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New rules for international road haulage from 2022

The new rules you must now follow to transport goods to, through or within Europe using cars and trailers, vans and HGVs.

• From: Department for Transport, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain
• Published: 26 August 2021
• Last updated: 22 May 2024 — See all updates

There are new rules for transporting goods to, through or within Europe. The rules are part of the UK’s deal with the EU (The Trade and Cooperation Agreement).

The new rules affect you if you transport goods using:

• cars and trailers
• vans or other light goods vehicles (for example, if you run a European courier service)
• heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)

The new rules mean that you might need:

• to declare you’re transporting goods inside the EU (this started from 2 February 2022)
• a vehicle operator licence and transport manager if you use vans or car and trailers to transport goods to or through Europe (this started from 21 May 2022)

Declare you’re transporting goods inside the EU

You must now declare when your drivers use HGVs, vans or trailers to transport goods between 2 points in the EU.

• Declare you’re transporting goods inside the EU
  • 2 February 2022
  • Guidance

Transport goods in Europe in vans or car and trailers

You must now have a standard international goods vehicle operator licence to transport goods in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland using:

• vans or other light goods vehicles (sometimes called ‘light commercial vehicles’)
• vans towing trailers
• cars towing trailers

You also need to have a qualified transport manager.

If you already have a standard international goods vehicle operator licence, you need to add these extra vehicles to your licence.

• Transport goods in Europe in vans or car and trailers
  • 22 May 2024
  • Guidance
• Apply for a van or other light goods vehicle operator licence
  • 22 May 2024
  • Guidance

Consultation

The government asked for views and evidence about how changes to international road haulage rules will affect you and your business. The government has responded and the consultation has concluded.

• Changes to the UK operator licensing regime and arrangements for the temporary posting of workers in the UK and EU: request for evidence
  • 24 January 2022
  • Call for evidence outcome

Published 26 August 2021
Last updated 22 May 2024 + show all updates

1. 22 May 2024

   Removed the link to apply to be temporarily recognised as a transport manager from the section 'Transport goods in Europe in vans or car and trailers' as you can no longer apply.

2. 21 May 2022

   You now need a standard international goods vehicle operator licence to use a van or car and trailer to transport goods for hire or reward in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

3. 21 March 2022

   Added 'Apply for a van or other light goods vehicle operator licence' to the document collection.

4. 26 August 2021

   First published.