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Certificate of conformity (CoC): what it is and when you need it

· 8 min read · Levante V12

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The certificate of conformity (CoC) is the manufacturer's document certifying that a specific car corresponds to a type approved in the European Union. If you bring to Spain a car registered in another country of the European Economic Area, it is the paper that does most to simplify the ITV (Spain's roadworthiness inspection) required before registration: the testing station accepts it in place of the reduced technical data sheet. If the car does not come with one, there are alternatives, but it is worth knowing before you pay.

What exactly the CoC is

CoC stands for Certificate of Conformity. Regulation (EU) 2018/858, which governs the type-approval of vehicles in the Union, defines it as the document issued by the manufacturer certifying that the vehicle produced conforms to the approved vehicle type and complies with all the regulatory acts that applied at the time of its production.

In practical terms: type-approval says that a model meets European rules; the CoC says that this car, with this chassis number, is one of those. That is why the Regulation itself starts from the principle that any vehicle with a valid certificate of conformity must be able to be marketed and registered in the Union.

Some useful points from the Regulation about this document:

  • The manufacturer issues a certificate of conformity, in printed form, which accompanies each vehicle manufactured in conformity with the approved type.
  • From 5 July 2026, the manufacturer is exempt from issuing that certificate on paper if it provides it as structured data in electronic format. For a car manufactured from that date, ask the seller in which format the certificate is held.
  • That certificate is handed to the buyer free of charge together with the vehicle, without the buyer having to ask for it expressly.
  • For ten years after the vehicle's date of manufacture, the manufacturer issues a duplicate at the owner's request, on payment of an amount that does not exceed the cost of issuing the duplicate. The duplicate bears the word “duplicate”.

What you need it for when importing a car

In Spain, before a car can be registered it needs the ITV card. The General Vehicle Regulations (Reglamento General de Vehículos) establish that, before registration, vehicles must have the corresponding official certificate attesting their essential technical characteristics and their fitness to be driven, and that, for vehicles previously registered in another country, it is issued by the competent bodies of the Administration or delegated entities.

In practice, that certificate is the ITV card issued by the testing station after an inspection. The Ministry of Industry's inspection procedure manual for ITV stations sets out which documents it asks for in the case of a car already registered in another country of the European Economic Area (EEA):

  • A reduced technical data sheet specific to the vehicle being inspected, or else the CoC: if the vehicle has an EC type-approval and the EC Certificate of Conformity (CoC), this document will be accepted as a substitute for the reduced data sheet.
  • The original of the registration certificate or equivalent document from the country of origin.
  • The original of the vehicle's technical inspection card or equivalent document from the country of origin.

With the ITV card in hand you can move on to the taxes and registration, which we cover in the ITV inspection of an imported car and in how to register an imported car with the DGT (Spain's traffic authority).

What to check on the CoC before buying

Ask the seller for a photo or scan of the CoC before closing the purchase and compare it with the car and its documentation. These checks avoid surprises at the ITV station:

  1. The chassis number (VIN) on the CoC matches that of the car and that of the registration certificate.
  2. It is the original. The ITV manual states that certificates of conformity (CoC) for complete or completed vehicles must be originals, correspond to the complete or completed vehicle and comply with the rules applicable at the time of the application.
  3. Version and equipment. If the car has wheels, a towbar or other parts that do not appear in its documentation, ask about them: the manual checks that the vehicle corresponds to the documentation provided, paying particular attention to any modifications classed as vehicle alterations (reformas) under Spanish rules.
  4. Consistency with the documentation from the country of origin. Engine, fuel, seats and weights must tally across the CoC, the registration certificate and the car itself.

If the seller is a private individual and cannot find the CoC, do not write it off: Regulation (EU) 2018/858, applicable since 1 September 2020, obliges the manufacturer to issue a duplicate during the ten years following manufacture if the owner asks for it. Allow for the time it takes and for whatever the manufacturer charges to issue it.

What happens if the car has no CoC

Not having a CoC does not prevent you from passing the ITV, but it changes the paperwork. This is what the ITV manual says:

  • Reduced data sheet, which is the document the CoC replaces. Depending on the case, it can be issued by the manufacturer, by the vehicle type-approval authority or by a technical service competent in type-approval matters in an EEA country, or by a competent technician after a physical inspection of the vehicle.
  • In addition, proof of the technical requirements. Where the vehicle has a European type-approval and no CoC is provided, or where the vehicle is registered in a third country, the documentation provided must show compliance with the requirements arising from the regulatory acts applicable to the vehicle.
  • Individual approval. In the case of Spanish individual approval, the decision of the Spanish approval authority is submitted; if the individual approval or small series is from another EEA Member State, an equivalence authorisation granted by the Spanish approval authority is needed.

Which documents you need depends on the car, its approval and its history. If in doubt, ask at the ITV station where you plan to have it inspected before buying: it is the one that decides whether the documentation is sufficient.

Cars from the United Kingdom, Switzerland and other countries

A CoC is not equally valid in every case. When it regulates when a certificate of conformity proves the car's technical requirements, the ITV manual distinguishes according to where the car was registered:

  • For vehicles registered in the EEA, Andorra and Switzerland: always.
  • In the specific case of the United Kingdom, for vehicles registered up to 31/12/2020.
  • For all other vehicles registered or put into service in third countries, a document proving compliance with the regulatory acts must be submitted.

For a car that does not come from the EU, the Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT) also reminds us that, although it does not have to be presented at customs, a European certificate of conformity (CoC) for the vehicle will be needed for registration, and that if you do not have this certificate a unit-approval project (proyecto de homologación unitaria) will have to be carried out. You have it step by step in importing a car from outside the EU.

Common mistakes

  • Buying without seeing the CoC and finding out afterwards that the car is a version for another market, with no European type-approval. The cost of an individual approval can change the sums on the purchase; go over them with all the items involved in importing a car.
  • Taking a copy to the ITV instead of the original.
  • Not checking modifications: according to the manual, if the car shows modifications during the inspection that do not appear in the type-approval, the owner must submit a Spanish individual approval.
  • Assuming any CoC will do for a car from the United Kingdom or another third country.

If you are weighing up a specific car, also read what to check before paying for a used car in Europe.

Sources consulted

Checked on 11 October 2026. We link to the original source so that you can consult the current text.

Frequently asked questions

What is a car's certificate of conformity (CoC)?

It is the document issued by the manufacturer to certify that that specific car conforms to a vehicle type approved in the European Union and meets the rules that applied when it was built.

Is the CoC essential to register a car imported from the EU?

Not always. The ITV station accepts it in place of the reduced data sheet; without a CoC, a reduced data sheet specific to the vehicle is submitted and, if the car has a European type-approval, documentation proving that it meets the applicable technical requirements.

Where do you ask for a duplicate of the CoC?

From the car's manufacturer. Regulation (EU) 2018/858, applicable since 1 September 2020, obliges it to issue one during the ten years following manufacture at the owner's request, charging no more than it costs to issue it.

Is the CoC of a car registered in the United Kingdom valid?

It depends on the date. The ITV manual only treats it as valid for cars registered in the United Kingdom up to 31/12/2020; for the rest it asks for documentation proving compliance with the technical requirements.

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