Frequently asked questions
Real, sourced answers, each linking to the full guide behind it. If your question isn't here, ask us directly on WhatsApp.
The basics
What is vehicle homologation?
Homologation (also called individual approval or individual type-approval) is the process of certifying that a specific vehicle, one built without existing EU type approval, meets the EU's technical, safety, and environmental requirements so it can be legally registered. Every EU country runs this under its own name and its own authority.
How the process actually worksWhat's the difference between EU type approval and individual approval?
A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) exists for a vehicle that already has EU whole-vehicle type approval. Individual approval is the separate route for a vehicle that has no such type approval at all, which describes almost every car built for a non-EU market.
Full explainer: CoC vs. individual approvalIs homologation the same thing as registration?
No. Homologation (individual approval) is the technical certification step; registration is the administrative step that actually puts the vehicle on the road with plates and insurance. You need the approval first, then you register with it, along with proof of insurance and customs clearance.
What happens if my vehicle fails the technical inspection?
It doesn't end the process. Every country's procedure includes a step where flagged, non-compliant points get corrected (a headlight swap, a missing part, an emissions fix) and the vehicle is re-presented for inspection. This is exactly why we review a vehicle's documentation before committing you to the full process, so you know what's likely to need fixing before you pay for the inspection.
Cost & timeline
How much does EU homologation cost?
There's no single EU-wide number, since the process is national, not EU-wide. Only 4 of the 29 countries we cover publish a fixed base fee (Belgium, Portugal, France, Luxembourg); everywhere else quotes case by case, and the vehicle's own condition is usually the bigger cost driver than the country.
What actually drives the costHow long does homologation take?
It varies by country and vehicle, but real published figures range from Malta's legal 30-day cap and Romania's 2-6 weeks, to Germany's 4-10 weeks and France's 4-month minimum. See the full comparison for what's actually documented, country by country.
Compare all 29 countriesCan I drive the car before it's approved?
No, not legally. An unregistered, uninsured vehicle can't be driven on public roads, which is exactly why it's transported to the technical inspection by trailer rather than driven there.
Full explainerWhich EU country is easiest or cheapest for homologation?
There's no single easiest country, since it depends on your vehicle, but real facts do separate the 29: Malta has the fastest legal deadline, only 4 countries have a fixed fee, and 10 register right-hand-drive vehicles with no steering-side conversion at all.
See the full comparisonBy origin market
Can I register a car from South Korea in the EU?
Yes, a South Korean-market Hyundai, Kia, or Genesis can be registered in the EU, and it starts from a genuine head start: South Korea drives on the right, like continental Europe, so the car's headlights, indicators, and speedometer usually need only minor adjustment, not the wholesale conversion a right-hand-drive JDM import needs.
Full South Korea import guideCan I register a car from UAE & the Gulf in the EU?
Yes, a Gulf-spec ('GCC-spec') car from Dubai or Abu Dhabi can be registered in the EU, but it's genuinely more work than a European-brand car sold new in the Gulf: GCC-spec vehicles are built with heavier-duty cooling, adapted lighting, and sometimes different software for the region's climate and roads, none of which matches EU type approval out of the box.
Full UAE & the Gulf import guideCan I register a car from China in the EU?
Yes, a Chinese domestic-market EV like a BYD, Geely, or Nio model can be registered in the EU, but check the charging connector first: many China-market EVs ship with a GB/T connector instead of the CCS standard Europe uses, which is a genuine hardware issue, not paperwork.
Full China import guideCan I register a car from Japan (JDM) in the EU?
Yes: the EU's own Court of Justice has ruled that a member state can't refuse to register a vehicle solely because it's right-hand drive, so a JDM import is legally registrable across the EU. What actually varies by country is the registration, lighting, speedometer, emissions, and individual-approval requirements layered on top, plus a real per-country appetite for RHD conversion work.
Full Japan (JDM) import guideCan I register a car from United States in the EU?
Yes, but check whether your specific model was ever officially sold in Europe first: certain US-market performance cars (some Mustang and Corvette generations, notably) already have EU-type-approved European-market siblings, which is a real shortcut, while a purely US-only model needs full individual approval including laboratory emissions testing.
Full United States import guideProcess & practicalities
What documents do I need to import a non-EU car?
Proof of purchase, the vehicle's existing foreign registration papers (if it's been registered before), customs proof of the vehicle's status once it clears into the EU, and, if one genuinely exists for your exact configuration, a Certificate of Conformity. Most non-EU vehicles don't have a CoC, and that's expected, not a problem.
The full document checklistDo you need to convert a right-hand-drive car to left-hand drive?
No. That confusion mixes up two different things: a full steering-side conversion (rare, expensive, not legally required anywhere in the EU) and the real adaptation items a RHD import actually needs (headlight beam pattern, sometimes a fog light or speedometer units). A 2015 European Court of Justice ruling means no EU country can refuse registration solely for being right-hand drive.
Full myth-busting explainerCan I do homologation myself, without a service?
Yes, technically nothing stops you from dealing with the technical service and authority directly. In practice, most people use a service because the process differs by country, the paperwork needs to be right the first time (a mismatch between your invoice and registration application is a common, avoidable delay), and knowing what a vehicle actually needs before committing avoids paying for a failed first attempt.
Does an electric vehicle need anything different?
The individual-approval process itself is the same, but an EV import adds one real extra question: does the vehicle's charging connector match your destination's standard? Europe uses Type 2/CCS2; China uses GB/T; Japan uses CHAdeMO and Type 1; the US uses Type 1/CCS1. A mismatch is a hardware question, separate from the approval process.
Full explainer on charging standardsCountry-specific questions
Every one of the 29 countries we cover has its own FAQ section on its own page, since the real questions (which authority, what the native term is, what the local practice is) genuinely differ by country.