A vehicle registration certificate is an official document providing proof of registration of a vehicle. It is used primarily by governments as a means of ensuring that all road vehicles are on the national

vehicle register The Vehicle register in the United Kingdom is a database of motor vehicles. It is a legal requirement in the UK for most types of motor vehicle to be registered if they are to be used on the public road. All new and imported vehicles are required ...

, but is also used as a form of law enforcement and to facilitate change of ownership when buying and selling a vehicle.

European Union and European Economic Area

In the

European Economic Area The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the ''Agreement on the European Economic Area'', an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Asso ...

( EU,

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...

and

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

), vehicle registration certificates are governed by the

European directive A directive is a legal act of the European Union that requires member states to achieve particular goals without dictating how the member states achieve those goals. A directive's goals have to be made the goals of one or more new or changed na ...

1999/37/EC. They consist of two parts, and can be either a paper document or a smart card. The information contained in these registration certificates includes: *

Vehicle registration number A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English, British, Indian English , Indian and Australian English), license plate (American English) or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached t ...

* Personal data of the individual to whom the vehicle is registered *

Vehicle identification number A vehicle identification number (VIN; also called a chassis number or frame number) is a unique code, including a serial number, used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters a ...

(VIN) * Engine specifications * Exhaust emissions

United Kingdom

In the UK the document is the V5C, also commonly called the "log book". The document is issued by the

DVLA The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA; ) is the organisation of the Government of the United Kingdom, British government responsible for maintaining a database of drivers in Great Britain and a Vehicle register, database of vehicles f ...

and tracks the registered keeper of the vehicle. When a vehicle is transferred, exported, scrapped or had major modification (new engine, chassis or factors affecting the taxation class) the form is returned to the DVLA with details of the required changes, who then issue a new document with the details amended.

References

External links

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the UK
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vehicle Registration Certificate Vehicle law

European Union and European Economic Area

United Kingdom

See also

References

External links