ECMT permits allow you to transport most types of goods (or drive an empty vehicle) through ECMT member countries.

You need to follow rules about using your ECMT permits, including your drivers carrying the right documents.

Check if you need ECMT permits

You need an ECMT permit to transport most types of goods (or drive an empty vehicle) through the EU (except Cyprus), Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK to these 13 countries:

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

You can carry out a third cross-trade movement (moving goods between 2 countries outside the UK) using an ECMT permit from 1 January 2021.

What you do not need ECMT permits for

You do not need ECMT permits for journeys in 2020 entirely within the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. You can still use your EU Community Licence for international road haulage until 31 December 2020.

From 1 January 2021, you do not need ECMT permits for:

• point-to-point journeys to and from EU countries
• transiting through the EU to non-EU countries
• journeys which include up to 2 additional internal movements (cabotage or cross-trade)

You can transport some types of goods without ECMT permits. Check pages 11 and 13 of the ECMT user guide for the list.

What you cannot use ECMT permits for

You cannot use ECMT permits:

• to travel through ECMT countries to countries that are not in the scheme
• for cabotage (loading and unloading goods for hire or reward between 2 points in a country by a vehicle that’s not registered in that country)

Eligibility

To apply for an ECMT permit, you must:

• have a vehicle operator licence for Great Britain or a vehicle operator licence for Northern Ireland
• have Euro VI or Euro V emissions standard vehicles (depending on the type of permit you’re applying for)

Apply for permits for 2020

You can buy short-term (30-day) permits if you plan to travel through the EU (except Cyprus), Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland in December 2020 to one of these countries:

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey or Ukraine.

How to buy the permits

Email DVSA to buy the permits.

You need to include:

• your operator licence number
• the journey destination (it must be either Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey or Ukraine)
• proof that you’ll be travelling to this country in 2020 (for example, a contract to import and export, or evidence of recent or regular to the country)
• how many permits you need
• which type of vehicle you’ll use (Euro V or Euro VI)

Permits for 2021

Annual permits

1. You’ll have an email to tell you if you’ve been allocated an annual ECMT permit. They’ve been allocated based on a set criteria.
2. You must pay the permit fee within 10 working days if you’ve been allocated a permit.
3. You’ll get the permits by first class post.

Short-term permits

You can carry out a third cross-trade movement (moving goods between 2 countries outside the UK) using an ECMT permit from 1 January 2021.

If you do not have an annual ECMT permit, you can request short term (30-day) ECMT permits to do this in January and February 2021 by emailing DVSA.

You need to include:

• your operator licence number
• the journey destination
• proof that you’ll be travelling to this country in January or February 2021 (for example, a contract to import and export, or evidence of recent or regular to the country)
• how many permits you need -the start and end date
• which type of vehicle you’ll use (Euro V or Euro VI)

Fees

You have to pay a non-refundable £10 application fee for each permit.

You then have to pay for the actual permit. It costs:

• £10 per permit for short-term permits (for use in 2020 in 2021)
• £123 per permit for an annual ECMT permit (for use in 2021)

Rules for using the permits

You can use an ECMT permit to make an unlimited number of journeys within:

• a calendar year, if you have an annual permit
• 30 days of the start date on the permit, if you have a short-term permit

You have to return to the UK after every third journey.

You can only use your original permit. You cannot:

• make copies of it
• transfer it to other vehicle operators or businesses
• use it in more than one vehicle at a time

Do not laminate the permit, as it may be stamped at checkpoints.

If you have more than one vehicle operator licence

You can use an ECMT permit for a vehicle assigned to any of your operator licences. It’s not allocated to a specific operator licence.

You’re not allowed to transfer a permit to another business entity, for example, a sister company.

Rules for the vehicles and trailers

You cannot use ECMT permits you’re allocated:

• for unaccompanied trailers or semi-trailers
• with vehicles of a lower Euro emissions class to that shown on the permit (for example, you cannot use a Euro VI permit in a Euro V vehicle, but you can use a Euro V permit in a Euro VI vehicle)

Get an ECMT ‘certificate of compliance’ for vehicles and trailers

You must carry an ECMT ‘certificate of compliance’ in your vehicle and trailer. They must confirm the vehicle meets the correct Euro emissions standard and the trailer meets the technical safety requirements.

If your permit application is successful, request a certificate from your vehicle or trailer manufacturer, or contact DVSA for advice.

Get an ECMT ‘certificate of roadworthiness’ for vehicles and trailers

You must carry an ECMT ‘certificate of roadworthiness’ for your vehicle and trailer.

If your permit application is successful and you do not already have a certificate, apply online to get one.

Apply for an ECMT certificate of roadworthiness.

Before you start

To apply for an ECMT certificate of roadworthiness, you need:

• your username and password if you’ve used the service to manage your vehicle operator licence before (you can register in the service if you’ve not used it before)
• the vehicle registration number (number plate)
• the trailer registration number or ID number from DVLA (if you’re applying for a trailer)
• the vehicle or trailer type and make
• the certificate of compliance number (leave this blank if you do not have the number)
• vehicle identification number (VIN)
• engine type and number

Meet the ECMT Quality Charter

You must meet the ECMT Quality Charter requirements.

If you have a standard international operator licence

You already meet the requirements of the charter if you have a standard international operator licence

If you have a restricted or standard national operator licence

If you have a restricted or standard national operator licence you need to:

• have a transport manager
• give proof you have the higher levels of financial standing needed for a standard international licence

You can also apply for a standard international licence to show you meet the ECMT Quality Charter.

Fill in the ECMT log book before a journey

Each ECMT permit comes with a log book.

Before you start a journey, fill in the permit’s log book (in pen, not pencil) with a full record of all the journey’s details.

If you make a mistake, cross it out. Make sure the mistake is still readable, as it may need to be checked.

What drivers need to carry during journeys

The driver will need to carry these documents for all of the outward and return journey:

• the ECMT permit
• the ECMT permit log book (plus the issued translation sheets)
• the ECMT certificate of compliance for the vehicle and trailer (plus the issued translation sheets)
• a certificate of roadworthiness for the vehicle and trailer (plus the issued translation sheets)

The driver must show the documents at checkpoints when asked.

Find out how different countries carry out checks.

Check what other vehicle documents and driver documents the driver needs to carry on international journeys.

Send journey records to DVSA

If you have an annual ECMT permit, you must send the original (top sheet) for each completed page of the ECMT log book to DVSA within 2 weeks of your return to the UK.

You must send the complete ECMT log book to DVSA within 2 weeks of the permit’s expiry date.

Lost, damaged or stolen permits

Contact DVSA straight away if you lose or damage a permit, or if one is stolen.

You should also tell the police if a permit is stolen.

If you give up your operator licence

Send your ECMT permits and log books to DVSA if you apply to give up (‘surrender’) your vehicle operator licence.