Approval, CoC & IVA

Do EU imports still need a CoC after Brexit?

Reviewed 2026-07-10

Short answer

Yes, where GOV.UK’s EU-registered vehicle route applies. GOV.UK says to get a European Certificate of Conformity to show approval for an EU-registered vehicle.

Official position

GOV.UK still says that if the vehicle is registered in the EU, you should get a European Certificate of Conformity from the manufacturer to show you have approval. V355/5 also says current GB registrations need type approval starting with e, p, g or n, with separate rules for Northern Ireland.

What to do

Ask the manufacturer or authorised representative for a CoC if the vehicle was EU registered.

Check whether the vehicle is left-hand drive, because it may also need GB conversion IVA.

Use the CoC to complete type approval, emissions and technical V55/5 fields.

If you cannot get a CoC, check whether IVA, exemption or a DVLA explanation route applies.

Common mistakes

Assuming Brexit removed every CoC requirement.
Assuming an EU registration certificate is the same as a CoC.
Ignoring the separate GB conversion IVA requirement for left-hand-drive vehicles.