Biberstrasse 10 · 1010 Vienna Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00 office@fivestarcars.at

S03 · Getting it here

Single approval & §57a

An American car is not road legal in Austria the day it arrives. This is the work that makes it legal, and the inspection that keeps it that way.

US and EU vehicle regulations diverge in small, expensive ways: lighting colour and pattern, the rear fog lamp, side markers, the speedometer, sometimes the glazing. A car without EU type approval needs an Einzelgenehmigung — an individual approval that certifies this specific vehicle.

What usually has to change

  • Headlights and tail lights to EU specification, including the beam pattern
  • A rear fog lamp, which US cars do not have
  • Side marker lights removed or made compliant
  • Speedometer reading in km/h
  • Occasionally glazing, mirrors or the tyre specification

Then the inspection

Once the car conforms it goes for §57a — the Austrian periodic roadworthiness test, the one that produces the sticker. First test on an import is more thorough than a renewal because nothing about the car is already on file.

We book both, attend both, and correct anything that comes back rather than handing you a list.

What it costs

Typically €1,800–2,600 depending on how much lighting work the model needs, plus the approval and inspection fees. Quoted in the landed price before you commit.

Common questions

Can any workshop do the conversion?

Technically yes, but the approval hinges on the documentation being right, not just the parts. We use workshops that have taken US imports through this before.

What if the car fails?

It is rework, not a dead end. We budget for the common failures on each model, which is why the estimate is a range rather than a single figure.

Does this affect the NoVA?

It can. The approval is where a CO₂ figure can be established for the vehicle, and that figure drives the whole NoVA calculation.

Send us a listing

Paste a US listing URL, or just name the model. You get the full landed breakdown back within one working day.

Describe the car