Every driver knows the vehicle registration document or registration certificate, parts I and II.
But what about the CoC papers?
What are CoC papers?
CoC is the abbreviation for "Certificate of Conformity". The document must be enclosed with every vehicle that corresponds to the approved type: it must therefore be handed over when a new vehicle is purchased. The manufacturer thus proves that the car complies with EU standards, i.e. that it has an EU type approval.
The German CoC usually says "EC Certificate of Conformity", in other countries the document is written in the respective national language. Italian papers, for example, are headed with "Certificato di Conformita", French with "Certificat de conformité".
What is in the CoC papers?
All technical features and data of the vehicle that describe the model and are required for approval are documented. For example: dimensions and weights, tire size, consumption as well as detailed CO₂ and pollutant values. The information goes beyond what is in the registration certificate part I and registration certificate part II.
Why do you need CoC documents?
The Certificate of Conformity is used by the approval body to determine the technical data required for approval. CoC confirms that the vehicle is of an approved type. It simplifies registration - even if the vehicle is to be registered in another EU country. Before the CoC certificate was introduced, the cost of registering a car from the EU was significantly higher.
Is it possible to register a vehicle without a CoC?
If the vehicle was already registered in an EU country, it can in principle also be registered without CoC papers, provided that an EC type approval is available. However, the CoC paper is often required for proof. If it is not possible to prove that an EC type approval exists, the manufacturer or an officially recognized expert must summarize the data.
Alternatively, an expert opinion on obtaining an operating license can confirm that the vehicle meets the requirements for approval ("individual license"). "The report must contain the technical description of the vehicle to the extent that is required for the issuing of the registration certificate Part I and Part II", says §21 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO).