Article 8 Preventing abuse of vehicle registration certificates

In order to prevent abuse of vehicle registration certificates, each Member State shall, in accordance with national law, ensure that its competent authorities take the necessary steps to recover a vehicle owner's or vehicle holder's registration certificate if the vehicle has been seriously damaged in an accident (total loss).

A registration certificate shall also be recovered, in accordance with national law, where, during a check by the law enforcement agency, it is suspected that there has been an infringement concerning the vehicle's identity markings, such as the vehicle identification number.

Registration certificates shall be returned only following examination and positive verification of the vehicle's identity, and in accordance with national law.