificate of conformity?

Accepted Answer

Enter your vehicle’s VIN: we identify the manufacturer and display the price incl. VAT and the announced lead time. You then choose your options, enter your details and pay online. We file the request with the manufacturer and e-mail you the digital copy of the certificate as soon as we receive it. Today the last step is a quote request: nothing is paid online, we confirm the price and then send you a payment link if you accept.Read the answer →

Question 3

How long does it take to receive a certificate of conformity?

Accepted Answer

The lead time depends on the manufacturer: from 2 to 30 working days depending on the brand, counted from payment and a complete file. The lead time announced for your brand is shown before payment, and you receive the digital copy by e-mail as soon as the manufacturer sends us the document.Read the answer →

Question 4

Does Homologa carry out vehicle homologation (individual approval)?

Accepted Answer

No. Homologa obtains from the manufacturer the certificate of conformity (COC) of a vehicle already type-approved in Europe and supports the registration of an imported vehicle. Technical homologation of a vehicle without a COC (individual approval) is a different procedure, which we do not perform.Read the answer →

Question 5

How much does a certificate of conformity cost?

Accepted Answer

The price depends on the brand, because it reflects what the manufacturer charges to issue the document. At Homologa it ranges from €159 to €319 incl. VAT, digital copy by e-mail included. The exact price appears as soon as you enter the VIN, before any order, and does not change afterwards.Read the answer →

Question 6

Is the certificate of conformity mandatory to register an imported vehicle?

Accepted Answer

Not always. Registration authorities require the COC when the foreign registration certificate does not identify the EU type approval. If that document carries the EU type-approval number (field K) and the full type-variant-version (field D.2), the certificate is generally not requested — in France in particular. Check those two fields before ordering.Read the answer →

Question 7

What is the difference between COC and eCoC? Can I order an eCoC?

Accepted Answer

The eCoC is the electronic version of the certificate that the manufacturer transmits to the approval authorities for new vehicles produced from 5 July 2026. A private owner neither orders nor receives it. For an imported used vehicle, the document to obtain remains the COC, delivered as a digital copy and then on paper.Read the answer →

Question 8

Which documents or information do I need to provide?

Accepted Answer

Three pieces of information are enough: the brand, the 17-character VIN and the country of registration. A copy of the foreign registration certificate is useful but not compulsory: it lets us check the VIN and the date of first registration for consistency before we approach the manufacturer.Read the answer →

Question 9

Am I refunded if the certificate cannot be issued?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in full. If the manufacturer tells us that no certificate can be issued for your VIN — vehicle without EU type approval, archives unavailable, defunct brand — we refund the whole order, options included, to the payment method you used.Read the answer →

Question 10

How is the certificate delivered: by e-mail or by post?

Accepted Answer

Both, in that order. As soon as the manufacturer sends us the certificate, you receive its digital copy as a PDF by e-mail and in your customer area. If you chose the paper original, it leaves the same or the next day by tracked mail to the address you gave.Read the answer →

Question 11

Is the digital copy (PDF) of the COC accepted by the authorities?

Accepted Answer

In France, yes in the vast majority of cases: the registration application is made online through ANTS, which expects scanned documents, so the PDF of the manufacturer’s certificate is uploaded as is. Some offices abroad and some registration professionals still require the paper original.Read the answer →

Question 12

My vehicle is over ten years old: can I still get a certificate of conformity?

Accepted Answer

Often yes, but without guarantee. Article 36 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858 only obliges the manufacturer to issue a duplicate for ten years after manufacture. Beyond that, many still do, others have archived or lost the data. We check availability before charging you and refund in full if the document cannot be obtained.Read the answer →

Question 13

Which payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

Bank card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, with 3-D Secure authentication. Professionals with a business account can pay by SEPA transfer and be invoiced monthly. Payment is processed by a licensed provider; we never store card numbers.Read the answer →

Question 14

Where do I find my vehicle’s VIN (chassis number)?

Accepted Answer

The VIN is in field E of the registration certificate, on the manufacturer’s plate (door pillar or engine bay) and, on most cars, at the bottom of the windscreen on the driver’s side. It always has 17 characters and never contains the letters I, O or Q.Read the answer →

Question 15

Why does the lead time vary by brand? Can it be sped up?

Accepted Answer

Each manufacturer organises its homologation department its own way: some issue the certificate online within days, others do it manually from a central site or through a national importer. We cannot speed up that internal processing; what we can do is add no delay of our own.Read the answer →

Question 16

I have lost my certificate of conformity: how do I get a duplicate?

Accepted Answer

The duplicate is obtained from the manufacturer, from the VIN, exactly like a first certificate for an imported vehicle. The manufacturer charges for it and is only obliged to supply it for ten years after manufacture. We file the request for you and deliver the digital copy, then the paper original if you wish.Read the answer →

Question 17

Who issues the certificate of conformity? What is Homologa’s role?

Accepted Answer

The certificate is always issued by the manufacturer or its official representative in Europe, from its type-approval data. Homologa is an intermediary: we check the VIN, file the request with the right department, follow the file and forward the document to you. We do not produce any certificate.Read the answer →

Question 18

Which language is the COC written in? Do I need a translation?

Accepted Answer

The certificate is written in the language chosen by the manufacturer, often that of its home country or English. Because its fields are numbered identically across the Union, most European registration offices read it without translation. A certificate translation (sworn translation on quotation) is only useful if your office demands one.Read the answer →

Question 19

No certificate of conformity is available: what are the alternatives?

Accepted Answer

Two routes exist. A manufacturer’s identification certificate (attestation d’identification in France, Datenbestätigung in Germany) describes the vehicle and allows registration when it matches an approved type. Failing that, an individual approval by the national technical service, with the vehicle presented, produces a report that replaces the certificate.Read the answer →

Question 20

What happens if the announced lead time is not met?

Accepted Answer

Our lead-time guarantee applies: beyond a short tolerance margin, an increasing discount is applied per working day of delay, up to a cap, refunded without any action on your part. We chase the manufacturer and keep you informed, but we cannot act in its place.Read the answer →

Question 21

Can I cancel or change my order?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as long as the request has not been sent to the manufacturer: full cancellation, and correction of the VIN, address or options, are possible by writing to us with your order number. Once the manufacturer has been engaged, its fees are committed and cancellation is no longer in full.Read the answer →

Question 22

Which documents do I need to register an imported vehicle?

Accepted Answer

For a vehicle from another EU country: the foreign registration certificate, proof of purchase, the tax clearance of the destination country, the certificate of conformity if the foreign document is incomplete, a recent roadworthiness test for older vehicles, proof of identity and address. The exact list depends on the country of registration.Read the answer →

Question 23

US, Japanese, UK or Swiss vehicle: can I get a COC?

Accepted Answer

It depends on where the vehicle was produced and for which market. A vehicle built for the European market and later exported to Switzerland or the United Kingdom has an EU type approval: a certificate can be issued. A vehicle designed for the United States or Japan has none: an individual approval is required.Read the answer →

Question 24

What tax clearance is needed to register an imported vehicle (quitus fiscal, VAT)?

Accepted Answer

Every Member State checks the VAT position of a vehicle bought in another EU country before registering it. In France this is the quitus fiscal issued by the tax office; in Germany, VAT on a new vehicle is settled with the Finanzamt; in the Netherlands, a BPM declaration is filed with the tax authority. A used vehicle bought from a private seller owes no VAT.Read the answer →

Question 25

Does the COC also work to register in Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The certificate of conformity is the same document across the Union: the DIV in Belgium, the RDW in the Netherlands and the Zulassungsstelle in Germany use it to register an imported vehicle without an individual approval. Each country adds its own documents: import inspection, insurance, registration tax.Read the answer →

Frequently asked questions about the certificate of conformity

OrderingAll questions →

PaymentAll questions →

Lead times & deliveryAll questions →

The COC documentAll questions →

RegistrationAll questions →

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