IVI / IVIX in Field 24

Understanding the IVI entry on your Swiss vehicle registration certificate and finding your vehicle's data

In short: you have IVI in field 24?

Your vehicle was imported and registered in Switzerland via the European Certificate of Conformity (eCOC), without going through a classic Swiss type approval. Your technical data is available, but the search works differently:

Use the registration number shown in field 18 of your vehicle registration certificate (format: XXX.XXX.XXX) to search for your vehicle on SwissCarInfo.
Search by registration number

What are IVI and IVIX?

IVI

The entry IVI in field 24 of the Swiss vehicle registration certificate means that your vehicle was registered on the basis of a European Certificate of Conformity (COC/eCOC), without a classic Swiss type approval (Typenschein).

At the European level, IVI stands for Initial Vehicle Information: it is the standardised format (XML message) used to transmit electronic certificate of conformity data between vehicle manufacturers and registration authorities via the EUCARIS system.

IVIX

IVIX is identical to IVI, with an additional restriction: the X indicates that the owner or importer of the vehicle has refused the publication of certain technical data for data protection reasons.

It is the owner or importer who makes this decision, not the manufacturer. The basic data remains accessible to the authorities (road traffic offices), but some technical specifications may not be publicly available.

When does field 24 show IVI?

IVI

Vehicle imported from the EU with eCOC

The vehicle has a European Certificate of Conformity but no Swiss type approval. This is the most common case for parallel imports.

IVIX

Same case, restricted data

Identical to IVI, but the owner/importer has requested the restriction of publication of certain technical data.

X

Non-EU import or without approval

The vehicle was imported without a COC or Swiss type approval (e.g. vehicle from the USA, Japan, or a classic car). Search by VIN or model.

Important: If your vehicle has both a European eCOC and a Swiss type approval (because the official importer had the model approved by ASTRA, the Federal Roads Office), field 24 will show the type approval number (e.g. 1VD123), not IVI.

Why does IVI exist?

Historically, every vehicle sold in Switzerland had to obtain a type approval (Typenschein) from ASTRA (the Federal Roads Office, OFROU in French). This 6-character number (e.g. 1TD812) was entered in field 24 of the vehicle registration certificate.

With the adoption of the European electronic Certificate of Conformity (eCOC), Switzerland now directly recognises European type approvals. Vehicles imported with a valid eCOC can be registered without a separate Swiss type approval. In this case, field 24 displays IVI.

Since 1 January 2026, Swiss road traffic offices access European eCOC databases directly via the EUCARIS system and the IVITA-S application developed by ASTRA. On 5 July 2026, the eCOC will become mandatory across the entire EU for new vehicles in categories M (passenger cars), N (commercial vehicles) and O (trailers).

Systems involved

  • EUCARIS
    European Car and Driving Licence Information System — vehicle data exchange platform across 32 European countries
  • SIAC
    Information System for Admission to Circulation — Swiss national vehicle registration database
  • IVITA-S
    Application developed by ASTRA that bridges EUCARIS and SIAC
  • TAS
    Type Approval System — new name for ASTRA's TARGA system since 2026

IVI vs type approval: what are the differences?

Criterion Type Approval (Typenschein) IVI (eCOC)
Field 24 6-character number (e.g. 1TD812) "IVI" or "IVIX" entry
Data scope Data at the model level (all identical vehicles share the same number) Data at the individual vehicle level (identified by its VIN)
Data source ASTRA register (TAS, formerly TARGA) European eCOC database via EUCARIS
How to search By type approval number (field 24) By registration number (field 18)
Who assigns it ASTRA (upon request from the official importer) Automatic via the EUCARIS/SIAC system
European approval The EU number may also appear in field 24 The EU number is in the eCOC data (not visible in field 24)

Frequently asked questions about IVI / IVIX

No. A vehicle with IVI in field 24 is fully approved for road use in Switzerland. It was simply registered on the basis of its European Certificate of Conformity (eCOC) rather than through a classic Swiss type approval. Both procedures are recognised by the Swiss authorities.

For a vehicle with IVI in field 24, searching by type approval number is not possible (there is none). Instead, use the registration number shown in field 18 of your vehicle registration certificate (format XXX.XXX.XXX). On SwissCarInfo, enter this number in the search bar to access the technical data from the European database.

The type approval is a Swiss approval registered in the ASTRA register (TAS). It covers a vehicle model: all identical units share the same number. IVI is a registration based on the European Certificate of Conformity, which covers an individual vehicle identified by its VIN. The technical data is similar, but it comes from different sources (Swiss TAS register vs European eCOC database).

The X in IVIX means the owner or importer has refused the publication of certain technical data for data protection reasons. The basic vehicle data (make, model, engine) remains available to the authorities and, in most cases, on SwissCarInfo. However, some detailed technical specifications may not be publicly accessible.

Yes. SwissCarInfo offers an IVI request service to obtain the complete technical data of your vehicle. First, search for your vehicle by registration number (field 18). If the data is not immediately available, you can submit a request — the report is typically delivered within 24 to 48 hours. This service requires credits or an active subscription.

Yes. With the transition to mandatory eCOC in the EU (5 July 2026), the number of vehicles registered with IVI in field 24 will continue to grow. Since 1 January 2026, Swiss road traffic offices access European eCOC databases directly. In the long term, the eCOC/IVI system will coexist with the traditional Typenschein, which remains valid for models already approved in Switzerland.

The eCOC system under Regulation (EU) 2018/858 covers categories M (passenger cars), N (commercial vehicles) and O (trailers). Motorcycles fall under category L, which is governed by a separate regulation (Regulation (EU) 168/2013). In practice, some individually imported motorcycles may still receive the IVI or X entry in field 24, depending on the registration method used.

Search an IVI vehicle

Enter the registration number from field 18 of your vehicle registration certificate.

Good to know: for IVI/IVIX vehicles, search by registration number (field 18), not by field 24.

SwissCarInfo Database

  • Vehicles 732'591
  • PDF Sheets 43'920
  • Brands 1'996
  • Last Update 21.03.2026

Related

Full Access

Access complete technical sheets for IVI vehicles with a subscription or credits.

Create a free account View pricing

Find the data for your IVI vehicle

Search by registration number (field 18) among more than 732'591 vehicles in our database.

Search a vehicle View pricing

Related Guides

Type Approval VIN Decoder Import Guide eCOC Certificate Vehicle Inspection Wheels & Tyres Euro Standards CO2 Tax Motorway Vignette Vehicle Recalls Swiss Aviation Car Glossary