Paper to eCoC: What a Certificate of Conformity Is and Who It Affects
What is a Certificate of Conformity?
A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is a document a vehicle manufacturer issues to declare that a particular vehicle was built in conformity with an approved type. It carries the core technical data — dimensions, masses, emissions class and type approval number — and a vehicle cannot be registered in any EU Member State without it.
CoCs have been paper documents up to now. From 5 July 2026, the EU begins moving to electronic Certificates of Conformity — the eCoC.
What is an eCoC?
An eCoC is the digital counterpart of a paper CoC. It takes the form of a structured XML data file — an Initial Vehicle Information (IVI) file, to be precise — holding all the same regulatory and technical content as the paper version, only in a machine-readable shape.
Every eCoC has to be digitally signed to prove authenticity and data integrity, then filed electronically with the NAP.
Who is caught by the eCoC mandate?
- Category M vehicles — passenger cars, buses and coaches
- Category N vehicles — goods vehicles (N1, N2, N3)
- Category O vehicles — trailers (O3 and O4 included)
- Every series type: full, medium and small series approvals alike
Category L, T, C, R and S vehicles fall outside the eCoC requirements for now and should carry on using paper CoCs.
Multi-stage builds and vehicle body builders
The eCoC mandate matters especially for multi-stage vehicle builds. A great many commercial vehicles are assembled in stages — one manufacturer produces the base vehicle (a chassis or chassis-cab), and a body builder or converter then finishes it.
Each stage that holds its own type approval has to file eCoC data. The base vehicle manufacturer lodges an eCoC for the incomplete vehicle, while the vehicle body builders lodge a separate eCoC for the completed one. Synchronising that data exchange between stages is one of the central challenges of the transition.
How it differs from the paper CoC
| Aspect | Paper CoC | eCoC |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Printed paper | IVI XML file |
| Authentication | Handwritten signature / stamp | XAdES digital signature |
| Submission | Travels with the vehicle | NAP portal or API |
| Validation | Reviewed by hand | Automated XSD schema check |
| Accessibility | Physical copy only | Public VIN-based lookup (Phase 2) |
How eCoC EU² helps
The eCoC EU² software manages the whole eCoC lifecycle on behalf of manufacturers:
Ready for the EU eCoC rollout?
Book a free demo and see how eCoC EU² can have your eCoC process production-ready across every EU Member State.