Check which international road haulage permits you need
Find out which licences and permits you need to operate vehicles with a gross vehicle weight above 3.5 tonnes on international journeys from the UK.
If you operate vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating above 3.5 tonnes on international journeys, you need a number of licences and permits.
You must have a vehicle operator licence to carry your own goods, and other people’s goods, both in the UK and on international journeys.
Find out more about:
From 21 May 2022, you will need a goods vehicle operator licence to use vehicles over 2.5 tonnes to transport goods to or through Europe. Check how the new rules for international road haulage will affect you.
The other licences and permits you need depend on which countries the vehicle will travel to or through.
EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
You need a UK Licence for the Community if you make international journeys for hire or reward within the EU, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
You can use the licences in:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
The UK Licence for the Community also allows you to carry out a limited number of haulage jobs inside an EU country (called ‘cabotage’) or between 2 EU countries (called ‘cross-trade’).
You need to get a European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) permit if you want to carry out 3 cross-trade jobs in the EU.
Find out how to apply for a UK Licence for the Community and the rules you have to follow.
Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine
You do not usually need any permits to transport goods to, through or from Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.
However, you need to get a bilateral road haulage permit if you’re travelling:
- through Turkey to another country
- in Ukraine using a Euro III or Euro IV vehicle
Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia or Tunisia
You can apply for bilateral road haulage permits for some non-EU countries the UK has agreements with. These countries are:
Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia or Tunisia
Armenia, Azerbaijan or Bosnia and Herzegovina
You must get a European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) international road haulage permit if your journey involves Armenia, Azerbaijan or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If your journey also includes Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey or Ukraine, you do not need to apply for separate bilateral permits for those countries. You can use the ECMT permit instead.
Find out how to apply for ECMT permits and the rules you have to follow.
Countries the UK does not have arrangements with
You need to apply for licences from countries that the UK does not have a special arrangement or agreement with.
Get advice from the embassies of the countries you need to travel through or to.
Permits to carry out 3 cross-trade jobs in ECMT countries
You can use ECMT permits to carry out up to 3 cross-trade jobs (moving goods between 2 ECMT countries).
Find out how to apply for ECMT permits and the rules you have to follow.
Permits to carry goods for your own business or not for hire and reward (‘own account’)
‘Own account’ is where either:
- your vehicle is only carrying goods in connection with your own business
- your delivery contents are not for hire or reward
Own account journeys in the EU
You do not need a UK Licence for the Community for own account journeys between the UK and EU if the following conditions apply:
- the goods you’re carrying are your property, or have been sold, bought, let out on hire or hired, produced, extracted, processed or repaired by you
- the journey’s purpose is to carry the goods to or from your premises or to move them for your own requirements
- you employ the drivers, or they’re put at your disposal for your own requirements
- you either own the vehicles carrying the goods, have bought them on deferred terms, or have hired them
- transporting the goods is only to support your main business activity – transporting goods cannot be your main business activity
Own-account operators who are carrying goods for a commercial purpose will still be subject to cabotage and cross-trade rules when operating in the EU.
Extra documents for Cyprus or Hungary
For own account journeys between the UK and Cyprus or Hungary, you must carry documents in the vehicle that show:
- the name and address of the operator
- the operator’s trade or business
- the nature of the goods being carried
- loading and unloading points
- registration number of the vehicle being used
- the route the haulage takes
You may be asked to provide evidence of the ownership of the goods.
Own account journeys in non-EU countries
You must have a bilateral international road haulage permit for own account journeys to some non-EU countries the UK has agreements with.
Check which non-EU countries you need the permits for.
Permits for specialist removal companies
You can apply for a permit for laden or empty journeys if you’re a specialist removal company and you move household goods and business possessions between or across the 43 ECMT countries:
Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the UK.
Find out how to apply for international removal permits and the rules you have to follow.
Get help with international road haulage permits
Contact the DVSA International Road Haulage Permits Office to get help with permits.
DVSA International Road Haulage Permits Office
irhp@dvsa.gov.uk
Telephone: 0330 678 1117
Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm
Friday, 9am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges
Last updated 27 August 2021 + show all updates