Transport goods in Europe in vans or car and trailers
What transport companies and couriers need to do to use vans and car and trailers over 2.5 tonnes to transport goods in Europe.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
You need a standard international goods vehicle operator licence to transport goods for hire or reward in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
This applies to you if you’re based in England, Scotland or Wales and use:
- vans or other light goods vehicles (sometimes called ‘light commercial vehicles’)
- vans towing trailers
- cars towing trailers
You need to either:
- apply for a standard international goods vehicle operator licence for the first time
- add the vehicles to your standard international goods vehicle operator licence (if you already have one)
- apply to upgrade your standard national goods vehicle operator licence (if you have one) to a standard international goods vehicle operator licence
- apply to upgrade your restricted goods vehicle operator licence (if you have one) to a standard international goods vehicle operator licence
You can be fined by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you operate without the right licence. You can also be prosecuted in the European countries you drive through.
Check if the rules apply to you
The rules apply to you if you use:
- vans with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) over 2,500kg (2.5 tonnes) and up to and including 3,500kg (3.5 tonnes)
- vans towing a trailer with a gross train weight (GTW) over 2.5 tonnes and up to and including 3.5 tonnes
- cars towing a trailer with a GTW over 2.5 tonnes and up to and including 3.5 tonnes
You do not need a goods vehicle operator licence if any of these apply:
- you only use your vehicles in the UK
- you are transporting goods not for ‘hire or reward’
Get legal advice if you’re not sure if the rules apply to you.
If you do not have a goods vehicle operator licence
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Get a transport manager. There are 2 ways you can do this.
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Apply for a standard international goods vehicle operator licence. You’ll need to have set amounts of finance available to do this.
Get a transport manager
You must have a transport manager to get a standard international goods vehicle operator licence. This is someone responsible for things such as:
- planning routes and scheduling delivery times
- managing your team of drivers and administration staff
- making sure drivers follow company and industry regulations
- arranging vehicle maintenance, MOTs and tax payments
- organising vehicle replacements
You must either:
- employ someone with a Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification
- hire in an external qualified transport manager
Option 1: employ someone with a transport manager qualification
You can employ someone with a Transport Manager CPC qualification if you do not already have one.
You need to make sure they keep up a high-quality professional knowledge of transport industry rules and policies.
Option 2: hire in an external transport manager
You can ‘hire in’ an external transport manager. They’re not someone on your payroll, but they have a contract with you to act as your transport manager.
You must:
- have a contract with them that sets out the tasks they’ll perform as your transport manager
- make sure they only work for a maximum of 4 vehicle operators (including you), managing no more than 50 vehicles in total across all the operators
You have an existing member of staff temporarily recognised as a transport manager
You can no longer apply to have a member of staff temporarily recognised as a transport manager.
If you already have an existing member of staff temporarily recognised as a transport manager, they must pass the CPC qualification by 21 May 2025 to continue being a transport manager after that date.
When they’ve fully qualified, they’ll need to keep up a high-quality professional knowledge of transport industry rules and policies.
Apply for a standard international goods vehicle operator licence
You need a standard international goods vehicle operator licence to use your vans or car and trailers to transport goods for hire or reward in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
If you already have a standard international goods vehicle operator licence
You need to add your vans and car and trailers to your existing standard international goods vehicle operator licence to transport goods in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
You do not need to assign them to an operating centre.
Manage your vehicle operator licence to add the vehicles.
How much it costs
There’s no fee to add the vehicles to your licence if you have not reached your vehicle limit.
However, you’ll need to pay £257 to make a ‘major variation’ if you need to increase the vehicle limit on your licence.
Changes to your ‘financial standing’
By law, you need to prove that you have access to a set amount of finance to run your business (called ‘financial standing’). The amount you need depends on how many vehicles you have.
You must have £8,000 available for the first vehicle in your fleet. You need an extra:
- £4,500 per additional HGV in your fleet
- £800 per additional van or car and trailer in your fleet
Changes to your transport manager’s responsibilities
Your transport manager will become legally responsible for all the vehicles on your operator licence, in addition to the HGVs and trailers already on it.
If you already have a standard national goods vehicle operator licence
You need to apply for a variation of your existing standard national to upgrade it to a standard international licence.
If your application is successful, you then need to add your vans and car and trailers to your standard international goods vehicle operator licence.
You do not need to assign them to an operating centre.
Manage your vehicle operator licence to apply for a variation.
Changes to your ‘financial standing’
By law, you need to prove that you have access to a set amount of finance to run your business (called ‘financial standing’). The amount you need depends on how many vehicles you have.
You must have £8,000 available for the first vehicle in your fleet. You need an extra:
- £4,500 per additional HGV in your fleet
- £800 per additional van or car and trailer in your fleet
Changes to your transport manager’s responsibilities
Your transport manager will become legally responsible for all the vehicles on your operator licence, in addition to the HGVs and trailers already on it.
If you already have a restricted goods vehicle operator licence
-
Get a transport manager. There are 2 ways you can do this.
-
Apply for a variation to upgrade your restricted licence to a standard international licence.
Get a transport manager so you can upgrade your licence
You must have a transport manager to get a standard international goods vehicle operator licence. This is someone responsible for things such as:
- planning routes and scheduling delivery times
- managing your team of drivers and administration staff
- making sure drivers follow company and industry regulations
- arranging vehicle maintenance, MOTs and tax payments
- organising vehicle replacements
You must either:
- employ someone with a Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification
- hire in an external qualified transport manager
Option 1: employ someone with a transport manager qualification
You can employ someone with a Transport Manager CPC qualification if you do not already have one.
You need to make sure they keep up a high-quality professional knowledge of transport industry rules and policies.
Option 2: hire in an external transport manager
You can ‘hire in’ an external transport manager. They’re not someone on your payroll, but they have a contract with you to act as your transport manager.
You must:
- have a contract with them that sets out the tasks they’ll perform as your transport manager
- make sure they only work for a maximum of 4 vehicle operators (including you), managing no more than 50 vehicles in total across all the operators
Apply to upgrade your restricted licence to a standard international licence
You need to apply for a major variation of your existing standard national to upgrade it to a standard international licence.
If your application is successful, you then need to add your vans and car and trailers to your standard international goods vehicle operator licence.
You do not need to assign them to an operating centre.
Manage your vehicle operator licence to apply for a variation.
Changes to your ‘financial standing’
By law, you need to prove that you have access to a set amount of finance to run your business (called ‘financial standing’). The amount you need depends on how many vehicles you have.
You must have £8,000 available for the first vehicle in your fleet. You need an extra:
- £4,500 per additional HGV in your fleet
- £800 per additional van or car and trailer in your fleet
Documents your drivers need to carry
Your drivers need to carry a certified copy of your UK Licence for the Community during international journeys.
If you’re applying for a vehicle operator licence for the first time, you’ll get a UK Licence for the Community as part of your application for a standard international operator licence. There’s no extra fee for them.
Updates to this page
Published 26 August 2021Last updated 22 May 2024 + show all updates
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You can no longer apply to have a member of staff temporarily recognised as a transport manager.
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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.
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Added links to apply for a van or other light goods vehicle operator licence. Added guidance about what to do if you already have a national or restricted goods vehicle operator licence.
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Added a link to apply to have your experience of managing fleets of vehicles recognised so you can become a temporary transport manager for vans and light commercial vehicles.
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First published.