Article 5

For the purposes of identifying a vehicle in road traffic, Member States may require that the driver carry Part I of the registration certificate.

With a view to re-registering a vehicle previously registered in another Member State, the competent authorities shall require the submission of Part I of the previous registration certificate in every case and the submission of Part II if it was issued. These authorities shall withdraw the part(s) of the previous registration certificate submitted and shall keep the latter for a minimum of six months. They shall, within two months, inform the authorities of the Member State which delivered the certificate of its withdrawal. They shall return the certificate which they have withdrawn to those authorities if they so request within six months of its withdrawal.

Where the registration certificate consists of Parts I and II, and Part II is missing, the competent authorities in the Member State where the new registration has been requested may decide, in exceptional cases, to re-register the vehicle, but only after having obtained confirmation, in writing or by electronic means, from the competent authorities in the Member State where the vehicle was previously registered, that the applicant is entitled to re-register the vehicle in another Member State.

Without prejudice to Articles 5(4) and 8(3) of Directive 2014/45/EU, Member States shall, as a matter of principle, recognise the validity of the roadworthiness certificate in the event that the ownership of a vehicle – which has a valid proof of periodic roadworthiness test – changes.