UK eCoC compliance for vehicle manufacturers
The VCA is mandating electronic Certificates of Conformity for all M, N and O category vehicles manufactured from 5 July 2026. COCDesk generates UK IVI XML files, handles digital signatures, and submits eCoC data via the VCA portal or API — so you are ready before the deadline.
Purpose-built for the VCA eCoC mandate
Navigate the UK transition from paper to electronic certificates with confidence
Ready before the deadline
VCA Phase 1 launches March 2026 with the portal and API. The obligation begins 5 July 2026. COCDesk is production-ready today, giving you months to test, validate, and onboard before the mandate takes effect.
GB & UK(NI) scheme support
Whether your vehicles are approved under the GB or UK(NI) type approval scheme, COCDesk handles both — including correct approval authority codes and scheme-specific data fields.
No paper CoC burden
Vehicles manufactured from 5 July 2026 no longer require a paper CoC. COCDesk fully digitises the process, though duplicate paper CoCs can still be generated if the VCA requests one in exceptional cases.
Small & large volume ready
Whether you manufacture 50 or 50,000 vehicles per year, COCDesk scales. Manual upload via the VCA portal for small series, automated API submission for high-volume production lines.
Full change history & audit trail
Every eCoC submission, correction and resubmission is tracked with a complete audit trail — essential for VCA Conformity of Production (CoP) audits and regulatory compliance.
ERP integration
Connect COCDesk to your existing production systems. Pull vehicle technical data directly from your ERP and automatically generate compliant eCoC submissions without manual data entry.
UK eCoC resources
Guidance on VCA eCoC requirements, UK type approval compliance and implementation best practices
VCA eCoC Portal Launches March 2026: What UK Manufacturers Need to Know
The VCA is launching its eCoC portal and API in March 2026, ahead of the mandatory 5 July 2026 deadline. We break down the phased rollout, submission routes, and what manufacturers should be doing right now to prepare.
Read more
From Paper to eCoC: What Is a Certificate of Conformity and Who Does It Affect in the UK?
A Certificate of Conformity certifies that a vehicle has been produced in conformity with an approved type. From 5 July 2026, the VCA is replacing paper CoCs with digitally signed eCoCs for all M, N and O category vehicles.
Read more
New UK Type Approval Obligations: eCoC Under Assimilated Regulation 2018/858
Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2018/858 mandates electronic Certificates of Conformity in the UK from 5 July 2026. We explain the legal framework and what dual marking means for manufacturers.
Read moreFull compliance with UK type approval regulations
COCDesk ensures every eCoC meets VCA requirements under the GB and UK(NI) type approval schemes
UK eCoC mandate
- Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2018/858 — eCoC mandatory from 5 July 2026
- M, N and O category vehicles including medium and small series
- UK IVI XML format with GB/UK(NI) specific fields
VCA requirements
- VCA eCoC Portal and API submission compliance
- XAdES digital signature standard (per ETSI EN 319 132 and eIDAS)
- Authorised user access and permission management
Security & data protection
- UK GDPR — personal data protection
- Secure data exchange platforms as required by VCA
- Data encryption and automatic backups
Automatic regulatory updates
As the VCA evolves eCoC requirements — including Phase 2 public vehicle data lookup and future DVSA/DVLA integrations — COCDesk will be updated to remain compliant at all times.
From production line to VCA submission in minutes
A streamlined four-step process that replaces paper certificates with validated digital submissions
Import vehicle data
Pull technical data from your ERP or type approval records. COCDesk maps it to the UK IVI XML schema automatically.
Generate & validate
The system generates a UK IVI XML file and validates it against the VCA schema. Any errors are flagged immediately for correction.
Sign digitally
Automated digital signature is applied, meeting VCA security and authenticity requirements for eCoC data.
Submit to VCA
Submit via the VCA API for automated workflows or upload through the VCA eCoC Portal. Receive confirmation and track status in real-time.
Built for the UK eCoC mandate
Everything you need to meet VCA electronic Certificate of Conformity requirements from a single platform
UK IVI XML generation
Automatically generate IVI XML files tailored to the UK schema — including GB and UK(NI) approval authority codes (g11/n11) and all required fields beyond the base EU IVI format.
VCA portal & API submission
Submit eCoC data directly through the VCA eCoC Portal or via system-to-system API integration. Both routes supported for small and large volume manufacturers alike.
Digital signatures
Automated digital signing following the same standard applied for EU eCoCs, ensuring authenticity and security of every submitted certificate.
Validation before submission
Built-in validation against the UK IVI XML schema catches errors before submission, eliminating rejection and resubmission cycles with the VCA.
Multi-stage vehicle support
Full support for multi-stage type approval workflows — coordinate eCoC data between base vehicle and completed vehicle stages seamlessly.
Dual GB & EU compliance
For manufacturers with dual-marked vehicles, generate both UK and EU eCoCs from the same data set. Only the GB eCoC needs to be submitted to the VCA for dual-marked vehicles.
Ready to meet the UK eCoC deadline?
Book a free demo and see how COCDesk can have your eCoC process production-ready before the VCA mandate takes effect.
No obligation. The demo takes about 30 minutes.