Manufacturer’s statutory plate and identification number for motor vehicles

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) No 19/2011 on type-approval requirements for the manufacturer’s statutory plate and for the vehicle identification number of motor vehicles and their trailers

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It lays down requirements concerning EC-type approval of the manufacturer’s statutory plate* and of the motor vehicle identification number*.
It forms part of the implementation of Regulation (EC) 661/2009 on safe motor vehicles and trailers.
Following the repeal of Directive 76/114/EEC by Regulation (EC) 661/2009, it adapts the technical rules in that directive to those of Directive 2007/46/EC on the EU type-approval of vehicles.

KEY POINTS

Types of vehicles concerned

The regulation applies to vehicles of category M, N and O, namely:

motor vehicles designed and built for the carriage of passengers and having at least 4 wheels;
motor vehicles intended and built for the transportation of goods and having at least 4 wheels;
trailers (including semi-trailers).

Requirements for the manufacturer’s statutory plate

Each vehicle must be fitted with a statutory plate that must consist (at the manufacturer’s discretion) either of:

a rectangular sheet of metal; or
a rectangular self-adhesive label.

The manufacturer’s statutory plate must contain certain items of information, including:

the manufacturer’s company name;
the vehicle type-approval number;
the vehicle identification number;
the technically admissible laden masses.

Regulation (EU) No 249/2012 amends Regulation (EU) No 19/2011 introducing the possibility for vehicle manufacturers to use self-adhesive labels for the making of the statutory plates.

Requirements for the vehicle identification number (VIN)

The manufacturer must affix a VIN on each vehicle and ensure its traceability for 30 years. The VIN consists of:

the world manufacturer identifier (WMI);
the vehicle descriptor (VDS);
the vehicle indicator section (VIS).

It must be affixed in an accessible position and be visible. It must be stamped so as not to disappear under normal conditions of use of the vehicle.

Provisions concerning EC type-approval

The vehicle manufacturer must submit an application for EU type-approval to the competent authority. The application must contain certain items of information, in particular:

the brand and type of vehicle;
the position and method of attachment of the manufacturer’s statutory plate;
the location of the VIN.

If the competent authority considers that the vehicle complies with all requirements concerning the manufacturer’s statutory plate and the vehicle identification number, it must grant EU type-approval and issue a type-approval number in accordance with Directive 2007/46/EC.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 February 2011.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Directives and regulations on motor vehicles, their trailers, systems and components (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

Manufacturer’s statutory plate: a plate or label, affixed by the manufacturer on a vehicle that provides the main technical characteristics which are necessary for the identification of the vehicle and provides the competent authorities with the relevant information concerning the permissible maximum laden masses.

Vehicle identification number (VIN): the alphanumeric code assigned to a vehicle by the manufacturer in order to ensure proper identification of every vehicle.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Commission Regulation (EU) No 19/2011 of 11 January 2011 concerning type-approval requirements for the manufacturer’s statutory plate and for the vehicle identification number of motor vehicles and their trailers and implementing Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning type-approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles, their trailers and systems, components and separate technical units intended therefor (OJ L 8, 12.1.2011, pp. 1-13)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 19/2011 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.