🚗 Can I deregister a vehicle?

With conditions

Quick answer

It depends on the situation: deregistration applies in specific cases and has its own rules. Deregistration involves two stages: tax deregistration (removing the car from the tax records at the town hall/DGITL) and traffic deregistration (from the registration records, at DRPCIV/DGPCI). A car is deregistered when you've sold it, take it for scrapping, take it permanently out of the country, it was stolen, there's a court ruling, or you simply no longer want to keep it on the road. The legal deadline is 30 days from the sale, scrapping or removal from the country. The papers vary: for scrapping, you need the destruction certificate from an authorised unit; for storage, proof of the space. The deregistration fee is about 48–72 lei. One condition: you must have paid all taxes, charges and fines.

📋 The rules

Two stages: tax deregistration + traffic deregistration
Cases: sale, scrapping, export, theft, taking off the road
Deadline: 30 days from sale/scrapping/removal from country
Scrapping: destruction certificate; storage: proof of space
Condition: no debts, unpaid taxes or fines

🔓 Exceptions

Sale within Romania: usually only tax deregistration
Car not sold/scrapped: needs proof of storage space
Theft or court ruling: specific documents

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Failing to deregister on time can cause problems: you remain registered as the owner, still owe the vehicle tax to the town hall and can be liable for situations involving the car. For a scrapped car or one taken out of the country without deregistration, you stay in the records as the holder, even though the vehicle no longer exists or is no longer in Romania. To stay compliant: observe the 30-day deadline, take the right documents to the town hall and registration office (destruction certificate for scrapping, proof of space for storage, export papers etc.), pay the deregistration fee (about 48–72 lei) and make sure you have no outstanding debts, since deregistration isn't approved with unpaid taxes or fines.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-06-20

❓ Frequently asked

When must I deregister the car?

Deregistration applies when you've sold the car, take it for scrapping, take it permanently out of the country, it was stolen, there's a court ruling, or you no longer want to keep it on the road. The legal deadline is 30 days from the sale, scrapping or removal from the country, depending on the situation.

What papers do I need for deregistration?

The documents vary by case. For scrapping, the main paper is the destruction certificate issued by an authorised unit. For storage, you need proof of the storage space. For export or theft, specific documents are needed. In all cases, you must have no unpaid taxes, charges or fines.

How much does deregistering a car cost?

The official deregistration fee charged by DRPCIV is about 48–72 lei and is paid at the State Treasury or via the ghiseul.ro platform. To this are added, where applicable, the costs for the destruction certificate at scrapping or other documents needed depending on the deregistration reason.

What happens if I don't deregister the car?

If you don't deregister the car, you remain registered as the owner and still owe the vehicle tax to the town hall, even if you've sold it, scrapped it or taken it out of the country. In addition, you can be liable for situations involving the vehicle. So timely deregistration protects you from needless obligations.

Can I deregister a car I no longer use?

Yes. You can also deregister a car you simply no longer want to keep registered, without selling or scrapping it. In this case, you need proof of a storage space. This way, you take the vehicle out of the traffic records and off the vehicle-tax payment.

🔎 Common searches

What people search to land here:

“vehicle deregistration documents”
“vehicle deregistration scrapping destruction certificate”
“deregistration deadline 30 days”
“deregistration fee 48 72 lei”
“tax deregistration town hall”
“vehicle deregistration storage proof”