{"id":82206,"date":"2026-08-05T15:12:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T13:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eurococ.eu\/?p=82206"},"modified":"2026-08-05T15:12:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T13:12:04","slug":"vehicle-registration-offices-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eurococ.eu\/en\/blog\/vehicle-registration-offices-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Vehicle Registration Offices in Europe: A Country-by-Country Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every European country has its own vehicle registration office<\/strong> \u2014 the authority that issues local plates and registration documents. If you’re importing a car, relocating, or re-registering a vehicle across borders, the first practical question is: which office do I go to, and what do they need?<\/em> This guide maps the registration authority in the main European markets, links to our step-by-step country guides, and explains where the Certificate of Conformity (COC) fits in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why the registration office (and the COC) matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When a vehicle is registered for the first time in a country \u2014 especially after an EU import \u2014 the local authority needs to identify the vehicle and confirm its technical specification. That’s where the\u00a0Certificate of Conformity<\/strong>\u00a0comes in: it links the vehicle to its EU type approval and supplies the data the office uses to issue the registration. In short, you deal with the registration office, and the COC is the document that makes the technical side straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vehicle registration offices by country<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Country<\/th>Registration authority<\/th>Notes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
France<\/td>ANTS<\/strong> (Agence Nationale des Titres S\u00e9curis\u00e9s)<\/td>Carte grise is handled online via ANTS.<\/td><\/tr>
Germany<\/td>Kfz-Zulassungsstelle<\/strong><\/td>Local registration office in your district.<\/td><\/tr>
Spain<\/td>DGT<\/strong> (Direcci\u00f3n General de Tr\u00e1fico)<\/td>Provincial traffic offices (Jefaturas<\/em>).<\/td><\/tr>
Italy<\/td>Motorizzazione Civile<\/strong> \/ PRA (ACI)<\/strong><\/td>Technical registration plus the public vehicle register.<\/td><\/tr>
Netherlands<\/td>RDW<\/strong><\/td>Central authority; registration often via approved dealers.<\/td><\/tr>
Belgium<\/td>DIV<\/strong> (Vehicle Registration Directorate)<\/td>Registration after insurance is arranged.<\/td><\/tr>
Portugal<\/td>IMT<\/strong> (Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes)<\/td>With tax formalities via the finance authority.<\/td><\/tr>
Austria<\/td>Zulassungsstelle<\/strong> (via authorised insurers)<\/td>Registration commonly done through insurers.<\/td><\/tr>
Switzerland<\/td>Strassenverkehrsamt<\/strong>(cantonal)<\/td>Road traffic office in your canton.<\/td><\/tr>
Poland<\/td>Wydzia\u0142 Komunikacji<\/strong><\/td>Local district office (starostwo<\/em>).<\/td><\/tr>
Ireland<\/td>NCTS \/ Revenue (VRT)<\/strong><\/td>Vehicle Registration Tax, then motor tax office.<\/td><\/tr>
Sweden<\/td>Transportstyrelsen<\/strong><\/td>Central transport agency.<\/td><\/tr>
Denmark<\/td>Motorstyrelsen<\/strong><\/td>Danish motor vehicle authority.<\/td><\/tr>
Czech Republic<\/td>Registr silni\u010dn\u00edch vozidel<\/strong><\/td>Local municipal office (obecn\u00ed \u00fa\u0159ad<\/em>).<\/td><\/tr>
Slovakia<\/td>Dopravn\u00fd in\u0161pektor\u00e1t<\/strong><\/td>Registration via the traffic police department.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Procedures, fees and required documents vary by country \u2014 always confirm the current requirements with the relevant authority before you start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step-by-step guides for common markets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For several markets we have detailed, up-to-date walkthroughs of the whole process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n