The vehicle registration certificate is a public document issued by the competent government authority and used as proof of the entitlement to identify a particular vehicle with specific registration plates, the ownership of such plates and other characteristics and qualities of the vehicle, such as its roadworthiness.
In the European Union, vehicle registration certificates are regulated by the European Commission Directive 1999/37/EC and must contain the following data: vehicle registration number, personal details of the person to whom the vehicle is registered, VIN (vehicle identification number), engine specifications and exhaust emissions.