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🇷🇴E19Romania

Homologating a non-EU car in Romania

Omologare individuală

A vehicle brought in from outside the EU needs an omologare individuală from RAR to receive its vehicle identity card (carte de identitate a vehiculului): a dynamic emissions test (at least Euro 3), verification of component/subassembly approval markings, a technical inspection, and an EU-norms compliance review, before the vehicle can be registered.

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The process, step by step

  1. 1
    Documentation review

    We check the vehicle's existing approval markings and papers against what RAR requires.

  2. 2
    Emissions test

    A dynamic test establishes the vehicle's pollution class; it must meet at least the Euro 3 standard.

  3. 3
    Component approval verification

    RAR verifies the homologation markings on the vehicle's various components and subassemblies.

  4. 4
    Technical inspection and compliance review

    The vehicle is inspected and checked for compliance with applicable EU norms.

  5. 5
    Vehicle identity card issued

    Once approved, RAR issues the carte de identitate a vehiculului, needed for registration.

Typical timeline

Typically 2-6 weeks according to RAR's own published guidance, longer if modifications are needed.

Cost

RAR's own guidance puts the cost at roughly RON 1,500-3,500 or more depending on required modifications. US-origin vehicles are typically more expensive, since headlights and signaling usually need adapting to European (right-oriented asymmetric beam) standards. We quote the full picture after reviewing your specific vehicle.

Authority: RAR (Registrul Auto Român)

Frequently asked

Can a right-hand-drive car imported from outside the EU be registered in Romania?

No, not since 1 January 2021. A right-hand-drive vehicle imported from outside the EU can only be registered in Romania after its steering position is moved to the left.

Why are US-origin vehicles more expensive to homologate?

US-spec headlights and signaling are built for a different beam pattern than Europe requires (a right-oriented asymmetric beam), so they typically need genuine modification, not just paperwork, which adds real cost on top of the standard omologare individuală process.

Still need to source the vehicle?

HomologateMyCar handles what happens once the car is in Europe. If you haven't sourced it yet, our sister company DriveSino exports vehicles from China to Romania and has a dedicated import guide for it.

DriveSino's Romania import guide

Sources