Certificate and declaration: key differences

The declaration and mandatory vehicle certificate are key documents confirming the compliance of vehicles with the standards of the technical regulations of the Customs Union (EAEU).

A vehicle declaration is a document certifying that a vehicle meets the norms of the technical regulations. The main difference from the certificate lies in the fact that the declaration can only be issued for vehicles not subject to mandatory certification. The applicant independently provides evidence of the vehicle's safety, such as test results, reports, etc., which makes them fully responsible for the accuracy of the information. This is the primary distinction between a declaration and a certificate of conformity.

A mandatory vehicle certificate is a document required for vehicles subject to certification. It is issued after the vehicle has been tested in an accredited laboratory, for example, at the Center for Innovative Research of ООО "Centromash." The certificate of conformity is issued on a special form and implies the responsibility of the certification body for the provided data. While the declaration and certificate have equal legal force, in certain cases, the registration of a declaration can be replaced by certification. This is possible if the certification scheme is equivalent to the declaration scheme, at the applicant's discretion (applicable only to TR CU).

Thus, both the declaration and the mandatory vehicle certificate confirm compliance with the same standards but have different procedures and documentation requirements. The declaration is based on the applicant's materials, whereas the certificate is based on laboratory test results.