Your organisation and team

When you apply, you’ll be asked: whether you’re a limited company, sole trader, partnership, limited liability partnership or other organisation the name of your organisation what the organisation does your address and contact details the names of the people responsible for your organisation, for example the owner, transport manager, company directors or safety inspectors If you’re a limited company, the organisation name and details you provide must match the details on Companies House or your application may be rejected. Employing or hiring a transport manager If you’re applying for a standard licence, you’ll be asked to name a transport manager . That person could be you or someone else. You’ll need to provide: their date of birth their contact details proof that they’re qualified to be a transport manager for goods vehicles or public service vehicles , for example a copy of their Certificate of Professional Competence how many hours a day they’ll spend on transport manager duties a list of any convictions or cautions Your transport manager also needs to be one of the following: already working for your organisation somebody you hire somebody you contract Your team’s history To prepare for your application, you’ll need to find out some information about your team. The Office of the Traffic Commissioner will use this to check your organisation can hold a vehicle operator licence. Financial history When you apply you’ll need to tell the Office of the Traffic Commissioner whether any directors, partners or transport managers have been: declared bankrupt, had their estate seized or been the subject of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement involved with an organisation that has gone or is going into receivership involved with an organisation that has gone or is going into administration or a Company Voluntary Arrangement previously disqualified from acting as a company director or managing a company By “involved with an organisation”, we mean anyone named on the licence or named in the licence application. For example directors, safety inspectors, and transport managers. Licence history You’ll need to tell the Office of the Traffic Commissioner whether any directors, partners or transport managers have: an operator licence in any traffic area currently ever had or applied for an operator licence in any traffic area ever been disqualified from having an operator licence in any traffic area ever had an operator licence application refused by a traffic commissioner for Great Britain, the Northern Ireland Transport Regulation Unit or by any EU licensing authority ever had an operator licence taken away, suspended or limited by a traffic commissioner for Great Britain, the Department for Infrastructure for Northern Ireland or by any EU licensing authority ever taken part in a public inquiry held by a Traffic Commissioner bought assets or shares in a company that holds or has held an operator licence in any traffic area Convictions and cautions You’ll need to declare if any of the following people and companies you work with have certain convictions or cautions : directors, partners and transport managers companies that are (or have been) directed by anybody you’ve named your parent company, if you’re a limited company your employees and agents Setting up your IT systems If you want to join the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) earned recognition scheme, you’ll need software and IT systems that work with the scheme . The DVSA earned recognition scheme collects data so you can prove your organisation meets driver and vehicle standards. This means that your vehicles are less likely to be stopped for inspections. You can join the DVSA earned recognition scheme once you’ve had an operator licence for at least 2 years. Get help joining the DVSA earned recognition scheme You can get help from DVSA to start the process of joining the DVSA earned recognition scheme if you’re a new vehicle operator. You’ll need to do this within the first 6 months of getting your new vehicle operator licence.

As part of your application, the Office of the Traffic Commissioner will calculate a sum of money based on how many vehicles you’ll use and what type of licence you need. You must provide evidence that shows you have enough funds to cover this amount. If you plan to expand your organisation, you must prove you have enough money for all the vehicles you’re planning to operate, not just the ones you’ll operate straight away. How much money you need Restricted licence Vehicle type First vehicle Each additional vehicle Heavy goods £3,100 £1,700 Passenger service £3,100 £1,700 Standard National licence Vehicle type First vehicle Each additional vehicle Heavy goods £8,000 £4,500 Passenger service £8,000 £4,500 Standard International licence Vehicle type First vehicle Each additional vehicle Heavy goods £8,000 £4,500 Light goods £1,600 £800 Passenger service £8,000 £4,500 Types of evidence you can use All financial documents should be in the same name as the person applying or the person holding the licence. If your organisation is a partnership, the financial documents need to be in the names of one or more of the people in the partnership applying, or the licence holders. If your organisation is a Limited Liability Partnership ( LLP ), the funds must be held within the company. If you’re a limited company, the organisation name and details you provide must match the details on Companies House or your application may be rejected. You need to submit at least one of the following types of evidence: bank or building society account statements covering the last 28 days credit card accounts an opening balance formal written agreement from your bank of an agreed overdraft or credit facility invoice finance agreements audited accounts certified by someone who’s properly qualified You’ll be contacted by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner if they need more information about the evidence you provide.

You’ll be asked for your vehicles’ registration number and weight. If you do not have your vehicle details yet you can provide them later. Decide how you’ll maintain your vehicles When you apply, you need to declare how often your vehicles will be inspected and who is responsible for the inspections. Once you have an operator licence, you’ll need to carry out safety inspections of your vehicles . You’ll need to provide the contact details of your safety inspectors. If you’re using a different company for your safety inspections, you’ll need a contract. Where you’ll keep your vehicles The place you normally keep your vehicles is known as an operating centre. You need to make sure that the operating centre you’re planning to use has: safe access off-street parking spaces for all the vehicles and trailers you want to keep there permission from the site owner to park there When you apply, you need to give the following information about any operating centres you’re planning to use: address numbers of trailers and vehicles you’ll keep there If you’re applying for a goods vehicle operator licence, you also need to be able to show that your operating centre will not disturb people living nearby. This includes: noise fumes pollution vibration visual intrusion The Traffic Commissioner may ask you to provide evidence of this to support your application or ask you to attend a public inquiry. If you have more than one operating centre You need a separate operator licence for each traffic area where you have an operating centre. In England, Wales and Scotland, there are 8 traffic areas . There is 1 traffic area in Northern Ireland.

Advertising your application

If you’re applying for a goods vehicle operator licence for heavy goods vehicles ( HGVs ), you need to pay to advertise your application in a local newspaper in the traffic area that your organisation operates in. You do not need to advertise if you are applying for a Public Service Vehicle ( PSV ) or light goods vehicle operator licence. If you do not advertise your application correctly, your application will be rejected. You’ll need to pay for a new advert if you apply again. You must write your advert using the template . The newspaper you’re advertising in must: be local (not regional or national) cover the traffic area where the operating centre is based include stories as well as adverts - free sheets will not be accepted include other public notices, for example planning applications Your advert must appear between 21 days before to 21 days after you’ve made your application, to give people the chance to comment. For example, if the application is received on 1 June, the advertisement must appear in a newspaper on a day between 11 May and 22 June. If you’re applying for more than one operating centre You need to publish separate adverts if the local areas of the operating centres are covered by different local newspapers. If they’re in an area covered by the same local newspaper, you only need to publish one advert that includes: each operating centre’s address the number of vehicles and trailers you’ll be keeping at them Sending evidence of your advert Once your advert has been published, you’ll need to upload an image of the whole newspaper page. Do this when you apply for your licence. The image of the advert needs to include: the newspaper’s full name the publication date

Vehicles that are exempt

Goods vehicles You do not need a goods vehicle operator licence if any of the following apply to your vehicle: it was first used before 1977, has an unladen weight of 1,525 kilograms or less and a maximum gross plated weight over 3,500 kilograms it’s using public roads for less than 6 miles a week whilst moving between private land belonging to the same person as the vehicle it’s being used for excavation or demolition it’s being used on trade plates it’s being used to transport passengers Find out more about goods vehicles that are exempt . Exempt vehicles You do not need an operator licence for: military vehicles snow ploughs and gritters emergency service vehicles (including those used by gas, electricity, water and telephone companies) hearses recovery vehicles (only if they’re used exclusively for that purpose) tractors and agricultural vehicles used in certain circumstances Vehicles that are not exempt You need an operator licence for: mobile exhibition vehicles catering vehicles mobile shops mobile medical screening vehicles vehicles that have equipment fixed or bolted down and are carrying goods that are not essential for the equipment to work towing a trailer that’s carrying goods

Apply for an operator licence online once you’ve read the guidance and prepared the information you need to provide. You’ll need: a debit or credit card your username and password if you’ve used the service before You can register in the service if you’ve not used it before. Once you’ve started your application you can save your form and complete it later. You can also use this service to pay any application or licence fees. Start now What you need to know After you apply online, you’ll usually get a decision within 7 weeks. It can take longer if you do not provide all the right supporting documents when you apply. Evidence you’ll need To support your application, you need to send financial evidence that proves you have enough money to run your organisation. You need to name a transport manager and a safety inspector. You also need to provide the financial, licence and conviction history of people who work for your organisation . Your application will be refused if you do not provide the correct evidence. If you’re applying for a goods vehicle operator licence for heavy goods vehicles You must advertise your application in a local newspaper in the traffic area your organisation operates in. You’ll need to upload a copy of your advert when you apply. Your application will be refused if you do not advertise your application correctly. Fees The fees you’ll pay depends on the type of licence you’re applying for. Fees for a goods vehicle operator licence You’ll have to pay: an application fee a fee to issue the licence a fee to issue an interim licence, if you need one You’ll then have to pay a continuation fee every 5 years to keep your licence active. Action Fee Application for a licence £257 Issue of a licence £401 Continuation of a licence after 5 years £401 Issue of an interim licence £68 Major change to a licence £257 Fees for a public service vehicle operator licence Once you’ve got your licence it will not have an expiry date, but the Traffic Commissioner’s Office will ask you to confirm your details every 5 years. You’ll need to pay a continuation fee if you’ve got a special restricted (taxi) licence. Action Fee Application for a standard licence £209 Application for a restricted licence £209 Application for a special restricted (taxi) licence £61 Continuation fee for a special restricted (taxi) licence (payable every 5 years) £61 Make changes to a licence £122 Paying online You can pay any application or licence fees when you apply for a vehicle operator licence online. Paying by phone You can pay by calling the Drive and Vehicle Standard Agency ( DVSA ) helpline. DVSA customer service centre Telephone: 0300 123 9000 Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm Find out about call charges Paying by post Send a cheque or postal order made payable to ‘ DVSA ’ to the Central Licensing Office. Central Licensing Office Quarry House Quarry Hill Leeds LS2 7UE Help with your application If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, contact DVSA to get help with your application. DVSA customer service centre Telephone: 0300 123 9000 Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm Find out about call charges If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Transport Regulation Unit to get help with your application. Transport Regulation Unit Telephone: 0300 200 7831 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Find out about call charges

The Office of the Traffic Commissioner will review your application. They might ask you to provide more information to support your application. If the Office of the Traffic Commissioner has concerns about your application, they could invite you to a public inquiry to help them make a decision. Your application will also be made public and there may be an objection to your licence . If there’s an objection, you might have to attend a public inquiry. After you apply online, you’ll usually get a decision within 7 weeks. It can take longer if you do not provide all the right supporting documents when you apply. If your application is not approved You can appeal if your application for an operator licence is refused. You have 1 month to apply for permission to appeal . Find out how to appeal . If your application is approved You’ll receive your operator licence and you can legally operate your vehicles. As a vehicle operator, you’ll need to: maintain your vehicles check your drivers have the correct licence and training tax your vehicles tell the Office of the Traffic Commissioner if you need to make changes to your operator licence , for example the number of vehicles on your licence If you have a goods vehicle operator licence, you’ll have to pay a continuation fee every 5 years to keep your licence active. If you have a public service vehicle operator licence, it will not have an expiry date. You’ll need to confirm your details every 5 years. You’ll need to pay a continuation fee if you’ve got a special restricted (taxi) licence.

Apply for a vehicle operator licence

Overview

You usually need a vehicle operator licence to transport goods or carry passengers for a fare.

If you plan to use vehicles:

to transport goods and the vehicles are over a certain weight, for example a lorry or van - find out what type of goods vehicle operator licence you need
to carry passengers for a fare, for example a bus or taxi - find out what type of Public Service Vehicles (PSV) operator licence you need

Check if the vehicles you own are exempt before you apply for a vehicle operator licence.

The rules are different if you’re in Northern Ireland.

When to apply and how long it takes

Before you start your application, there are 4 things you need to do.

After that, you can apply for a vehicle operator licence.

You’ll usually get a decision within 7 weeks. It can take longer if you do not provide the right supporting documents when you apply.

It’s illegal to operate a vehicle before your licence has been issued.

Apply for an interim licence

If you’re applying for a goods vehicle operator licence and need one sooner, you can ask for permission to operate while your application is considered. This is known as an interim licence. An interim licence lasts for up to 6 months.

You might need an interim licence if, for example:

you have customers waiting and want to start working as soon as possible
your organisation is changing or moving and you want to continue working while your new application is processed

The traffic commissioner will only consider giving you an interim licence if you’ve completed a full application for an operator licence.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Apply for a vehicle operator licence

Overview

When to apply and how long it takes

Apply for an interim licence

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Apply for a vehicle operator licence

Overview

When to apply and how long it takes

Apply for an interim licence

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