Apply for a vehicle operator licence
Printable version
1. Overview
You usually need a vehicle operator licence to transport goods or carry passengers for a fare.
If you plan to use vehicles:
- to transport goods and the vehicles are over a certain weight, for example a lorry or van - find out what type of goods vehicle operator licence you need
- to carry passengers for a fare, for example a bus or taxi - find out what type of Public Service Vehicles (PSV) operator licence you need
Check if the vehicles you own are exempt before you apply for a vehicle operator licence.
The rules are different if you바카라 사이트檙e in .
When to apply and how long it takes
Before you start your application, there are 4 things you need to do.
After that, you can apply for a vehicle operator licence.
You바카라 사이트檒l usually get a decision within 7 weeks. It can take longer if you do not provide the right supporting documents when you apply.
It바카라 사이트檚 illegal to operate a vehicle before your licence has been issued.
Apply for an interim licence
If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for a goods vehicle operator licence and need one sooner, you can ask for permission to operate while your application is considered. This is known as an interim licence. An interim licence lasts for up to 6 months.
You might need an interim licence if, for example:
- you have customers waiting and want to start working as soon as possible
- your organisation is changing or moving and you want to continue working while your new application is processed
The traffic commissioner will only consider giving you an interim licence if you바카라 사이트檝e completed a full application for an operator licence.
2. Your organisation and team
When you apply, you바카라 사이트檒l be asked:
- whether you바카라 사이트檙e a limited company, sole trader, partnership, limited liability partnership or other organisation
- the name of your organisation聽
- what the organisation does聽
- your address and contact details聽
- the names of the people responsible for your organisation, for example the owner, transport manager, company directors or safety inspectors
If you바카라 사이트檙e a limited company, the organisation name and details you provide must match the details on Companies House or your application may be rejected.
Employing or hiring a transport manager
If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for a standard licence, you바카라 사이트檒l be asked to name a transport manager. That person could be you or someone else.
You바카라 사이트檒l need to provide:
- their date of birth
- their contact details
- proof that they바카라 사이트檙e qualified to be a transport manager for goods vehicles or public service vehicles, for example a copy of their Certificate of Professional Competence聽
- how many hours a day they바카라 사이트檒l spend on transport manager duties
- a list of any convictions or cautions
Your transport manager also needs to be one of the following:
- already working for your organisation聽
- somebody you hire
- somebody you contract聽
Your team바카라 사이트檚 history
To prepare for your application, you바카라 사이트檒l need to find out some information about your team. The Office of the Traffic Commissioner will use this to check your organisation can hold a vehicle operator licence.
Financial history
When you apply you바카라 사이트檒l need to tell the Office of the Traffic Commissioner whether any directors, partners or transport managers have been:
- declared bankrupt, had their estate seized or been the subject of an
- involved with an organisation that has gone or is going into receivership
- involved with an organisation that has gone or is going into administration or a Company Voluntary Arrangement
- previously disqualified from acting as a company director or managing a company
By 바카라 사이트渋nvolved with an organisation바카라 사이트�, we mean anyone named on the licence or named in the licence application. For example directors, safety inspectors, and transport managers.
Licence history聽
You바카라 사이트檒l need to tell the Office of the Traffic Commissioner whether any directors, partners or transport managers have:
- an operator licence in any traffic area currently
- ever had or applied for an operator licence in any traffic area
- ever been disqualified from having an operator licence in any traffic area
- ever had an operator licence application refused by a traffic commissioner for Great Britain, the Northern Ireland Transport Regulation Unit or by any EU licensing authority
- ever had an operator licence taken away, suspended or limited by a traffic commissioner for Great Britain, the Department for Infrastructure for Northern Ireland or by any EU licensing authority
- ever taken part in a public inquiry held by a Traffic Commissioner
- bought assets or shares in a company that holds or has held an operator licence in any traffic area
Convictions and cautions
You바카라 사이트檒l need to declare if any of the following people and companies you work with have certain convictions or cautions:
- directors, partners and transport managers
- companies that are (or have been) directed by anybody you바카라 사이트檝e named
- your parent company, if you바카라 사이트檙e a limited company
- your employees and agents
Setting up your IT systems
If you want to join the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) earned recognition scheme, you바카라 사이트檒l need .
The DVSA earned recognition scheme collects data so you can prove your organisation meets driver and vehicle standards. This means that your vehicles are less likely to be stopped for inspections.
You can join the DVSA earned recognition scheme once you바카라 사이트檝e had an operator licence for at least 2 years.
Get help joining the DVSA earned recognition scheme
You can get help from DVSA to start the process of joining the DVSA earned recognition scheme if you바카라 사이트檙e a new vehicle operator. You바카라 사이트檒l need to do this within the first 6 months of getting your new vehicle operator licence.
3. Financial evidence
As part of your application, the Office of the Traffic Commissioner will calculate a sum of money based on how many vehicles you바카라 사이트檒l use and what type of licence you need.
You must provide evidence that shows you have enough funds to cover this amount.
If you plan to expand your organisation, you must prove you have enough money for all the vehicles you바카라 사이트檙e planning to operate, not just the ones you바카라 사이트檒l operate straight away.
How much money you need
Restricted licence
| Vehicle type | First vehicle | Each additional vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy goods | 拢3,100 | 拢1,700 |
| Passenger service | 拢3,100 | 拢1,700 |
Standard National licence
| Vehicle type | First vehicle | Each additional vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy goods | 拢8,000 | 拢4,500 |
| Passenger service | 拢8,000 | 拢4,500 |
Standard International licence
| Vehicle type | First vehicle | Each additional vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy goods | 拢8,000 | 拢4,500 |
| Light goods | 拢1,600 | 拢800 |
| Passenger service | 拢8,000 | 拢4,500 |
Types of evidence you can use
All financial documents should be in the same name as the person applying or the person holding the licence.
If your organisation is a partnership, the financial documents need to be in the names of one or more of the people in the partnership applying, or the licence holders.
If your organisation is a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), the funds must be held within the company.
If you바카라 사이트檙e a limited company, the organisation name and details you provide must match the details on Companies House or your application may be rejected.
You need to submit at least one of the following types of evidence:
- bank or building society account statements covering the last 28 days
- credit card accounts
- an opening balance
- formal written agreement from your bank of an agreed overdraft or credit facility
- invoice finance agreements
- audited accounts certified by someone who바카라 사이트檚 properly qualified
You바카라 사이트檒l be contacted by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner if they need more information about the evidence you provide.
4. Your vehicles
You바카라 사이트檒l be asked for your vehicles바카라 사이트� registration number and weight. If you do not have your vehicle details yet you can provide them later.
Decide how you바카라 사이트檒l maintain your vehicles
When you apply, you need to declare how often your vehicles will be inspected and who is responsible for the inspections.
Once you have an operator licence, you바카라 사이트檒l need to carry out safety inspections of your vehicles.听
You바카라 사이트檒l need to provide the contact details of your safety inspectors. If you바카라 사이트檙e using a different company for your safety inspections, you바카라 사이트檒l need a contract.听
Where you바카라 사이트檒l keep your vehicles
The place you normally keep your vehicles is known as an operating centre.听
You need to make sure that the operating centre you바카라 사이트檙e planning to use has:聽聽
- safe access聽聽
- off-street parking spaces for all the vehicles and trailers you want to keep there
- permission from the site owner to park there聽聽
When you apply, you need to give the following information about any operating centres you바카라 사이트檙e planning to use:聽
- 补诲诲谤别蝉蝉听
- numbers of trailers and vehicles you바카라 사이트檒l keep there
If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for a goods vehicle operator licence, you also need to be able to show that your operating centre will not disturb people living nearby. This includes:
- noise
- fumes
- pollution
- vibration
- visual intrusion
The Traffic Commissioner may ask you to provide evidence of this to support your application or ask you to attend a public inquiry.
If you have more than one operating centre
You need a separate operator licence for each traffic area where you have an operating centre.
In England, Wales and Scotland, there are 8 traffic areas. There is in Northern Ireland.
5. Advertising your application
If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for a goods vehicle operator licence for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), you need to pay to advertise your application in a local newspaper in the traffic area that your organisation operates in.
You do not need to advertise if you are applying for a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) or light goods vehicle operator licence.
If you do not advertise your application correctly, your application will be rejected. You바카라 사이트檒l need to pay for a new advert if you apply again.
You must write your advert using the template.
The newspaper you바카라 사이트檙e advertising in must:
- be local (not regional or national)
- cover the traffic area where the operating centre is based
- include stories as well as adverts - free sheets will not be accepted
- include other public notices, for example planning applications
Your advert must appear between 21 days before to 21 days after you바카라 사이트檝e made your application, to give people the chance to comment. For example, if the application is received on 1 June, the advertisement must appear in a newspaper on a day between 11 May and 22 June.
If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for more than one operating centre
You need to publish separate adverts if the local areas of the operating centres are covered by different local newspapers.听
If they바카라 사이트檙e in an area covered by the same local newspaper, you only need to publish one advert that includes:
- each operating centre바카라 사이트檚 address
- the number of vehicles and trailers you바카라 사이트檒l be keeping at them
Sending evidence of your advert聽
Once your advert has been published, you바카라 사이트檒l need to upload an image of the whole newspaper page. Do this when you apply for your licence.
The image of the advert needs to include:
- the newspaper바카라 사이트檚 full name
- the publication date
6. Vehicles that are exempt
Goods vehicles
You do not need a goods vehicle operator licence if any of the following apply to your vehicle:
- it was first used before 1977, has an unladen weight of 1,525 kilograms or less and a maximum gross plated weight over 3,500 kilograms
- it바카라 사이트檚 using public roads for less than 6 miles a week whilst moving between private land聽 belonging to the same person as the vehicle聽
- it바카라 사이트檚 being used for excavation or demolition
- it바카라 사이트檚 being used on trade plates
- it바카라 사이트檚 being used to transport passengers
Find out more about goods vehicles that are exempt.
Exempt vehicles聽
You do not need an operator licence for:
- military vehicles
- snow ploughs and gritters
- emergency service vehicles (including those used by gas, electricity, water and telephone companies)
- hearses
- recovery vehicles (only if they바카라 사이트檙e used exclusively for that purpose)
- tractors and agricultural vehicles used in certain circumstances
Vehicles that are not exempt
You need an operator licence for:聽
- mobile exhibition vehicles
- catering vehicles
- mobile shops
- mobile medical screening vehicles
- vehicles that have equipment fixed or bolted down and are carrying goods that are not essential for the equipment to work
- towing a trailer that바카라 사이트檚 carrying goods
7. Apply for a licence
Apply for an operator licence online once you바카라 사이트檝e read the guidance and prepared the information you need to provide.听
You바카라 사이트檒l need:
- a debit or credit card
- your username and password if you바카라 사이트檝e used the service before
You can register in the service if you바카라 사이트檝e not used it before.
Once you바카라 사이트檝e started your application you can save your form and complete it later.
You can also use this service to pay any application or licence fees.听
What you need to know
After you apply online, you바카라 사이트檒l usually get a decision within 7 weeks. It can take longer if you do not provide all the right supporting documents when you apply.
Evidence you바카라 사이트檒l need
To support your application, you need to send financial evidence that proves you have enough money to run your organisation.听
You need to name a transport manager and a safety inspector. You also need to provide the financial, licence and conviction history of people who work for your organisation.
Your application will be refused if you do not provide the correct evidence.
If you바카라 사이트檙e applying for a goods vehicle operator licence for heavy goods vehicles
You must advertise your application in a local newspaper in the traffic area your organisation operates in. You바카라 사이트檒l need to upload a copy of your advert when you apply.
Your application will be refused if you do not advertise your application correctly.
Fees
The fees you바카라 사이트檒l pay depends on the type of licence you바카라 사이트檙e applying for.
Fees for a goods vehicle operator licence
You바카라 사이트檒l have to pay:
- an application fee
- a fee to issue the licence
- a fee to issue an interim licence, if you need one
You바카라 사이트檒l then have to pay a continuation fee every 5 years to keep your licence active.
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application for a licence | 拢257 |
| Issue of a licence | 拢401 |
| Continuation of a licence after 5 years | 拢401 |
| Issue of an interim licence | 拢68 |
| Major change to a licence | 拢257 |
Fees for a public service vehicle operator licence
Once you바카라 사이트檝e got your licence it will not have an expiry date, but the Traffic Commissioner바카라 사이트檚 Office will ask you to confirm your details every 5 years. You바카라 사이트檒l need to pay a continuation fee if you바카라 사이트檝e got a special restricted (taxi) licence.
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application for a standard licence | 拢209 |
| Application for a restricted licence | 拢209 |
| Application for a special restricted (taxi) licence | 拢61 |
| Continuation fee for a special restricted (taxi) licence (payable every 5 years) | 拢61 |
| Make changes to a licence | 拢122 |
Paying online
You can pay any application or licence fees when you apply for a vehicle operator licence online.
Paying by phone
You can pay by calling the Drive and Vehicle Standard Agency (DVSA) helpline.
DVSA customer service centre
Telephone: 0300 123 9000
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm
Find out about call charges
Paying by post
Send a cheque or postal order made payable to 바카라 사이트�DVSA바카라 사이트� to the Central Licensing Office.
Central Licensing Office
Quarry House
Quarry Hill
Leeds
LS2 7UE
Help with your application
If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, contact DVSA to get help with your application.
DVSA customer service centre
Telephone: 0300 123 9000
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm
Find out about call charges
If you live in Northern Ireland, contact the Transport Regulation Unit to get help with your application.
Transport Regulation Unit
Telephone: 0300 200 7831
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
8. After you apply
The Office of the Traffic Commissioner will review your application. They might ask you to provide more information to support your application.
If the Office of the Traffic Commissioner has concerns about your application, they could invite you to a public inquiry to help them make a decision.听
Your application will also be made public and there may be an objection to your licence. If there바카라 사이트檚 an objection, you might have to attend a public inquiry.听
After you apply online, you바카라 사이트檒l usually get a decision within 7 weeks. It can take longer if you do not provide all the right supporting documents when you apply.
If your application is not approved
You can appeal if your application for an operator licence is refused. You have 1 month to apply for permission to appeal.
Find out how to appeal.
If your application is approved
You바카라 사이트檒l receive your operator licence and you can legally operate your vehicles.听
As a vehicle operator, you바카라 사이트檒l need to:
- maintain your vehicles
- check your drivers have the correct licence and training
- tax your vehicles
- tell the Office of the Traffic Commissioner if you need to make changes to your operator licence, for example the number of vehicles on your licence
If you have a goods vehicle operator licence, you바카라 사이트檒l have to pay a continuation fee every 5 years to keep your licence active.
If you have a public service vehicle operator licence, it will not have an expiry date.听You바카라 사이트檒l need to confirm your details every 5 years. You바카라 사이트檒l need to pay a continuation fee if you바카라 사이트檝e got a special restricted (taxi) licence.