Deregistering a vehicle in Romania: when it is mandatory and how to do it

Deregistration (radiere) is how a vehicle permanently leaves the Romanian traffic records: you hand in the plates and the registration certificate, and the vehicle can no longer be driven on public roads. It is the final — and often forgotten — step when scrapping an old car, selling it abroad or after a theft, and postponing it costs you: the tax keeps accruing and the legal obligations stay in your name.

When deregistration is mandatory

On dismantling/scrapping — after handing the vehicle to an authorised collector, you have 30 days to request deregistration;
On export — the vehicle was sold or moved permanently to another country;
On theft — based on the police report;
When the vehicle otherwise ceases to exist, in the cases provided by law.

Separately, there is voluntary deregistration (on request): if you stop using the vehicle but keep it — say a restoration project in the garage — you can deregister it with a sworn statement that it sits on private property.

Scrapping schemes and deregistration

If you hand in the car through a scrappage incentive programme (Rabla-type), the authorised collector and the dealer usually handle part of the formalities, but the deregistration at the registration service and the tax records removal ultimately remain your responsibility — ask at hand-over who does what, and keep every receipt.

Steps to follow

Identify your case and obtain the key document. Scrapping: hand the vehicle to an authorised collector (REMAT or another licensed dismantler) and receive the certificate of destruction. Export: keep the export documents or proof of registration abroad. Theft: proof of the police report. Voluntary deregistration: a sworn statement that the vehicle is kept on private property, off public roads.
Remove the vehicle from the tax records. File the removal declaration at your local tax office within 30 days of scrapping/export (art. 471 of the Fiscal Code). The tax stops accruing from 1 January of the following year.
Prepare the deregistration file. Standard application, identity document, the registration certificate, the vehicle identity card, the number plates and the document for your case (certificate of destruction, export papers, theft report or the sworn statement).
Submit the application at the registration service. Deregistration is done at the public registration service in your county of residence, in person at the counter. You hand in the plates and the registration certificate together with the file.
Receive proof of deregistration on the spot. The deregistration certificate is issued on the spot — the officially reported average processing time is about 5 minutes. Keep the proof: the tax office may ask for it, and it settles any later disputes.

Required documents

Deregistration application (standard form, at the counter or on the DGPCI website)
The owner's identity document (original and copy)
The vehicle's registration certificate
The vehicle identity card (CIV)
The number plates
As applicable: certificate of destruction (scrapping), customs/registration-abroad documents (export), police report (theft) or sworn statement (voluntary deregistration)
Proof of removal from the tax records, where requested

Costs

What you pay	Cost	Notes
The deregistration itself	Free	Officially confirmed on the MAI public services platform
Transporting the vehicle to the dismantler	Variable	Many authorised centres collect the vehicle for free or even pay for it, depending on condition

Fees change over time. Always check the current amounts on the official websites listed under “Official sources”.

How long it takes

The deregistration itself happens on the spot at the counter — the officially reported average time is about 5 minutes. What actually takes time are the preparatory steps: handing the vehicle to the dismantler and clearing the tax records.

Frequently asked questions

Can I deregister a car without a certificate of destruction?

Yes, but only in the other cases provided by law: export, theft or voluntary deregistration — the latter based on a sworn statement that the vehicle is kept on private property, off public roads. For scrapped vehicles, the certificate of destruction from an authorised collector is mandatory.

Do I still pay tax after deregistration?

You owe the tax until the end of the current year: under art. 471 of the Fiscal Code, it stops from 1 January of the year after removal from the tax records. That is a good reason not to postpone the declaration at the local tax office.

What do I do with an old car I no longer use but will not scrap?

Request voluntary deregistration, with a sworn statement that the vehicle sits on private property. You then owe no rovinieta or RCA for it; to drive it again, it would need to be re-registered.

How do I deregister a car sold abroad?

Submit the deregistration file for export, with the documents proving the sale and the vehicle's departure or its registration in another country. Without deregistration, the vehicle stays in the Romanian tax records under your name.

What happens if I never deregister a scrapped car?

The 30-day deregistration obligation applies at scrapping. The vehicle remains in the traffic and tax records under your name, tax included, and missing the obligation is a sanctionable offence.