End-of-series vehicles

Regulation (EU) 540/2144 outlines the maximum permissible sound levels (noise limits) for motor vehicles in the European Union.

New M1, M2, and N1 vehicles that are first registered on or after 1 July 2026 will need to comply with the Phase 3 noise limit values

Sound Level Approval

Vehicles may be approved for sound limits under Regulation (EU) 540/2144 or as an alternative UN/ECE Regulation No. 51.03

Regulation (EU) 540/2144

The approved phase of sound limit can be identified from the sound approval number on vehicles approved to Regulation (EU) 540/2144 as seen below:

• If a vehicle type complies with the limit values of Phase 2 the type-approval number shall be followed by the Character 'B'.
• If the vehicle type complies with the limit values of Phase 3 the type-approval number shall be followed by the Character 'C'.

Phase	Sound Approval No
Phase 2	e9*540/2014*B000148
Phase 3	e4*540/2014*C002439

Note: The numbers used are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual vehicle type-approval numbers and sound level approval numbers is purely coincidental.

The above may not appear on the vehicle’s CoC, therefore you will need to contact the factory/homologation department in order to get this number.

UN/ECE Regulation No. 51.03

Vehicles approved to UN/ECE Regulation No. 51.03 will need to contact the factory/homologation department of check for compliance with the below limit values.

Category	Description & Specifications	Limit dB(A)
M1	Power-to-mass ratio (PMR) ≤ 120 kW/1000kg	68
M1	120 < PMR ≤ 160 kW/1000kg	69
M1	PMR > 160 kW/1000kg	71
M1	PMR > 200 kW/1000kg, ≤ 4 seats, R-point ≤ 450 mm	72
M2	Mass ≤ 2,500 kg	69
M2	2,500 < Mass ≤ 3,500 kg	71
M2	3,500 < Mass ≤ 5,000 kg	72
N1	Mass ≤ 2,500 kg	69
N1	2,500 < Mass ≤ 3,500 kg	71

Please note: this content is for information purposes only.  It does not purport to set out all legal obligations relating to the entry into service of motor vehicles and their systems, components, and separate technical units. It is not, nor should it be treated as, a definitive or legal interpretation of the applicable law and its requirements.

The General Safety Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 (Annex II) lists type approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, systems, components and separate technical units and their dates for implementation as part of the General Safety Regulation. 

New vehicles that are first registered on or after 7 July 2026 will need to comply with the next phase of requirements under Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 as seen below.

• Phase C dates of applicability for M, and N, except Small Series, and Special Purpose Vehicles
• Phase B dates of applicability for Small Series, and Special Purpose Vehicles

For 2026 the RSA is granting end-of-series derogations to vehicles that don’t meet the following requirements; 

Regulation	Description	Scope
Advanced Driver Distraction Warning System (ADDW) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2590 Supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 (Item E3)	Requires the fitment of an advanced driver distraction warning system complying with (EU) 2023/2590. Eligibility criteria: Valid CoC, issued on or before 6 April 2026	M, N,
Approval of Motor Vehicles and their Trailers Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2236 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/858	Introduces revised requirements for the European whole vehicle type approval of Small Series and Special Purpose Vehicles. Eligibility criteria: Valid CoC, issued on or before 6 April 2026	Small series and Special Purpose
Registration plate mounting space Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/535 laying down provisions for Regulation (EU) 2019/2144	Specifies requirements on the location, visibility and minimum dimensions of the rear registration plate mounting space Eligibility criteria: Valid CoC, issued on or before 6 April 2026	O

Where a vehicle does not meet one of the above items as well as other requirements in the GSR, economic operators may apply for a derogation from the regulation applicable to their vehicles EU category.

If successful, an end of series exemption will be issued to the applicant notifying them that a derogation has been granted and its duration of validity, for complete vehicles 06 July 2027, and completed (multi-stage) vehicles 06 January 2028. 

Note: Where a vehicle is granted a derogation from one of the above items, further applications for end of series derogations from other GSR 2 items will not be processed.

Regulation (EU) 2017/1151 - type-approval of motor vehicles concerning emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles. 

From 1 January 2026, vehicles of categories M1, N1 and N2, approved to light duty emissions standard are required to meet with the requirements of Appendix 6 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1151. This requires compliance with the "Euro 6e-bis" emissions requirements, which include extended ambient conditions for RDE compliance testing, a requirement for an indicator (AES Flag or Timer) to indicate when the vehicle is running in an auxiliary emissions strategy (AES) and revised utility factors for determining the CO2 emissions performance of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. 

The RSA is granting end-of-series derogations to vehicles with an emissions character of EA.

 Eligibility Criteria: Valid CoC issued on or before 30 September 2025. 

Please Note: when sending the completed application to [email protected], please ensure the email subject is EoS Application request. 

Note the above email subject is case sensitive and if not entered correctly may result in your application not being accepted for review by the EoS system. 

Under EU Regulations 168/2013 and 134/2014, there are a number of changes for the first registration or entry into service of EU category L vehicles. Our briefing note will provide you with information on the changes and eligibility criteria for vehicles with regard to end-of-series derogation applications.

Regulation (EU) 2017/1151 - type-approval of motor vehicles concerning emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles.

Since 1 September 2024, vehicles of categories M1, N1 and N2, approved to light duty emissions standard are required to meet with the requirements of Appendix 6 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1151. This requires real driving emissions (RDE) testing to comply with the emission limits, using a conformity factor of 1.1 (NOx), and 1.34 (PN), and the fitment of an OBFCM to N2 vehicles, certified to the light duty emissions requirements.

The RSA is granting end-of-series derogations to vehicles with an emissions character of AP, AQ or AR.

Eligibility Criteria: Valid CoC issued on or before 31 May 2024.

Please Note: when sending the completed application to [email protected], please ensure the email subject is EoS Application request.

Note the above email subject is case sensitive and if not entered correctly may result in your application not being accepted for review by the EoS system.

Since 7 July 2024, a number of changes for the first registration or entry into service of vehicles comes into force under Regulation (EU) 2019/2144.

Due to the large number of changes and based on information provided by industry, the RSA will use a phased approach for granting end of series derogations from certain requirements within the GSR 2. This will allow the end of series team time to deal with applications in a prompt and efficient manner.

As part of phase 1 the RSA is granting end-of-series derogations to vehicles that don’t meet the following requirements;

Regulation	Description	Scope
Event Data Recorder (EDR) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/545 Supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 (Item E5)	Requires the fitment of an EDR complying with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/545 and the technical requirements of ECE 160.01. Eligibility criteria: Valid CoC, issued on or before 6 April 2024	M1, N1,
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) for Heavy Duty Vehicles Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 (Item C14)	Requires the fitment to Heavy Duty Vehicles of a TPMS complying with the requirements of ECE 141.01. Eligibility criteria: Valid CoC, issued on or before 6 April 2024	M2, M3, N2, N3, O3, O4,

Upon completion of the phase 1 applications, we will advise on the next steps.

See GSR2 Briefing Note 2024 for vehicles that do not comply with more than one of the requirements under Regulation (EU) 2019/2144.

Please Note: when sending the completed application to [email protected], please ensure the email subject is EoS Application request.

Note the above email subject is case sensitive and if not entered correctly may result in failure to upload.

The granting of end-of-series derogations is at the discretion of each EU member state. In certain circumstances, Article 49 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858 provides a derogation in order to permit the making available on the market, registration, and entry into service of end-of-series vehicles. Subject to important limitations and conditions, Member States may decide whether to apply the Article 49 derogation in any given case.

Some vehicles may be part of a stock that conformed to all the relevant standards at the time they were built, but due to the passage of time and changes to standards and regulations, they might not now meet all of the current requirements to permit them to be registered. Such vehicles are called end-of-series vehicles. In doing so, Member States may register and permit the making available on the market or the entry into service of vehicles that conform to a type of vehicle the EU type-approval of which is no longer valid.

For vehicles in category M, N and O, end-of-series derogations are limited in one of the following ways: 

1. Vehicles for which a valid certificate of conformity was issued on or after the date of manufacture of the vehicle and remained valid for at least three months after its date of issue. There is no limit on the number of vehicles under this condition.
2. The maximum number of vehicles of one or more types that can be derogated is calculated as a percentage of those vehicles that entered into service during the previous years. The percentages are 10% (for M1 vehicles) and 30% (for M2, M3, N and O, vehicles),  should the resulting number be less than 100 vehicles, then a maximum of 100 vehicles may be allowed to enter into service. The certificate of conformity may be issued up until the date before the new legislation applies.

In addition to the above limits, a vehicle must meet certain criteria when applying for a derogation:

The vehicle must:

• be within the EU; and 
• have been covered by a valid EU type-approval at the time of its production. 

However, before that EU type-approval lost its validity, the vehicle must not have been:

• registered, or
• entered into service.

Since 1st January 2022, two new requirements apply

• Light duty vehicles of category N1 Class II and N1 Class III are required to be fitted with on-board fuel and/or energy consumption monitors (OBFCM)
• Heavy duty vehicles are required to comply with the Euro VI Step E emission requirements.

The RSA granted end-of-series derogations to vehicles that met the requirements in the table below. For heavy duty vehicles, the RSA requested details of the number of vehicles of that type registered in the previous year.

Emissions category	Standard (until 31 December 2021)	Standard (from 1 January 2022)	Applicable end-of-series derogation
Light duty vehicle emissions: N1 Class II	CH: Euro d-TEMP-EVAP-ISC AN: Euro 6d-ISC	AQ: Euro 6d-ISC-FCM	CoC issue date no later than 30 September 2021
Light duty vehicle emissions: N1 Class III	CI: Euro 6d-TEMP-EVAP-ISC	AR: Euro 6d-ISC-FCM	CoC issue date no later than 30 September 2021
Heavy duty vehicle emissions	Euro VI Step D	Euro VI Step E	30% of the vehicles of all types concerned registered in the previous year or 100 vehicles, whichever is greater

 

Since 1 September 2021, 3 new requirements apply

• UN Regulation No. 16.07
• UN Regulation No. 79.03
• UN Regulation No. 58.03

The RSA granted derogations for vehicles subject to conditions outlined in the table below. In addition, vehicles must have had a valid certificate of conformity issued on or after the date of manufacture, and that remained valid for at least 3 months before the new requirement applies.

Regulation number	Title	End of Series derogation
UN Regulation no. 16.07	Safety-belts and restraint systems	See note for UN Regulation 16.07
UN Regulation no. 79.03	Steering equipment	See note for UN Regulation 79.03
UN Regulation no. 58.03	Rear underrun protection devices	The RSA will grant an end-of-series derogation for vehicles that don’t comply with UN Regulation No. 58.03, but that comply with UN Regulation No. 58.02.

Since 1 January 2021, vehicle manufacturers of passenger cars and some light-duty goods vehicles are required to meet stricter emission standards. In addition, manufacturers are required to fit on-board fuel and/or energy consumption monitoring (OBFCM) devices to these vehicles.

The RSA granted derogations for vehicles with emission characters DG and AM that had a valid certificate of conformity issued on or after the date of manufacture, and that remained valid for at least 3 months before the new requirement applies.

Since 1 January 2021, vehicle manufacturers of L category vehicles (two-wheel, three-wheel vehicles and quads) are required to meet stricter emission standards. The RSA has prepared a note that explains these changes - Emission requirements for L category vehicles (2021.01.01). The RSA granted a derogation for vehicles that don’t comply with Euro 5 emission standards.

Refer to the End-of-Series application form for the full list of derogations that the RSA will be granting. 

EU legislation	EU reference
Framework regulation	2018/858	S.I No. 556/2020

	Single stage (completed)	Multi-stage (completed)
Restriction type	We will decide which restriction applies	We will decide which restriction applies
COC issue date	Must be issued by the manufacturer at least three months before the new legislation applies	Must be issued by the manufacturer at least three months before the new legislation applies
Maximum number of M1 vehicles	The maximum number of vehicles of one or more types may not exceed 10% of the vehicles of all types concerned entered into service during the previous year  or  100 vehicles   The COC must be issued by the manufacturer up until the day before the new legislation applies	The maximum number of vehicles of one or more types may not exceed 10% of the vehicles of all types concerned entered into service during the previous year  or  100 vehicles   The COC must be issued by the manufacturer up until the day before the new legislation applies
The maximum number of M2, M3, N category vehicles and O category trailers	The maximum number of vehicles of one or more types may not exceed 30% of the vehicles of all types concerned entered into service during the previous year  or  100 vehicles   The COC must be issued by the manufacturer up until the day before the new legislation applies	The maximum number of vehicles of one or more types may not exceed 30% of the vehicles of all types concerned entered into service during the previous year  or  100 vehicles   The COC must be issued by the manufacturer up until the day before the new legislation applies
Length of derogation	12 months	18 months

 

EU legislation	EU reference	National legislation
Framework regulation	168/2013	S.I No. 614/2015

	Single stage (complete)	Multi stage (completed)
CoC	Must be issued by the manufacturer up until the day before the new legislation applies	Must be issued by the manufacturer up until the day before the new legislation applies
Length of derogation	24months	30 months
Additional requirements	Must not exceed 10% of the number of vehicles registered in the two preceding years or 100 vehicles, whichever is higher	Must not exceed 10% of the number of vehicles registered in the two preceding years or 100 vehicles, whichever is higher

 

End-of-series derogations come with a cut-off date e.g., 12 months from when the vehicle lost its type-approval validity.

You should allow a maximum of 10 working days. This is provided that the application form has been completed correctly, otherwise processing will not commence. 

Type	Description
Complete vehicles.	Built in a single stage by the manufacturer and requires no further work.
Completed or multi-stage vehicles.	Built in multi stages involving more than one manufacturer.
Incomplete vehicles.	Any vehicle which has yet to undergo one or more stages.