The certificate of conformity of an imported used vehicle

Why the document is almost always missing

The certificate of conformity is handed over once, to the first buyer, with the new vehicle. After that it serves no purpose while the car stays in its country of registration: no routine procedure asks for it. It ends up in a folder, at a dealership or a leasing company, and it does not follow the car.

It becomes essential again the day the vehicle changes country. That is when the buyer discovers both its existence and its absence. A seller who tells you he does not have it is therefore neither careless nor suspect: he is in the situation of the vast majority of European sellers.

Three checks before buying

The certificate can be obtained afterwards in almost every case. Three situations are exceptions, and they can be spotted before signing.

1. Was the vehicle sold new in the Union? A vehicle delivered new in the United States, Japan or Switzerland has no European certificate, even if the model exists here. The chassis number settles it immediately. See our guide on non-EU vehicles.
2. What is its date of manufacture? Beyond ten years, the manufacturer is no longer obliged to supply a duplicate (Article 36 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858). The request stays possible, the answer is no longer guaranteed.
3. What is its category? Passenger car (M1) or commercial vehicle (N1)? Field J of the foreign registration document says so. The difference changes the tax treatment and the number of seats at registration. See the commercial vehicle guide.

What the eCOC does not change for you

Since 5 July 2026, manufacturers have been sending conformity data for new vehicles to the approval authorities as an eCOC, a structured, electronically sealed file. This does not concern you if you are buying used: it applies to vehicles produced from that date, and the flow runs from the manufacturer to the authorities without passing through the owner.

For a used vehicle it is therefore the ordinary COC you need, obtained exactly as before. The detail is in our eCOC 2026 guide.

What the seller should hand over

• The complete registration document of the country of origin. In some countries it comes in two parts: ask for both.
• A sales contract or invoice quoting the chassis number.
• The service book and whatever history is available.

The certificate of conformity is not on that list, and that is normal. We retrieve it from the manufacturer.

Prices for the most common import brands

Full list: price by brand.