End-of-series vehicles

From 1 July 2022, vehicles of categories M, N1 and N3 are required to meet with phase 2 noise levels of either regulation 540/2014 or UN 51.03 to be registered here in Ireland. 

From 1 July 2023, vehicles of categories N2 are required to meet with phase 2 noise levels of either regulation 540/2014 or UN 51.03 to be registered here in Ireland.

The RSA is granting end-of-series derogations to vehicles that currently meet with Phase 1 noise level requirements. A sound level approval number will be required when applying for a derogation. See sound level approval numbers document for more information on how to locate this approval number.

Regulation (EU) 540/2014 / UNECE Regulation No. 138.00 – AVAS

From 1 September 2023, vehicles of categories M, and N are required to meet with the requirements of Annex VIII of Regulation (EU) 540/2014 or UN 138.00. This prohibits the fitment of a continuous pause function to the acoustic vehicle alerting system (AVAS). A manufacturer may install a function for temporary deactivation of the AVAS which meets the requirements of UN 138.00. 

The RSA is granting end-of-series derogations to vehicles that currently meet with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 540/2014 Annex VIII (Section III). An AVAS approval number will be required when applying for a derogation.

On 6 July 2022, a number of changes for the first registration or entry into service of vehicles came into force under regulation 2019/2144. As these changes are administrative, no end-of-series derogations are required. Our GSR briefing note update will provide you with more information on this.

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 both the application form and spreadsheet have 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.