Electronic Certificates of Conformity (eCoCs)

Overview

A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is issued by a vehicle manufacturer to confirm that an individual vehicle has been produced in conformity with an approved type. In the UK, this is moving from a paper-based document to an electronic Certificate of Conformity (eCoC), so that CoC information can be provided and used in a consistent digital format.

This change is supported by Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2018/858, which requires that from 5 July 2026 manufacturers make the CoC for newly manufactured vehicles available to the VCA as structured data in electronic format.

To support manufacturers and users of CoC information, the VCA is developing a digital service for the submission and use of eCoC data for the UK market. This guidance is intended to explain the approach and will be updated as the service is implemented and further information becomes available.

Scope

Vehicles of categories M, N and O approved under either the GB or UKNI type approval schemes will be required to submit eCoCs as part of Phase 1 implementation of the new service. Vehicles approved under the medium or small series variants of these schemes are also subject to eCoC requirements.

Category L, T, C, R and S vehicles are not subject to eCoC requirements at this time and should continue to utilise paper CoCs until further notice.

Implementation Plan

The VCA is delivering a new digital service to facilitate the submission, storage and presentation of eCoC data. This service will be delivered in two phases:

• Phase 1 will deliver a new database for the storage of eCoC data, a web portal for manufacturers to manage and manually submit eCoC data, and an Application Programming Interface (API) service to facilitate automated transmission of data. Phase 1 testing is ongoing, the live service will be available in the second half of June 2026.
• Phase 2 will deliver a public-facing webpage through which anyone can locate and view the eCoC data of a vehicle for which an eCoC submission was made, by using the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) as a unique identifier. The target delivery date for Phase 2 is July 2026.

Please note, there is no obligation to submit eCoC data for vehicles manufactured before 5 July 2026.

The VCA and Department for Transport (DfT) are aware of a recent EU proposal to delay mandatory implementation of eCoCs until the end of November 2026. No decisions have been made regarding impact to UK implementation at this point, but the proposal is under consideration by legal and policy teams at DfT. Further information regarding any change to implementation timings will be provided as soon as possible.

 

eCoC Data and Format

The structure and content of UK eCoCs will differ from that prescribed in GB type approval legislation for paper CoCs.

UK eCoCs will be based on the Initial Vehicle Information (IVI) 2.0 file developed for use in the EU eCoC system. More information on the EU eCoC system is available from EUCARIS.

The UK IVI file will follow the same structure and include all content from the EU IVI file, with some additions to facilitate inclusion of GB and UKNI specific approval information (e.g. the use of ‘g11’ or ‘n11’ as an Approval Authority code for various fields).

IVI files must be in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format. A copy of the XML Schema Definition (XSD) and version control document for the UK IVI can be found in the ‘Publications’ section of this page. As the UK XSD file has been adapted from the EU equivalent, guidance documents published by EUCARIS including the ‘messagebook’ and ‘IVI setup manual’ remain relevant to the UK eCoC system and should be considered alongside UK-specific and supplementary guidance.

 

UK-Specific IVI Elements

UK-specific elements of the initial release of the UK IVI template are limited to additional data entry options (enumerations) for fields with a restricted list of possible selections. These elements are listed below in the order in which they appear in the XSD file:

1. “GeneralCodeEcoInnovationCode” – Eco-innovation code ’99’ is added as an option, this is a GB approved eco-innovation which does not appear in the EU list. Other GB eco-innovations use the same codes as the EU equivalents, as they do for UKNI.
2. “TypeApprovalCountryCode” – ‘g11’ and ‘n11’ options added to list of e?? codes.
3. “TypeApprovalTypeCode” – Scheme options ‘GBNSS’ (GB national small series), ‘GBMED’ (GB medium series), ‘GB’ (GB unlimited series), ‘UKNINSS’ (UKNI national small series), ‘UKNIESS’ (UKNI European small series), and ‘UKNI’ (UKNI unlimited series) are added to existing EU options.

Supplementary Guidance for EU IVI Elements

A consequence of aligning the UK IVI template with the EU version is the retention of certain fields with EU-specific references. This does not restrict the entry of UK vehicle information but supplementary guidance on the completion of these fields is provided below for clarity:

1. “EURepresentativeGroup” – This table should be populated with the name and address of the relevant GB-based (GB type approvals) or EU/NI-based (UKNI approvals) manufacturer’s representative. If using a UK based representative, the ‘EURepresentativeCountryOfResidence’ can list either ‘Northern Ireland’ or ‘Great Britain’ (as applicable), or ‘United Kingdom’ according to how the address is listed in type approval documents.
2. “EUCountryCode” – ‘UK’ is already a selectable option for this element and should be used for UK eCoCs.
3. “EULanguageCode” – ‘en’ is already a selectable option for this element and should be used for UK eCoCs.

Creation of eCoC Files

The creation of eCoC (UK IVI) XML files is the responsibility of vehicle manufacturers (or their authorised representatives). The VCA does not provide software for generating eCoC files and does not mandate the use of any particular commercial or open-source product.

There is a wide range of publicly available information, XML tooling and software libraries that can be used to create and validate files against an XML Schema Definition (XSD). Manufacturers should choose an approach that best fits their own systems and volume of production.

As an alternative option, manufacturers may choose to use the EU manual input tool to generate an EU IVI XML file and then edit the output to reflect UK requirements (for example, GB- and UKNI-specific approval information where applicable). Any file submitted to the VCA must conform to the UK IVI XSD published on this page.

 

Submission of eCoC Data

There will be two routes for the submission of eCoCs to the VCA:

1. Manual file upload and submission via the VCA eCoC Portal.
2. System-to-system integration using an API.

It is anticipated that option 1 will be more suited to small volume manufacturers and option 2 to high volume manufacturers, however both options will be available for manufacturers to use at their preference.

A VCA account will be required for both submission methods. For manufacturers who already have an account for the VCA’s Type Approval Portal, this can also be used to access the eCoC Portal when it launches. Manufacturers will be able to assign additional users access to their accounts and manage permissions via the eCoC Portal.

Once received, eCoC data will be validated against the UK IVI XML schema to confirm that the format is correct. Manufacturers will receive feedback if there are any errors or issues relating to uploaded files to enable correction and resubmission.

 

API Integration

An API integration has been developed to enable eCoCs to be submitted to VCA without having to upload individual files via the VCA eCoC portal. Guidance to support you through the setup, testing and submission process is available in the ‘Publications’ section of this page.

Test (pre-prod) API Environment

Before manufacturers can use the production (live) environment to submit official eCoC data, they will first need to connect to a dedicated test environment API to validate the integration. This early access environment gives you the opportunity to resolve issues in advance and ensure that you are fully prepared for submissions of production eCoCs.

The test environment will become live on the 27 May 2026, from which date tokens required to use the service will be available. Tokens can be requested as follows:

• Please email ecocdataenquiries@vca.gov.uk with the subject line “Test API Token Request”.
• Please ensure the token is only opened by the developer who will be actioning the task, it is a onetime destructive token.

Please note – use the URL references in the document rather than the URLs in the screen shots.

Live (prod) API Service

The live API service is not yet available; it will be made available alongside the eCoC Portal in the second half of June 2026. Please do not try to connect to the live environment before it becomes officially available.

 

Security and Authenticity

As the UK eCoC template is aligned to the EU template, the same digital signature requirements apply. Manufacturers should apply digital signatures to UK eCoC files using the same method they apply for EU counterparts. UK eCoCs which do not incorporate a digital signature will fail validation checks and be rejected at the upload stage.

UK eCoC data is submitted and handled via secure exchange platforms. Only manufacturers or those authorised to use a manufacturer account can submit eCoC files.

 

Access to eCoC Data

Once Phase 2 of the new digital service is delivered, data for vehicles covered by an eCoC submission will be publicly available via a new web service using the VIN as search criteria. It will also be possible to download the original eCoC data for a given vehicle in XML format via this service.

The VCA is engaging with the Department for Transport and Executive Agencies (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to determine potential use cases for future information sharing, and how best to facilitate this if required.

 

In need of further assistance?

If you have questions relating to the guidance on this page or eCoC topics which are not covered here, please contact ecocdataenquiries@vca.gov.uk

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do manufacturers still need to issue paper CoCs?
Vehicles manufactured before 5 July 2026 must be provided with a paper CoC. Vehicles manufactured from the 5 July 2026 should be covered by an eCoC submission, at which point no paper CoC is required.

In exceptional cases the VCA may request the issuing of a duplicate paper CoC for a vehicle covered by an eCoC submission.

 

Do I need to submit eCoCs for vehicles built before 5 July 2026?
No, there is no legal requirement to submit an eCoC for vehicles built before this date, even if the vehicle is not registered until after this date.

 

Which vehicles are in scope?
Category M, N and O vehicles.

 

Is there an exemption for vehicles approved as national small series?
At this time vehicles approved as national small series are subject to eCoC requirements. However a potential exemption is under review by DfT and any change to requirements will be communicated as applicable.

 

Will the VCA require copies of EU eCoCs?
Only in cases where an EU approved vehicle forms part of a multistage build of a completed vehicle. In cases where a vehicle is dual-marked only the GB eCoC needs to be provided.

Where a manufacturer uses an EU approval to place vehicles on the market in Northern Ireland or via unfettered access, eCoC records for these vehicles should be submitted to the EU Type Approval Authority in question.

 

Can I retrieve EU eCoCs via the UK system?
Where EU eCoCs have been submitted to the UK system they can be retrieved alongside UK eCoCs. However, as per the answer above EU eCoCs do not need to be sent to the VCA in most cases. EU eCoCs should be retrievable via the National Access Point (NAP) of an EU member state.

Does the UK eCoC system have any link to EUCARIS?
No, the UK eCoC system is not linked to EUCARIS. The UK system does not function as a National Access Portal (NAP) or exchange eCoC files with the EUCARIS system.

 

Does whole vehicle type approval documentation have to be updated following the transition to using eCoCs?
No, the existing sample paper CoC in whole vehicle documentation can remain as the primary reference within type approval documents. No extension or revision is required as an explicit consequence of moving to eCoCs.

 

How should multistage builders obtain copies of previous stage eCoCs?
The VCA strongly encourage manufacturers to share eCoC data with subsequent stage manufacturers as per information sharing obligations set out in Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2018/858. However, in the event that the previous stage eCoC is not shared directly between manufacturers, it will be available from the public access portal once this service is live.

 

What is the penalty for not submitting eCoCs?
Provision of CoCs is a condition of holding whole vehicle type approval. If CoCs (in whichever format is applicable) are not supplied, whole vehicle type approval could be withdrawn, meaning that new vehicles cannot be registered or placed on the market.

 

Publications

• UK IVI XML Schema Definition (XSD)
• UK IVI Version Control
• API Integration Guidance

Record of Changes

31 March 2026:

• Update to Phase 1 delivery timings in ‘Implementation Plan’ section

 

23 April 2026:

• Addition of ‘Record of Changes’ section
• Rewording of ‘Overview’ section for clarity
• Expansion of ‘eCoC Data and Format’ section to include guidance on UK-specific requirements of the IVI file, alongside links to EU IVI guidance material
• Addition of ‘Creation of eCoC files’ section
• Expansion of ‘Security and Authenticity’ section to clarify use of digital signatures and alignment to EU requirements

 

30 April 2026:

• Clarification relating to use of EU-based representatives in UKNI approvals in the ‘Supplementary Guidance for EU IVI Elements section’
• Addition of ‘In need of further assistance’ section including contact email address

 

26 May 2026:

• Update to Phase 1 timing in ‘Implementation Plan’ section
• Addition of statement on EU timelines in ‘Implementation Plan’ section
• Addition of ‘API Integration’ section
• Addition of note on XML downloads in ‘Access to eCoC data’ section
• Update to UK IVI XSD file in ‘Publications’ section
• Addition of UK IVI Version Control and API Guidance documents to ‘Publications’ section
• Updated FAQ on requirements for NSSTA approved vehicles
• New FAQs added on EU eCoCs, EUCARIS links, documentation updates, previous stage eCoCs, penalties