Guidance

Drive in the EU after Brexit: bus and coach drivers

What UK bus or coach drivers need to do to drive professionally in the EU if there's a no-deal Brexit.

From:
Department for Transport, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain
Published
14 January 2019
Last updated
29 October 2019 — See all updates

This guidance was withdrawn on

This page is out of date. It told you how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.

After 31 January 2020 there will be a transition period until the end of 2020, while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements.

The current rules for international bus and coach drivers will continue to apply during the transition period.

For current information, read: International bus and coach services.

Also read: Driving in the EU from 1 January 2021: bus and coach drivers.

Driving licences and international driving permits

You will still need to carry your UK driving licence with you.

You might need an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in some EU countries, Iceland and Norway if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

The types of IDPs you need will depend on the countries you will drive through.

You will not need an IDP to drive in Ireland if you have a UK driving licence.

Check which types of IDPs you will need to drive in Europe.

You can get an IDP over the counter at the Post Office.

They cost £5.50 and you must:

  • be a Great Britain or Northern Ireland resident
  • have a full UK driving licence
  • be 18 or over

Driver CPC for bus and coach drivers

You need a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification to drive a bus or coach professionally in the UK, the EU, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

If you work for a UK company and have a UK Driver CPC qualification

You will still need Driver CPC to drive professionally in the UK after Brexit. You must still complete your Driver CPC periodic training by your deadline.

You do not need to do anything else if you’re a UK driver working for a UK company.

You will still be able to drive to or through EU countries with your UK Driver CPC qualification for all international journeys that UK companies are allowed to make after a no-deal Brexit.

After the UK joins the Interbus Agreement

The UK will join the Interbus Agreement if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

This is an agreement about the international occasional (not scheduled) carriage of passengers by bus or coach. It applies to the EU, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine.

You’ll be able to drive for a UK company in the EU with a UK Driver CPC qualification after the UK has joined this agreement after Brexit.

If you work for an EU company and have a UK Driver CPC qualification

Exchange your UK Driver CPC qualification for an EU one if you work for an EU company or want to work for one. You will then be able to work for both EU and UK companies after Brexit.

You need to exchange it before Brexit. Do it as soon as possible.

The way you do this will depend on how the country where you live and work recognises Driver CPC. Some countries:

  • use a Driver CPC card (like the UK does) - this is sometimes called a ‘driver qualification card or ‘DQC’
  • add code 95 to the driving licence

Some countries recognise either method.

Countries that use a Driver CPC card

These countries use the Driver CPC card as proof that drivers have the qualification:

Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg (for non-resident drivers only), Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Apply to the relevant organisation in the country where you live and work to exchange your Driver CPC qualification. Check with them how long it takes to make sure you do it in time.

Countries that use code 95 on the driving licence

These countries add code 95 to driving licences as proof that drivers have the qualification:

Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg (for resident drivers only), Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Slovenia.

Exchange your UK driving licence for a driving licence in the EU country where you live and work so that your Driver CPC qualification is exchanged. Check with the relevant organisation in the country to find out if you need to take any extra steps. Check with them how long it takes to make sure you do it in time.

If you do not live in the EU country where you work, your employer may be able to get you a ‘driver attestation certificate’. They will not be able to do this until the UK has left the EU.

If you work for a UK company and have an EU Driver CPC qualification

The UK will recognise Driver CPC qualifications from EU countries after Brexit.

Passports

You may need to renew your British passport earlier if you’re travelling after a no-deal Brexit.

On the day you travel, you’ll need your passport to both:

  • have at least 6 months left
  • be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left)

If you do not renew it, you may not be able to travel to most EU countries, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

You can use a tool to check whether your passport is valid for the country you’re visiting.

It usually takes 3 weeks if you need to renew your passport. There’s a premium service if you need it sooner.

These rules do not apply to travel to Ireland. You can continue to use your passport as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay.

Visas

You will not need a visa for short trips, according to European Commission proposals. You could stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. You may need a visa or permit to stay for longer, or to work or study.

Check back for updates.

When the rules are confirmed, information about how to get a visa if you need one will be on each country’s travel advice page.

Travel to Ireland will not change, even if there’s a no-deal Brexit. You’ll continue to be able to travel and work there in the same way as before.

Healthcare

You should always get appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover before you go abroad.

Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) card may not be valid if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

You can read advice on buying travel insurance with the right cover.

Insurance and road accidents

A ‘green card’ is proof you have motor insurance cover when driving abroad. You’ll need to carry one for the vehicle you’re driving if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

You’ll need to carry multiple green cards if:

  • your vehicle is towing a trailer - you’ll need one for the towing vehicle and one for the trailer (you need separate trailer insurance in some countries)
  • you have 2 policies covering the duration of your trip, for example, if your policy renews during the journey

Make sure your employer contacts your vehicle insurance provider at least one month before you need green cards.

What to do if you’re involved in a road accident

You may need to bring legal proceedings in the EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway against either the responsible driver or the insurer of the vehicle if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

You might not get compensation if the accident is caused by an uninsured driver or the driver cannot be traced. This will vary from country to country.

Get legal advice if you need more information about this.

What to do if you run a bus or coach company

You must renew your authorisation to run regular services in the EU before Brexit if your authorisation expires before 31 July 2020.

Find out more about what you need to do to run international bus and coach services after Brexit.

Updates to this page

Published 14 January 2019
Last updated 29 October 2019 + show all updates

  1. Changed the expiry date for regular bus and coach services authorisations that you need to renew from 31 December 2019 to 31 July 2020. This is because the European Commission has extended a temporary set of measures.

  2. Updated the Driver CPC section to make it clearer that UK drivers working for a UK company will still need Driver CPC after Brexit, and will still be able to use their UK Driver CPC qualification for all international journeys that UK companies are allowed to make after Brexit.

  3. Updated the section on Driver CPC to make it clear that you need to exchange your UK Driver CPC qualification for an EU Driver CPC qualification before 31 October 2019 if you work for an EU company or want to work for one. Do this as soon as possible.

  4. Removed information about what bus or coach operator companies need to do after Brexit. This information has been moved to a new guide, which is linked to. Added information about how bus and coach drivers can stay up to date with what they need to do to prepare for Brexit.

  5. How to exchange a UK Driver CPC for an EU Driver CPC.

  6. Update on occasional international services, regular international services, cabotage and access to third countries for UK bus and coach operators if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

  7. Background to Operation Brock, the contingency plans to manage freight traffic on the major roads leading to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

  8. Clarification on the requirement for Driver CPC and GB stickers.

  9. Changes to vehicle number plate, registration document and insurance requirements for all UK bus and coach drivers driving in the EU after Brexit.

  10. First published.

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