Why is the word “Duplicate” (Duplikat) on the COC document?

The word “duplicate” on the Certificate of Conformity (COC) means that it is not the original document, but a copy that was created retrospectively. The original COC is normally issued by the vehicle manufacturer and enclosed with the vehicle when it is first registered. If the original document is lost or damaged, the manufacturer is obliged to issue a replacement for this document for 10 years. The duplicate has the same legal value as the original and confirms the vehicle's compliance with EU directives. The marking as a duplicate only serves to distinguish it from the original document. This distinction ensures that misuse or multiple issuance of the document remains traceable. You can find this in Regulation (EU) 2018/858 of the European Parliament and of the Council Chapter IV Article 36 paragraph (3): “The manufacturer shall issue a duplicate of the certificate of conformity in paper form to the holder of the vehicle during the ten years following the date of manufacture of the vehicle, on request and against payment of a fee not exceeding the cost of issue. Each duplicate must be clearly marked “Duplicate” on the front.”