Croatia: Your Vehicle Certificate of Registration Explained

Looking to take your vehicle to Croatia? Perhaps you’re relocating for a job or for family purposes. Maybe you’re simply travelling through Croatia and want to make sure you are following the correct laws. In both of these situations, you may be required to register your vehicle with the relevant authorities in Croatia.

This article will give you a comprehensive overview of the vehicle registration process in Croatia and the registration document you receive at the end of the process. Whether you’ve recently purchased a vehicle in Croatia, or you’re driving your own vehicle through the country, this guide is for you.

Why Must I Register My Vehicle in Croatia?

Whatever country you go to, you must obey the regulations of the road. This means having a vehicle that is correctly registered and identifiable, and also one which confirms to local regulatory standards. For this reason, it is critical to register your vehicle when required in Croatia.

Can I register my vehicle temporarily in Croatia?

If you are just passing through Croatia on vacation, or to another location, you might not need to register your vehicle. Vehicles from the UK and EU countries can drive legally in Croatia for up to 6 months. Vehicles from countries outside of the EU may vary.

Always make sure you’re carrying the correct documents if you’re driving in Croatia. If you’re stopped, you may need to show your full driving licence, a proof of ID (such as your passport), evidence of your valid vehicle insurance, and a valid registration document for the country where the vehicle is registered.

If you would like to import your car for more than six months to Croatia, then you will need to officially register your vehicle with the Croatian authorities.

The Croatian Vehicle Registration Document

There are several steps to register your car or motorbike in Croatia. First, you must pay the appropriate taxes and dues, undergo an identification check, collate the correct documentation (including a Certificate of Conformity), get a valid insurance for your vehicle, and finally ensure your vehicle passes a technical test.

Once you have registered your vehicle, you will receive your new Croatian registration plates, and a double-sided vehicle registration document which looks like this:

This document is the paper correspondence to your new Croatian registration plates. It is written in both Croatian and in French, a certificat d’immatriculation.

On the first page, the title page, you will find some basic information such as  the name of the registered owner, the vehicle registration document is applicable for, and the date of the registration. The vehicle registration document is also given a unique identifying number, which is printed on every page of the document.

The  following side of the document includes information about the specific vehicle. This includes the registered make, model, and the year of the vehicle, plus relevant engine information, including the fuel, type emissions category, and country of origin. 

Information about the registration of the vehicle is included here too, including the date of the initial registration and internal classifications for the regulating body.

Finally, the last page of the document includes space for registration renewals. In Croatia, your vehicle must be re-registered every year. To do so, you must pay the correct fees and taxes, and the vehicle must pass a technical check at an authorised location.

This latter page of the document provides space for the registration to be renewed at a qualified vehicle technical inspection station, called stanica za tehnički pregled.

You can read more about the relevant Croatian laws that govern this registration process here: zakon o sigurnosti prometa na cestama (The Road Traffic Safety Act) and pravilnik o registraciji i označavanju vozila (Rulebook on Vehicle Registration and Marking).

To begin this registration process, you are likely to need a certificate of conformity. This document ensures that your vehicle is manufactured to the correct standard required in Croatia, and confirms with EU standards.

Get your Croatian vehicle registration process off to a great start by allowing EUROCOC to acquire your CoC. If you need a CoC for your vehicle in Croatia, we can help you with a few easy-to-follow steps. 

Click here to get the CoC process started! 

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