The VCA eCoC service goes live
The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) has pencilled in a target of 31 March 2026 for Phase 1 of its eCoC digital service. It will be the first point at which UK vehicle manufacturers can lodge electronic Certificates of Conformity directly with the VCA. The service comprises a web portal for manual submissions plus an API for automated, system-to-system integration. The VCA has flagged that the API may arrive slightly later, so manufacturers should keep an eye on the VCA eCoC page for the latest status.
Although there's no obligation to submit eCoC data for vehicles built before 5 July 2026, the early launch hands manufacturers a vital window in which to trial their systems, validate XML files and iron out any issues before the mandate kicks in.
A two-phase rollout
The VCA is rolling out the eCoC service across two phases:
Phase 1 — March 2026
The eCoC database, a web portal for manual upload, and an API for automated submission. Manufacturers can start submitting and testing right away.
Phase 2 — July 2026
A public-facing VIN lookup page. Anyone will be able to search a vehicle's eCoC data using its Vehicle Identification Number.
Two ways to submit
- VCA eCoC Portal — manual file upload through a web interface, well suited to small and medium series manufacturers
- API (system-to-system) — automated transmission for high-volume production lines, letting you integrate directly with your existing ERP and production systems
What manufacturers should be doing now
The gap between the portal launch and the mandatory deadline is short. Manufacturers should spend this period to:
- Sign up for access to the VCA eCoC Portal and get comfortable with the submission interface
- Create test IVI XML files and check them against the UK IVI schema
- Trial the digital signature integration to confirm that XAdES-signed files are accepted
- If you're using the API, connect to the VCA API endpoints and run end-to-end submission tests
Moving on from the paper CoC
Vehicles built before 5 July 2026 still have to come with a paper CoC. From that date onward, a vehicle should instead be covered by an eCoC submission, with no paper CoC needed. That said, the VCA may ask for a paper duplicate in exceptional cases, so manufacturers ought to keep the means to produce one.
The cost of getting it wrong
Supplying a CoC — and, from July 2026, an eCoC — is baked into the type approval framework. The VCA has confirmed that where an eCoC isn't supplied, the type approval authority could revoke your type approval should the issue go unresolved. Vehicles lacking a valid eCoC may struggle to be registered and could be barred from use on public roads.
eCoC EU² is geared up for VCA submission
From day one, eCoC EU² software backs both VCA submission routes: