Vehicle Registration Certificate Translation
Espresso Translations offers certified translations of your vehicle registration certificate and driving licence for use in the UK or abroad. Our professional and accredited translators can translate documents related to your vehicle for any purpose or requesting authority.
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Our car registration documents translation services
As part of our comprehensive range of language services, Espresso Translations offers car registration document translation. If you want to translate your UK or foreign registration certificate, we have a network of qualified translators who work in more than 150 languages and have experience in this type of official translation.
As the vehicle registration documents are essential when someone wants to sell, buy, export or import a vehicle, having a professional translation, if required, is very important. Depending on the purpose of the translation you may need to have a certified, sworn, notarised or legalised translation, all services that our translation company can offer. It’s essential that you know which type of translation you need as there are important differences.
A certified translation will be accepted by all UK authorities, including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and Border Force which is part of the Home Office. If you are presenting a translation of a vehicle registration certificate to a foreign driving authority or government department, a sworn translation may be needed. The translator swears an oath in front of a court or public official that the translation is a true and accurate representation of the original document. Countries such as Spain, France, Italy or the Netherlands as well as other civil law countries, only recognise sworn translations for official or legal documents.
If a notarised translation is requested, our translator will take the translated registration certificate to a notary public who will add their signature and stamp to the document. This does not confirm the accuracy of the translation but verifies the identity of the professional translator. It’s not legal for someone who is not a qualified translator to translate a vehicle registration certificate.
Countries who are signatories of the Hague Convention will accept a legalised or apostille translation of vehicle documents such as a registration certificate, driver licence or insurance documents.
Here’s a table explaining the main elements of a Vehicle Registration Certificate Translation service:
| Service Type | Certified translation of the vehicle registration certificate |
| Target Audience | Vehicle owners, dealerships, government authorities, registration agencies |
| Languages | English ↔ Other languages (e.g., Italian, French, German, Spanish) |
| Document Type | Registration certificate for private or commercial vehicles |
| Certification Requirement | Translation must be performed by a certified translator |
| Accuracy & Completeness | The translation must accurately and completely reflect all technical and legal information from the original document |
| Delivery Time | Typically 1-3 working days, depending on document length and complexity |
| Price Range | Varies depending on the number of pages and complexity; from £30 plus VAT |
| Process | 1. Submit the document → 2. Translation → 3. Proofreading & quality control → 4. Delivery (digital or paper) |
| Delivery Format | PDF or paper copy, with optional delivery by mail or courier |
| Additional Services | Sworn, Notarised, Apostille, Express shipping |
| Common Uses | Vehicle registration in a foreign country, sale abroad, change of residence, legal procedures |
Driver’s Licenses & Car Title Translations accepted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
What is a motor vehicle registration certificate?
In the UK, a car’s registration document is called a V5C but is more commonly known as a logbook. This can be a slightly confusing description as it isn’t a book but a four page document which contains all the details about a vehicle and its registered keeper. This important document is issued by the DVLA and is proof that the vehicle has been registered with them.
The information contained on a V5C includes:
- Date of vehicle’s first registration
- Current registered keeper’s name and address
- Previous registered keeper
- Vehicle details including model, cylinder capacity, vehicle tax class, fuel type, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), engine number and vehicle colour
- Section for registering a new keeper
- Section to complete if the vehicle is scrapped or permanently exported
Contrary to popular belief, a V5C is not proof of vehicle ownership and is only evidence of the registered keeper who is also responsible for taxing it. More often than not, this is the same person but in certain circumstances such as a company or lease car, the registered keeper and legal owner are separate individuals or entities.
When you want to sell or permanently export your vehicle you will need to fill in the relevant sections. However, if you are taking the vehicle abroad for less than 12 months you should take the V5C with you as well as a certified translation especially when travelling to a non-English speaking country.
It is a legal requirement that the vehicle’s registered keeper’s details are kept up to date. In the event that you move home or your name changes e.g. you’ve married and changed your surname, it is necessary to inform DVLA. You can change your address details online but to change your name you must post your V5C to DVLA and include a letter explaining the reason for the change.
In the UK, there is no legal requirement to keep any of your vehicle documents in the vehicle and is particularly not advisable for the V5C or your driver licence. If you lose your V5C or it is damaged to an extent that it is illegible, you can request a new one from the DVLA for a fee.
Who is authorised to translate vehicle documents?
If you need to have a translation of your vehicle registration certificate or driver licence, it is important that you receive an accurate translation. This is why you should only use a certified translation service such as Espresso Translations. We have a global network of accredited translators with knowledge of more than 150 languages and each with over five years of professional experience in their field of expertise.
When you think you may need to present your registration certificate, car insurance or driver licence to official authorities in another country, it is advisable to have professional and certified translations to hand.
Our translators are experienced in a wide range of language services including the translation of car documents. If the translation is for use in the UK, we can provide certified translations which will be accepted by UK government departments and public bodies. A foreign language translation may need to be carried out by a sworn translator particularly in a country with a civil law system.
Please note, for official documents such as a registration certificate or driver licence it is inadvisable to use machine translation. This type of translation process is unlikely to produce an accurately translated document and the likelihood of error is high.
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Why do you need a translated motor vehicle registration certificate?
When taking your car out of the UK for less than 12 months you should take your V5C with you. If the country you will be driving in is non-English speaking, it is a good idea to translate your licence, insurance document and vehicle registration certificate. This will make driving in the new country easier if you are asked to produce these documents by authorities at the port or if stopped by police.
If you intend to permanently export your vehicle, you must tell DVLA by filling in the ‘permanent export’ section of the V5C and posting it to them. You should retain the rest of the V5C as you will need to give this to the vehicle registration authority in the country you’re taking it to.
When importing a vehicle into the UK, you must provide DVLA with supporting documents including the original foreign registration certificate. You will not get this certificate back and there is no need for a translation.
What do they say about us?
We are proud of our excellent customer service, which includes both quick response times and comprehensive guidance in resolving any problems and difficulties by our project managers. Take a look at our customer reviews:
I used Espresso Translations for the translation of my vehicle registration document and I was impressed by the speed and accuracy of the service. They met all deadlines and the translation was impeccable.
– Eleonora
Espresso Translations provided a translation of the vehicle registration document that exceeded my expectations. The work was carried out with precision and punctuality, facilitating all bureaucratic procedures. Excellent service!
– Paolo
Where can I translate my motor vehicle registration certificate?
Espresso Translations has a global network of over 2,000 professional and accredited translators that work in more than 150 different languages. While we have offices in London, Milan and New York, our online service can be accessed from anywhere in the world. That means you don’t have to worry about not being close to one of our offices as our translators are all just a click away.
As a trusted ISO-certified translation company, we provide high quality certified, sworn, notarised, legalised and apostille translation services. You can digitally send us the documents that you wish to have translated. Your dedicated project manager will locate the most appropriate translator according to your needs and they will complete your translation. A second linguist will proofread the translated document and your project manager will carry out final quality control checks. The completed translation will then be sent to you for approval. All of this is done online from anywhere in the world.
Motor vehicle registration certificate translation template
Example of certified translation of vehicle registration document
How much does it cost to translate a vehicle registration certificate?
The cost of a vehicle registration certificate will depend on several factors including:
- Type of translation that you need
- Length of the document
- Complexity of the document
- Language pair
- Turnaround required
We offer translation certification for any document that needs to be submitted to UK authorities from £30 plus VAT.
If the vehicle registration certificate needs to be sworn then the cost will be slightly higher at £50 plus VAT. This is due to the involvement of a third party, i.e. a court or public official in front of whom the translator swears the oath that the translation is a true and accurate representation of the source document.
A notarised translation costs from £90 plus VAT as the translator must engage a notary public to verify their identity and add their signature and stamp to the translated document.
To ascertain exactly how much you will pay for your vehicle registration certificate, contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote. We will then be able to tailor our services to precisely what you need and give you a definite cost. The price that you are quoted is the price that you will pay. Espresso Translations operates a clear per-word pricing policy and there are no hidden fees.
How long does a translation of vehicle registration certificate take?
Our translation agency offers turnaround times of 48-hour, 24-hour and same day delivery on a range of language services including official document translations.
When you need to have a document translated, certified and sent to you quickly, contact Espresso Translations.
The turnaround time for a vehicle registration certificate translation will be influenced by a number of factors including the length and complexity of the document, the source and target languages and the type of certification required.
If a sworn or notarised translation is required, the time the translation takes may be extended. The translator will need to make an appointment with these third parties to complete the translation process which can often delay the turnaround time by a day or two. At busy times of year or during summer vacations, this delay may be longer. However, we work hard to anticipate any delays and avoid them if possible. Your personal project manager will keep you updated on the progress of your translation project at all times.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to register my UK car abroad?Â
To register your car abroad, you will need to complete an official application and provide several documents including the following for administrative purposes:
– Car registration certificate
– Roadworthiness certificateÂ
– Proof of ownership
– Evidence of insurance cover
– Certificate of conformity for new cars
– Proof of VAT payment
There is no standardised format for registering a car abroad and each country will have its own requirements. It’s necessary to ascertain exactly what you need to do to register your car in another country as well as any translations of supporting documents required.
What is considered proof of vehicle ownership?
Most often, the person who registers the vehicle is also the legal owner. However, this isn’t always the case. For example, an employee with a company car will be the registered keeper and responsible for taxing and insuring the vehicle but the company is the legal owner. Therefore a vehicle registration certificate or V5C does not provide proof of ownership and this is stated on the front of the document. An invoice or similar would be considered evidence of legal ownership of a vehicle.