UN R156

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1. 2021-03-09 UN Regulation No 156 published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ L 82)
2. 2021-01-22 UN Regulation No 156 enters into force

1. 2021-01-22
   UN Regulation No 156, original version Major versionCurrent

   First version: approval of vehicles with regard to software update and software update management system; entered into force on 22 January 2021, published in OJ L 82 on 9 March 2021. source

Manufacturers of vehicles that permit software updates, seeking type approval under UN R156, must run a certified SUMS and track type-approval-relevant software.

Vehicles in scope

Vehicles of Categories M, N, O, R, S and T that permit software updates. source

SUMS certificate

An application for type approval must include the Certificate of Compliance for Software Update Management System. source

RXSWIN

An RX Software Identification Number (RXSWIN) is a manufacturer-defined identifier for the type-approval-relevant software of an electronic control system. source

Software register

For every RXSWIN there must be an auditable register of all software relevant to it, before and after an update, including software versions and integrity validation data. source

Information for authorities

The manufacturer must be able to make software information available to authorities and technical services, for example for type approval, conformity of production, market surveillance, recalls and periodic technical inspection. source

Legal effect

Only the original UN/ECE texts have legal effect under international public law; status and entry into force should be checked in the UNECE status document TRANS/WP.29/343. source

An Approval Authority certifies the manufacturer's SUMS for up to three years and may verify continued compliance at any time.

SUMS certificate

After a satisfactory assessment, the Approval Authority grants a Certificate of Compliance for SUMS, valid for a maximum of three years unless withdrawn. source

Renewal

At the end of validity the Approval Authority, after a positive assessment, issues a new certificate or extends the existing one for a further three years. source

Expiry and approvals

Existing vehicle type approvals do not lose their validity because the manufacturer's SUMS certificate expires. source

Changes

The manufacturer must tell the Approval Authority or its Technical Service of any change affecting the relevance of the certificate, and they decide whether new checks are needed. source

The Approval Authority can withdraw the SUMS certificate, and a type approval can be withdrawn if the Regulation's requirements are not met.

Certificate withdrawal

The SUMS certificate may be withdrawn if the requirements of the Regulation are no longer met. source

Approval withdrawal

An approval granted for a vehicle type may be withdrawn if the requirements are not complied with or if sample vehicles fail to comply. source

1. Law text UN Regulation No 156, original version (OJ L 82, 9.3.2021)

1. UN R155

   UN R155 covers vehicle cyber security and the Cyber Security Management System; UN R156 covers software updates and the Software Update Management System.

2. ISO/SAE 21434

   ISO/SAE 21434 is a voluntary cybersecurity engineering standard; UN R156 is a type-approval regulation for software update processes.

Verified against official sources on 18 October 2026. We monitor the official sources for this framework. Watching since 20 September 2026. Subscribe to UN R156 (RSS)