Papers for buying a car and re-registering it in your name

The steps in order

• Sign the sale contract on the approved model. Write down the VIN, the price, the mileage and any known defects.
• Prove you have no unpaid local taxes. Since 25 February 2026 the contract is void if the buyer owes money to the local budget, so ask your town hall for a tax clearance certificate (certificat fiscal) beforehand.
• The seller removes the car from their tax records, and you declare it at the local taxes and duties office where you live.
• Take out RCA (mandatory third-party liability insurance). It is required for re-registration.
• Submit the file to the Public Community Service for Driving Licences and Vehicle Registration (Serviciul Public Comunitar Regim Permise de Conducere și Înmatriculare a Vehiculelor, SPCRPCIV) in your county, within 90 days of becoming the owner.

What papers to bring

The exact list can differ by situation. Confirm it with SPCRPCIV or on the website of the Driving Licence and Vehicle Registration Directorate (DGPCI) before you go. Appointments are booked online.

• your ID
• the registration certificate (certificat de înmatriculare) and the vehicle identity book (cartea de identitate a vehiculului, CIV)
• the sale contract
• proof that you paid the local taxes
• the RCA policy and a valid periodic technical inspection (ITP)
• a power of attorney, if someone else submits the file

Fees and plates

The fees for re-registration and for new plates change from time to time, so we don't list them here. Current amounts are on the DGPCI website.

If you miss the deadline

If you don't ask for re-registration within 90 days, the car's registration is suspended by law until you do. With a suspended registration the car is not allowed on the road, and driving it risks a fine. Don't put it off.

Car tax

The tax on means of transport is paid at the town hall where you live. From 2026 it is calculated from engine capacity and emissions standard (Euro), and the local council may add an extra rate. Ask the town hall how much it will be for your car.