Booking

your

tests

After

you

’ve

passed

your

theory

test

you

’ll

also

need

to

pass

an

off

road

riding

test

known

as

the

module

test

an

on

road

riding

test

known

as

the

module

test

Normally

you

can

book

the

riding

tests

separately

or

at

the

same

time

but

you

must

pass

the

module

test

before

you

take

the

module

test

There

’s

a

different

fee

for

each

module

Motorcycle

and

moped

tests

and

coronavirus

Wear

a

face

covering

at

the

start

and

end

of

the

test

when

you

’ll

be

talking

to

the

examiner

If

you

can

not

wear

a

face

covering

you

must

tell

DVSA

when

booking

your

appointment

You

can

cancel

your

test

appointment

and

get

a

refund

if

you

can

not

or

do

not

want

to

attend

because

of

Your

instructor

will

need

to

cancel

your

test

for

you

if

they

booked

it

What

you

need

to

do

to

pass

the

tests

To

pass

the

riding

tests

you

must

be

able

to

ride

safely

in

different

road

and

traffic

conditions

show

that

you

know

The

Highway

Code

by

the

way

you

ride

The

national

standard

for

riding

mopeds

and

motorcycles

tells

you

everything

that

you

must

be

able

to

do

to

pass

the

tests

There

’s

no

minimum

number

of

lessons

you

must

have

done

before

you

book

and

take

your

tests

What

to

take

to

your

tests

You

must

take

your

UK

photocard

driving

licence

your

theory

test

pass

certificate

a

moped

or

motorbike

your

compulsory

basic

training

CBT

certificate

unless

you

’re

taking

the

test

to

upgrade

your

full

motorcycle

licence

your

module

test

pass

certificate

if

you

’re

taking

your

module

test

a

face

covering

unless

you

have

a

good

reason

not

to

wear

one

Your

test

will

be

cancelled

and

you

will

not

get

your

money

back

if

you

do

not

take

the

right

things

with

you

When

you

must

not

go

to

your

test

You

must

not

go

to

your

test

if

you

or

someone

you

live

with

has

coronavirus

symptoms

you

’ve

been

told

by

the

NHS

Test

and

Trace

service

that

you

’ve

been

in

contact

with

someone

who

has

you

’re

self

isolating

because

you

recently

entered

the

UK

Clothing

You

must

wear

a

motorcycle

helmet

that

meets

British

safety

standards

unless

you

’re

Sikh

and

wearing

a

turban

motorcycle

boots

or

other

sturdy

footwear

that

supports

and

protects

your

ankles

textile

or

leather

motorcycle

trousers

or

heavy

denim

trousers

a

textile

or

leather

motorcycle

jacket

or

a

heavy

denim

jacket

with

several

layers

underneath

motorcycle

gloves

Wearing

a

face

covering

You

must

bring

and

wear

a

face

covering

at

the

start

and

end

of

the

test

when

you

’ll

be

talking

to

the

examiner

unless

you

have

a

good

reason

not

to

Good

reasons

are

things

like

having

a

physical

or

mental

illness

or

impairment

or

a

disability

wearing

it

would

cause

you

severe

distress

If

you

can

not

wear

a

face

covering

at

the

start

and

end

of

the

test

you

or

your

instructor

must

tell

DVSA

when

booking

Your

driving

licence

You

need

to

apply

for

a

replacement

driving

licence

if

you

lose

yours

before

your

test

This

could

take

up

to

days

to

arrive

You

should

rearrange

your

test

if

you

do

not

get

the

new

licence

in

enough

time

You

must

do

this

at

least

working

days

before

your

test

date

or

you

’ll

have

to

pay

again

If

you

have

a

paper

licence

You

must

bring

a

valid

passport

and

your

paper

licence

if

you

do

not

have

a

photocard

driving

licence

If

you

have

a

licence

from

Northern

Ireland

You

must

bring

the

photocard

and

paper

counterpart

if

you

have

a

licence

from

Northern

Ireland

If

you

’ve

lost

your

theory

test

certificate

Contact

DVSA

with

your

name

address

date

of

birth

driving

licence

number

You

’ll

be

sent

a

letter

that

you

can

take

to

your

test

instead

of

your

pass

certificate

Motorcycles

and

mopeds

you

can

use

for

the

tests

The

motorcycle

or

moped

you

use

for

your

tests

must

be

a

solo

machine

you

can

only

use

a

sidecar

if

you

have

certain

disabilities

have

a

speedometer

measuring

speed

in

miles

per

hour

mph

display

L

plates

L

or

D

plates

in

Wales

on

the

front

and

rear

be

insured

taxed

and

roadworthy

and

have

no

engine

warning

lights

showing

Read

the

list

of

and

A

motorcycles

that

can

be

used

for

riding

tests

Subcategories

of

motorcycles

and

mopeds

There

are

subcategories

of

mopeds

and

motorcycles

In

both

modules

of

the

test

you

must

use

the

same

subcategory

as

the

licence

you

’re

applying

for

a

vehicle

with

the

same

type

of

transmission

manual

automatic

or

semi

automatic

Moped

tricycle

or

quad

bike

Light

motorcycle

Standard

motorcycle

Unrestricted

motorcycle

Licence

category

AM

A

Minimum

age

of

rider

direct

access

or

progressive

access

Engine

capacity

Up

to

to

At

least

At

least

Maximum

speed

Up

to

mph

mph

or

above

Engine

power

Up

to

Up

to

to

At

least

Motorcycle

weight

without

rider

At

least

kg

Power

to

weight

ratio

Up

to

kg

Up

to

kW

kg

Automatic

and

semi

automatic

motorcycles

If

you

pass

your

tests

on

a

motorcycle

with

automatic

or

semi

automatic

transmission

you

’ll

only

get

a

licence

for

those

types

of

motorcycle

Engines

with

restricted

power

You

can

restrict

the

engine

power

of

a

motorcycle

so

that

it

fits

within

subcategory

to

You

can

not

restrict

it

below

half

its

original

power

This

means

that

if

the

unrestricted

power

of

the

motorcycle

is

you

can

not

restrict

it

any

lower

than

A

motorcycle

’s

unrestricted

power

must

not

be

more

than

You

must

bring

proof

if

you

’ve

restricted

a

motorcycle

to

subcategory

if

you

do

not

your

test

will

be

cancelled

The

proof

must

be

on

headed

paper

be

from

a

main

dealer

official

importer

or

recognised

specialist

show

the

motorcycle

’s

number

plate

registration

number

You

can

not

use

a

dyno

test

certificate

as

proof

of

the

restriction

Motorcycles

with

variable

power

modes

If

you

use

a

switchable

engine

control

unit

ECU

or

variable

power

device

your

motorcycle

can

not

have

interchangeable

carburettor

heads

an

exhaust

manifold

restrictor

a

hidden

ECU

it

must

be

clear

what

power

mode

the

motorcycle

is

in

Electric

motorcycles

You

can

use

an

electric

motorcycle

or

moped

if

it

both

has

the

same

engine

power

as

the

petrol

version

can

keep

that

power

for

at

least

minutes

This

is

known

as

the

continuous

power

rating

you

can

check

this

with

the

manufacturer

If

you

have

a

disability

You

can

use

a

motorcycle

with

a

sidecar

for

your

tests

if

you

have

certain

disabilities

You

can

not

have

a

passenger

in

the

sidecar

during

the

tests

Your

licence

will

only

let

you

ride

motorcycles

with

sidecars

You

might

be

able

to

use

a

different

vehicle

if

you

’re

disabled

contact

the

Driver

and

Vehicle

Standards

Agency

DVSA

before

you

book

your

test

Module

off

road

test

what

happens

You

’ll

take

the

module

test

in

an

off

road

motorcycle

manoeuvring

area

The

test

normally

takes

about

minutes

and

includes

wheeling

the

moped

or

motorcycle

and

using

the

stand

riding

a

slalom

and

figure

of

a

slow

ride

a

U

turn

cornering

and

a

controlled

stop

cornering

and

an

emergency

stop

cornering

and

hazard

avoidance

For

the

hazard

avoidance

and

emergency

stop

exercises

you

must

ride

at

a

minimum

speed

of

mph

on

a

moped

mph

on

a

motorcycle

Your

test

result

You

’ll

be

told

if

you

’ve

passed

module

at

the

end

of

the

test

The

examiner

will

make

a

note

of

dangerous

faults

these

involve

actual

danger

to

you

the

examiner

the

public

or

property

serious

faults

these

are

potentially

dangerous

riding

faults

these

are

not

potentially

dangerous

but

could

become

serious

if

you

keep

making

the

same

mistake

You

’ll

pass

module

if

you

make

no

serious

or

dangerous

faults

sometimes

called

majors

no

more

than

riding

faults

sometimes

called

minors

If

you

pass

The

examiner

will

tell

you

what

faults

you

made

if

any

give

you

a

pass

certificate

you

need

to

take

this

to

the

module

test

If

you

’re

upgrading

your

licence

through

progressive

access

you

must

pass

module

within

months

You

have

to

pass

module

again

if

you

do

not

If

you

do

not

pass

You

’ll

have

to

book

another

module

test

and

pay

again

You

have

to

choose

a

date

at

least

working

days

away

If

you

’ve

already

booked

the

module

test

you

might

need

to

change

the

date

since

you

must

pass

module

before

you

can

take

module

You

’ll

lose

your

fee

if

you

do

not

give

full

days

notice

to

cancel

your

module

test

Sundays

and

public

holidays

do

not

count

as

working

days

Module

on

road

test

what

happens

You

must

pass

module

before

you

can

take

the

module

test

You

can

book

both

modules

at

the

same

time

but

if

you

do

not

pass

module

you

must

wait

working

days

before

you

can

retake

it

The

module

test

normally

takes

about

minutes

and

includes

an

eyesight

check

show

me

tell

me

vehicle

safety

questions

road

riding

independent

riding

You

must

bring

your

module

pass

certificate

to

the

module

test

plus

all

the

documents

you

had

to

bring

to

the

module

test

Eyesight

check

You

’ll

have

to

read

a

number

plate

from

a

distance

of

metres

for

vehicles

with

a

new

style

number

plate

metres

for

vehicles

with

an

old

style

number

plate

New

style

number

plates

start

with

letters

followed

by

numbers

for

example

ABC

You

’ll

fail

your

riding

test

if

you

fail

the

eyesight

check

Show

me

tell

me

questions

You

’ll

be

asked

vehicle

safety

questions

known

as

the

show

me

tell

me

questions

These

test

that

you

know

how

to

carry

out

basic

safety

checks

Road

riding

You

’ll

drive

in

various

road

and

traffic

conditions

but

not

on

motorways

You

’ll

be

asked

to

carry

out

normal

stops

an

angle

start

pulling

out

from

behind

a

parked

vehicle

a

hill

start

where

possible

The

examiner

will

give

you

directions

using

a

radio

They

’ll

normally

follow

you

on

a

motorcycle

Driving

test

routes

are

not

published

so

you

can

not

check

them

before

your

test

Independent

riding

You

’ll

have

about

minutes

of

independent

riding

This

is

designed

to

assess

your

ability

to

ride

safely

while

making

your

own

decisions

You

can

ask

the

examiner

to

repeat

the

directions

if

you

forget

them

you

will

not

fail

the

test

if

you

go

off

the

route

You

can

not

use

sat

nav

Your

test

result

You

’ll

be

told

if

you

’ve

passed

module

at

the

end

of

the

test

The

examiner

will

make

a

note

of

dangerous

faults

these

involve

actual

danger

to

you

the

examiner

the

public

or

property

serious

faults

these

are

potentially

dangerous

riding

faults

these

are

not

potentially

dangerous

but

could

become

serious

if

you

keep

making

the

same

mistake

You

’ll

pass

module

if

you

make

no

serious

or

dangerous

faults

sometimes

called

majors

no

more

than

riding

faults

sometimes

called

minors

If

you

pass

your

test

The

examiner

will

tell

you

what

faults

you

made

if

any

give

you

a

pass

certificate

ask

you

if

you

want

your

full

licence

to

be

sent

to

you

automatically

give

the

examiner

your

provisional

licence

if

you

want

to

do

this

You

can

start

riding

without

L

plates

straight

away

when

you

’ve

passed

your

test

You

do

not

need

to

wait

for

your

full

licence

to

arrive

Contact

DVLA

if

your

full

licence

has

not

arrived

weeks

after

you

applied

for

it

If

you

do

not

pass

You

have

to

book

another

module

test

and

pay

again

You

have

to

choose

a

date

at

least

working

days

away

If

your

test

is

cancelled

or

there

’s

bad

weather

Your

riding

test

can

be

cancelled

or

stopped

because

of

bad

weather

problems

with

your

vehicle

or

for

other

reasons

Bad

weather

Riding

tests

are

not

carried

out

in

dangerous

weather

conditions

for

example

when

the

roads

are

icy

or

if

there

’s

flooding

thick

fog

or

high

winds

Call

your

test

centre

if

there

are

any

of

these

conditions

on

the

day

of

your

test

The

phone

number

for

the

test

centre

is

in

your

booking

confirmation

email

If

your

test

can

not

go

ahead

The

Driver

and

Vehicle

Standards

Agency

DVSA

will

automatically

book

the

next

available

date

for

your

test

send

you

the

details

within

working

days

it

can

take

up

to

days

if

there

’s

a

long

period

of

bad

weather

You

can

change

the

date

you

’re

given

if

it

’s

not

suitable

You

can

not

claim

for

any

out

of

pocket

expenses

if

your

test

is

cancelled

because

of

bad

weather

Problems

with

you

or

your

vehicle

You

’ll

have

to

book

another

test

and

pay

again

if

your

test

can

not

be

completed

because

of

a

problem

with

you

for

example

if

you

feel

unwell

while

taking

your

test

your

vehicle

for

example

if

it

breaks

down

during

the

test

or

does

not

meet

the

rules

Your

test

is

cancelled

for

another

reason

Sometimes

DVSA

has

to

cancel

tests

for

other

reasons

for

example

if

the

examiner

is

unwell

You

’ll

be

sent

a

new

date

for

your

test

if

this

happens

You

can

change

the

date

if

it

’s

not

suitable

You

can

apply

for

a

refund

of

out

of

pocket

expenses

if

DVSA

cancels

your

test

at

short

notice

If

you

have

a

disability

health

condition

or

learning

difficulty

When

you

book

your

tests

you

should

say

if

you

have

a

disability

learning

difficulty

health

condition

You

’ll

still

have

to

ride

to

the

same

standard

to

pass

but

the

examiner

can

make

adjustments

for

your

situation

If

your

health

condition

or

disability

means

you

can

not

wear

a

face

covering

to

your

test

you

or

your

instructor

must

tell

DVSA

when

booking

You

’re

deaf

or

have

a

hearing

impairment

The

examiner

will

use

written

notes

at

the

start

of

the

test

to

explain

what

will

happen

If

you

lip

read

they

’ll

also

look

at

you

so

you

can

lip

read

what

they

’re

saying

The

examiner

will

usually

give

directions

to

you

as

hand

signals

These

will

be

explained

to

you

before

your

test

starts

Using

a

sign

language

interpreter

You

can

take

a

British

Sign

Language

BSL

interpreter

with

you

They

must

be

at

least

years

old

Your

motorcycle

instructor

can

be

your

interpreter

You

need

to

arrange

your

own

interpreter

and

pay

any

fees

that

they

charge

You

have

reading

difficulties

You

’ll

do

an

eyesight

check

at

the

start

of

the

module

test

The

examiner

will

ask

you

to

read

the

number

plate

on

a

parked

vehicle

You

can

write

down

what

you

see

if

you

have

reading

difficulties

You

have

learning

difficulties

The

examiner

will

make

adjustments

for

the

independent

riding

part

of

the

module

test

if

you

have

learning

difficulties

They

might

ask

if

you

’d

prefer

to

follow

traffic

signs

instead

of

verbal

directions

You

might

be

able

to

choose

to

follow

a

set

of

directions

using

a

diagram

You

’ll

normally

be

asked

to

follow

up

to

directions

at

a

time

but

the

examiner

can

reduce

this

to

at

a

time

You

’re

pregnant

You

can

take

the

tests

at

any

stage

of

your

pregnancy

However

you

must

be

able

and

willing

to

do

an

emergency

stop

manually

handle

and

wheel

the

motorcycle

do

the

cornering

and

hazard

avoidance

exercise


Overview

You

can

buy

a

private

personalised

registration

for

your

vehicle

’s

number

plates

from

DVLA

or

from

a

private

dealer

If

you

have

the

right

to

a

private

number

that

is

not

currently

being

used

you

can

apply

to

assign

it

put

it

on

to

a

vehicle

Take

a

private

number

off

retention

If

you

do

not

want

to

use

your

private

number

anymore

you

can

apply

to

take

it

off

your

vehicle

You

can

keep

the

number

put

it

on

retention

to

use

later

You

’ll

get

a

retention

document

proving

you

still

have

the

right

to

use

the

number

Selling

a

private

number

You

can

also

sell

your

private

number

if

you

do

not

want

to

use

it

anymore

If

you

’re

selling

your

private

number

online

do

not

share

a

scan

or

photograph

of

the

or

document

Someone

other

than

the

buyer

might

use

it

to

put

the

private

number

on

another

vehicle

Transfer

a

private

number

To

transfer

a

private

number

from

one

vehicle

to

another

you

need

to

Take

it

off

the

vehicle

you

’re

transferring

it

from

Assign

it

to

the

vehicle

you

’re

transferring

it

to

You

can

also

do

this

by

post

using

form

Buy

a

private

number

Buy

from

DVLA

You

can

buy

new

numbers

from

DVLA

Personalised

Registrations

Buying

at

DVLA

auctions

There

are

auctions

across

the

country

about

times

a

year

You

can

see

a

list

of

the

numbers

coming

up

for

auction

You

can

bid

in

person

by

phone

in

writing

or

online

You

’ll

get

a

certificate

of

entitlement

once

you

’ve

paid

for

the

private

personalised

number

This

is

to

prove

that

you

have

the

right

to

put

the

number

on

a

vehicle

assign

it

Buying

from

a

private

dealer

or

person

You

can

buy

a

private

number

from

a

dealer

or

from

another

person

Most

dealers

will

transfer

the

number

to

your

vehicle

for

you

If

you

want

to

keep

or

assign

the

number

yourself

ask

the

dealer

if

you

can

have

the

or

Assign

a

private

number

to

a

vehicle

To

assign

a

private

personalised

number

to

a

vehicle

you

need

one

of

the

following

a

retention

document

a

certificate

of

entitlement

an

online

reference

number

You

get

one

of

these

when

you

either

buy

a

number

or

take

a

number

from

another

vehicle

you

own

Eligibility

You

can

not

assign

a

number

starting

with

Q

or

NIQ

put

a

private

number

on

a

Q

registered

vehicle

use

a

private

number

that

makes

a

vehicle

look

newer

than

it

is

for

example

an

registration

number

on

a

registered

vehicle

The

vehicle

must

be

registered

with

DVLA

in

the

UK

be

able

to

move

under

its

own

power

be

of

a

type

that

needs

an

MOT

or

heavy

goods

vehicle

HGV

test

certificate

have

been

taxed

or

had

a

SORN

in

place

continuously

for

the

past

years

be

taxed

currently

or

have

a

SORN

in

place

if

it

’s

had

a

SORN

for

more

than

years

it

must

be

taxed

be

available

for

inspection

DVLA

will

check

your

application

and

contact

you

if

your

vehicle

needs

an

inspection

Apply

to

assign

a

number

If

the

vehicle

is

registered

to

you

apply

online

or

by

post

a

used

vehicle

you

just

bought

wait

for

DVLA

to

send

you

a

new

in

your

name

before

you

apply

online

or

by

post

brand

new

give

the

dealer

your

or

document

and

ask

them

to

apply

registered

to

someone

else

and

you

want

the

private

number

to

be

transferred

to

them

apply

online

or

by

post

It

’s

free

to

apply

online

or

by

post

You

need

the

vehicle

’s

log

book

If

you

already

have

a

private

number

on

your

vehicle

apply

to

take

it

off

first

You

could

lose

the

right

to

use

the

number

if

you

do

not

Apply

online

The

number

will

be

assigned

immediately

if

your

vehicle

does

not

need

an

inspection

Be

ready

to

put

new

number

plates

on

the

vehicle

as

soon

as

you

’ve

applied

Assign

a

number

online

This

service

is

open

from

am

to

pm

It

’s

also

available

in

Welsh

Cymraeg

Apply

by

post

It

is

taking

longer

than

usual

to

process

paper

applications

because

of

coronavirus

Send

all

of

the

following

documents

to

DVLA

the

completed

or

the

address

is

on

the

form

the

vehicle

’s

log

book

or

green

new

keeper

slip

with

a

completed

application

for

a

vehicle

registration

certificate

If

you

’re

assigning

the

number

to

someone

else

’s

vehicle

add

them

as

a

nominee

complete

section

of

the

or

To

tax

your

vehicle

at

the

same

time

include

all

of

the

following

a

application

for

vehicle

tax

form

the

right

amount

of

vehicle

tax

an

MOT

certificate

After

you

assign

a

private

number

You

’ll

be

sent

a

new

log

book

it

can

take

to

weeks

to

arrive

your

original

MOT

back

if

you

sent

it

to

tax

the

vehicle

You

must

put

new

number

plates

on

the

vehicle

before

you

drive

it

You

can

keep

the

original

registration

number

and

plates

they

’ll

be

reassigned

to

the

vehicle

when

you

take

off

the

private

number

You

must

not

sell

or

get

rid

of

a

vehicle

until

you

get

the

new

log

book

Who

to

tell

about

your

new

registration

number

You

must

tell

your

insurance

company

Update

your

registration

number

for

any

automatic

payment

accounts

you

have

for

example

to

pay

the

Congestion

Charge

the

Low

Emission

Zone

Charge

the

Ultra

Low

Emission

Zone

Charge

the

Dart

Charge

charges

for

driving

in

Clean

Air

Zones

You

may

get

a

penalty

charge

if

you

do

not

update

your

registration

details

and

enter

one

of

these

zones

If

your

vehicle

has

Clean

Vehicle

Retrofit

Accreditation

scheme

certification

you

also

need

to

tell

them

your

new

registration

number

Take

a

private

number

off

a

vehicle

You

can

apply

to

take

a

private

personalised

number

off

a

vehicle

if

you

want

to

either

keep

the

number

to

use

later

assign

it

to

another

vehicle

You

can

not

keep

a

number

starting

with

Q

or

NIQ

The

vehicle

’s

original

registration

number

is

usually

reassigned

to

it

automatically

when

you

take

off

a

private

number

If

your

application

is

successful

you

’ll

be

sent

a

retention

document

and

a

new

log

book

You

must

have

your

and

new

log

book

before

you

scrap

or

sell

your

vehicle

otherwise

you

’ll

lose

the

right

to

use

the

private

number

Eligibility

The

vehicle

must

be

registered

with

DVLA

in

the

UK

be

able

to

move

under

its

own

power

be

of

a

type

that

needs

an

MOT

or

heavy

goods

vehicle

HGV

test

certificate

have

been

taxed

or

had

a

SORN

in

place

continuously

for

the

past

years

be

taxed

currently

or

have

a

SORN

in

place

if

it

’s

had

a

SORN

for

more

than

years

it

must

be

taxed

be

available

for

inspection

DVLA

will

check

your

application

and

contact

you

if

your

vehicle

needs

an

inspection

Apply

to

take

off

a

number

You

can

apply

online

or

by

post

It

costs

You

must

have

the

vehicle

’s

log

book

If

the

vehicle

’s

not

in

your

name

you

have

to

apply

by

post

Apply

online

The

number

will

be

removed

immediately

if

your

vehicle

does

not

need

an

inspection

You

can

assign

the

number

to

another

vehicle

as

soon

as

you

’ve

applied

to

take

it

off

use

the

reference

number

you

get

after

you

apply

Take

off

a

number

online

This

service

is

open

from

am

to

pm

It

’s

also

available

in

Welsh

Cymraeg

Apply

by

post

It

is

taking

longer

than

usual

to

process

paper

applications

because

of

coronavirus

Send

all

of

the

following

to

DVLA

a

transfer

or

retain

a

vehicle

registration

number

form

the

address

is

on

the

form

the

vehicle

’s

log

book

or

green

new

keeper

slip

with

a

completed

application

for

a

vehicle

registration

certificate

the

transfer

fee

To

tax

your

vehicle

at

the

same

time

send

all

of

the

following

a

application

for

vehicle

tax

form

the

right

amount

of

vehicle

tax

an

MOT

certificate

After

you

apply

Your

original

number

plate

will

usually

be

reassigned

to

your

vehicle

automatically

if

your

application

is

successful

This

will

happen

straight

away

You

’ll

be

sent

a

new

log

book

showing

the

vehicle

’s

replacement

registration

number

it

can

take

to

weeks

to

arrive

your

original

MOT

back

if

you

sent

it

to

tax

the

vehicle

a

retention

document

if

the

private

number

is

in

your

name

If

the

private

number

is

in

someone

else

’s

name

the

document

will

be

sent

to

them

Before

you

can

drive

your

vehicle

you

must

put

the

original

or

new

number

plates

on

the

vehicle

before

you

drive

it

tell

your

insurance

company

your

new

registration

number

Who

to

tell

about

your

new

registration

number

You

must

tell

your

insurance

company

Update

your

registration

number

for

any

automatic

payment

accounts

you

have

for

example

to

pay

the

Congestion

Charge

the

Low

Emission

Zone

Charge

the

Ultra

Low

Emission

Zone

Charge

the

Dart

Charge

charges

for

driving

in

Clean

Air

Zones

You

may

get

a

penalty

charge

if

you

do

not

update

your

registration

details

and

enter

one

of

these

zones

If

your

vehicle

has

Clean

Vehicle

Retrofit

Accreditation

scheme

certification

you

also

need

to

tell

them

your

new

registration

number

What

happens

to

the

private

number

Your

retention

document

proves

that

you

still

have

the

right

to

assign

the

private

number

for

the

next

years

You

must

renew

your

right

to

use

a

private

number

before

the

expires

You

can

give

up

your

right

to

use

the

private

number

if

you

decide

not

to

assign

it

Renew

or

replace

your

private

number

You

must

renew

your

right

to

use

your

private

personalised

number

every

years

if

it

’s

not

being

used

on

a

vehicle

If

you

got

your

private

number

before

you

must

renew

it

more

often

check

your

or

document

You

’ll

permanently

lose

the

right

to

use

the

number

if

you

do

not

renew

it

before

the

expiry

date

DVLA

will

not

accept

applications

made

after

that

date

Renew

your

certificate

of

entitlement

or

retention

document

You

can

apply

to

renew

your

or

up

to

days

before

it

expires

Do

not

apply

earlier

than

this

or

your

application

may

be

refused

You

’ll

get

a

reminder

letter

or

email

if

you

’re

not

using

a

private

number

and

your

right

to

use

it

is

about

to

run

out

You

can

renew

it

for

up

to

years

and

it

does

not

cost

anything

to

do

Renew

your

online

You

can

renew

your

by

creating

a

DVLA

personalised

registration

account

or

by

using

your

existing

account

Renew

by

post

Fill

in

the

form

on

the

or

Send

the

or

to

the

address

on

the

form

Replace

a

lost

or

stolen

or

You

can

send

a

letter

to

DVLA

Personalised

Registrations

to

ask

for

a

replacement

or

if

it

has

not

expired

you

’re

the

person

with

the

right

to

use

the

number

your

name

will

have

been

on

the

or

as

the

grantee

It

’ll

take

around

to

weeks

for

the

new

or

to

arrive

If

your

address

or

name

has

changed

You

’ll

need

to

include

an

extra

document

with

your

letter

If

your

address

has

changed

include

proof

of

your

identity

This

can

be

a

copy

of

a

household

bill

sent

to

you

in

the

last

months

your

Council

Tax

bill

for

this

year

a

bank

or

building

society

statement

sent

to

you

in

the

last

months

a

medical

card

your

current

British

driving

licence

your

passport

your

birth

certificate

If

your

name

has

changed

include

proof

of

your

name

change

This

can

be

a

copy

of

your

marriage

certificate

the

decree

nisi

or

decree

absolute

from

your

divorce

a

deed

poll

to

show

you

’ve

changed

your

name

legally

Sell

or

give

a

private

number

to

someone

else

You

can

sell

or

give

a

private

personalised

number

to

someone

The

number

must

be

assigned

to

their

vehicle

before

they

can

use

it

If

you

’re

giving

a

number

to

someone

follow

the

steps

for

assigning

your

private

number

to

someone

else

Selling

your

private

number

You

can

use

a

private

number

dealer

or

sell

your

number

yourself

Do

not

share

a

photograph

or

scan

of

the

or

document

Someone

other

than

the

buyer

might

use

it

to

put

the

private

number

on

another

vehicle

Use

a

private

number

dealer

Most

dealers

will

find

a

buyer

arrange

the

payment

and

transfer

the

number

to

the

buyer

’s

vehicle

for

you

Sell

your

private

number

yourself

After

you

find

a

buyer

you

’ll

need

to

assign

your

number

to

their

vehicle

Follow

the

steps

for

assigning

your

private

number

to

someone

else

Assign

your

private

number

to

someone

else

You

can

put

your

private

number

on

someone

else

’s

vehicle

online

or

by

post

After

that

DVLA

will

send

a

replacement

log

book

for

the

vehicle

but

with

the

new

private

number

assigned

to

it

Online

You

’ll

need

details

from

the

log

book

of

the

vehicle

you

’re

assigning

the

number

to

your

or

The

number

will

usually

be

assigned

immediately

Assign

a

number

online

This

service

is

open

from

am

to

pm

It

’s

also

available

in

Welsh

Cymraeg

By

post

Send

DVLA

your

or

form

fill

in

sections

and

and

sign

it

first

the

log

book

for

the

vehicle

you

want

to

put

the

private

number

on

The

address

is

on

the

form

If

the

nominee

dies

The

person

who

has

the

right

to

use

the

private

number

can

change

the

nominee

the

person

you

’re

giving

the

number

to

Fill

in

section

of

the

or

with

the

new

nominee

’s

details

sign

the

form

and

send

it

to

Change

your

name

or

address

You

can

change

your

address

or

name

on

your

or

certificate

Change

your

address

online

only

Use

your

DVLA

personalised

registration

account

Change

your

address

by

post

or

Fill

in

the

change

of

address

section

on

your

or

Sign

it

and

send

it

to

DVLA

Personalised

Registrations

If

you

do

not

have

your

or

Write

a

letter

saying

what

your

new

address

is

Sign

it

and

send

it

to

DVLA

Personalised

Registrations

with

proof

of

your

identity

This

can

be

a

copy

of

a

household

bill

sent

to

you

in

the

last

months

your

Council

Tax

bill

for

this

year

a

bank

or

building

society

statement

sent

to

you

in

the

last

months

a

medical

card

your

current

British

driving

licence

your

passport

your

birth

certificate

Change

your

name

or

You

can

only

change

your

name

by

post

You

’ll

need

proof

of

your

name

change

this

can

be

a

copy

of

your

marriage

certificate

the

decree

nisi

or

decree

absolute

from

your

divorce

a

deed

poll

to

show

you

’ve

changed

your

name

legally

Fill

in

the

nominee

details

section

on

your

or

Sign

it

and

send

it

to

DVLA

Personalised

Registrations

with

proof

of

your

name

change

If

you

do

not

have

your

or

Write

a

letter

saying

what

your

new

name

is

Sign

it

and

send

it

to

DVLA

Personalised

Registrations

with

proof

of

your

name

change

Fix

mistakes

Write

a

letter

saying

what

the

mistakes

are

Send

it

with

the

or

to

DVLA

Personalised

Registrations

Give

up

your

right

to

use

a

private

number

You

might

get

a

refund

of

if

you

have

the

right

to

use

a

private

number

but

you

decide

not

to

assign

it

to

a

vehicle

This

refunds

the

fee

you

paid

when

you

either

bought

the

number

the

fee

was

included

in

the

cost

took

the

number

off

a

vehicle

You

can

apply

for

a

refund

if

the

number

was

not

assigned

to

any

vehicle

after

you

paid

the

fee

you

have

the

latest

or

document

if

you

’ve

lost

it

and

it

’s

still

valid

you

can

get

a

replacement

from

DVLA

If

the

document

was

issued

before

March

you

can

only

get

a

refund

once

it

expires

You

can

not

get

a

replacement

document

if

it

’s

expired

Tick

the

Give

up

the

right

to

this

registered

number

surrender

section

of

the

or

document

sign

it

and

send

it

to

You

can

not

use

the

private

number

after

you

give

up

your

right

to

it

There

’s

a

different

process

if

the

person

with

the

right

to

use

the

private

number

has

died

If

the

person

with

the

right

to

use

the

private

number

dies

If

someone

has

died

and

left

you

a

personalised

number

in

their

will

or

you

’re

in

charge

of

the

will

an

executor

you

can

keep

the

private

number

transfer

it

to

another

vehicle

put

it

in

someone

else

’s

name

give

up

the

right

to

use

the

number

you

can

apply

for

a

refund

To

do

this

you

’ll

need

to

send

a

form

to

DVLA

along

with

documents

that

prove

you

have

the

right

to

use

the

number

Prove

you

’ve

got

the

right

to

use

the

number

You

must

send

DVLA

the

death

certificate

when

you

send

in

your

form

The

death

certificate

can

be

an

original

or

a

certified

copy

You

must

also

send

at

least

one

of

the

following

a

certified

copy

of

probate

a

copy

of

the

will

a

letter

from

the

solicitor

confirming

who

the

executors

are

or

next

of

kin

is

Keep

or

transfer

the

number

or

give

it

to

someone

else

Which

form

you

send

depends

on

whether

the

number

is

already

on

assigned

to

a

vehicle

If

the

number

is

already

assigned

to

a

vehicle

Fill

in

the

form

if

you

have

an

old

blue

form

fill

in

section

section

if

you

have

a

new

style

log

book

with

multi

coloured

numbered

blocks

on

the

front

cover

or

section

if

you

have

the

older

style

log

book

Make

sure

you

include

the

details

of

the

person

you

want

to

transfer

the

number

to

for

example

an

executor

or

next

of

kin

It

costs

If

the

number

has

not

been

assigned

to

a

vehicle

Send

the

documents

that

prove

you

’ve

got

the

right

to

use

the

number

and

either

the

retention

document

certificate

of

entitlement

form

The

executors

must

sign

the

or

before

you

send

it

You

must

also

send

a

covering

letter

from

the

executors

saying

if

you

want

to

keep

the

number

give

the

number

to

someone

else

If

you

do

not

have

the

or

Send

DVLA

the

documents

that

prove

you

have

the

right

to

use

the

number

a

covering

letter

signed

by

all

the

executors

confirming

that

you

do

not

have

the

forms

and

explaining

what

you

want

to

do

with

the

number

Give

up

your

right

to

use

the

private

number

You

might

be

able

to

get

a

refund

of

the

assignment

fee

if

a

private

number

was

not

assigned

to

a

vehicle

after

the

fee

was

paid

you

have

the

latest

or

document

if

you

’ve

lost

it

and

it

’s

still

valid

you

can

get

a

replacement

from

DVLA

Check

the

or

document

to

find

out

if

a

fee

was

paid

If

the

document

was

issued

before

March

you

can

only

get

a

refund

once

it

expires

You

can

not

get

a

replacement

document

if

it

’s

expired

Send

DVLA

the

or

document

tick

the

Refund

of

the

assignment

fee

section

and

get

all

the

executors

to

sign

it

the

documents

that

prove

you

have

the

right

to

use

the

number

If

you

do

not

have

the

or

Send

DVLA

the

documents

that

prove

you

have

the

right

to

use

the

number

a

covering

letter

signed

by

the

all

the

executors

confirming

that

you

do

not

have

the

forms

and

explaining

what

you

want

to

do

with

the

number


Check

if

you

need

a

licence

You

must

have

a

boatmasters

licence

if

you

’re

the

master

of

certain

vessels

on

inland

waters

in

categories

A

to

D

such

as

canals

rivers

lakes

and

some

estuaries

limited

coastal

area

operations

no

more

than

miles

from

the

land

and

miles

from

where

your

vessel

sets

off

or

arrives

You

may

be

prosecuted

and

fined

for

not

having

the

right

boatmasters

licence

Find

out

what

types

and

class

of

vessels

can

operate

on

UK

inland

waters

When

you

do

not

need

a

licence

You

do

not

need

a

boatmasters

licence

if

you

’re

in

charge

of

a

pleasure

vessel

including

hire

boats

used

as

pleasure

vessels

fishing

vessels

Using

alternative

certificates

Some

certificates

can

be

used

instead

of

a

boatmasters

licence

including

STCW

certificates

of

competency

and

certificates

awarded

by

the

Royal

Yachting

Association

If

you

have

an

alternative

certificate

you

must

check

if

you

need

a

paper

endorsement

or

a

boat

handling

test

read

sections

and

of

the

boatmasters

qualifications

and

hours

of

work

notice

download

and

fill

in

the

application

form

and

send

it

to

your

nearest

marine

office

pay

the

right

fees

Before

you

apply

Read

the

boatmasters

qualifications

and

hours

of

work

notice

to

find

out

which

vessels

you

need

a

boatmasters

licence

for

what

kinds

of

boatmasters

licence

you

can

apply

for

what

you

need

to

apply

for

a

boatmasters

licence

what

you

need

to

revalidate

a

boatmasters

licence

alternative

qualifications

you

can

have

instead

of

a

boatmasters

licence

information

on

local

knowledge

requirements

You

should

also

keep

records

of

relevant

work

and

training

for

your

licence

application

check

for

local

regulations

such

as

byelaws

that

you

may

need

to

know

check

that

you

have

safety

training

from

an

approved

training

provider

How

to

apply

You

’ll

need

to

read

the

boatmasters

qualifications

and

hours

of

work

notice

download

the

application

form

for

a

boatmasters

licence

pay

the

right

fees

Replacing

your

licence

Download

the

application

form

for

a

replacement

boatmasters

licence

Replacing

your

licence

costs

Renewing

your

licence

Your

boatmasters

licence

usually

lasts

years

Renewing

your

licence

costs

Download

the

boatmasters

licence

renewal

application

form

Send

it

to

the

address

on

the

form

Upgrading

your

licence

Download

the

form

to

upgrade

your

licence

or

add

another

area

to

your

licence

The

fee

for

upgrading

your

licence

can

vary

Exemptions

under

the

Boatmasters

Regulations

You

need

to

apply

for

a

Tier

Level

licence

before

your

exemption

expires

if

you

want

to

keep

working

This

will

cover

all

the

areas

described

on

your

exemption

certificate

You

may

be

prosecuted

and

fined

for

not

having

the

right

boatmasters

licence

when

your

exemption

expires

How

to

apply

If

you

have

an

exemption

certificate

and

want

to

continue

working

you

must

check

if

you

can

apply

for

a

Tier

boatmasters

licence

by

reading

section

of

the

boatmasters

qualifications

and

hours

of

work

notice

download

and

fill

in

the

application

form

and

send

it

to

your

nearest

marine

office

pay

the

right

fees


For

months

or

more

You

must

tell

DVLA

if

you

’re

taking

your

vehicle

out

of

the

UK

including

to

the

Channel

Islands

Jersey

and

Guernsey

Isle

of

Man

or

Ireland

for

months

or

more

This

is

known

as

permanent

export

You

’ll

need

to

Fill

in

the

permanent

export

section

of

your

vehicle

log

book

and

detach

it

from

the

log

book

Send

the

completed

permanent

export

section

to

DVLA

Swansea

Include

a

letter

if

you

’ve

moved

abroad

and

want

your

vehicle

tax

refund

if

you

’re

entitled

to

one

sent

to

your

new

address

Keep

the

rest

of

your

log

book

you

need

it

to

register

your

vehicle

in

the

country

you

’re

taking

it

to

Update

the

address

on

your

driving

licence

if

you

’re

moving

home

If

you

’re

due

a

refund

it

will

take

longer

than

usual

because

of

coronavirus

The

refund

is

worked

out

from

the

date

DVLA

gets

your

permanent

export

section

If

you

’re

buying

a

vehicle

to

take

abroad

make

sure

the

seller

follows

the

correct

process

for

vehicles

that

will

be

registered

in

another

country

They

must

give

you

the

full

log

book

not

just

the

new

keeper

slip

If

you

do

not

have

a

vehicle

log

book

Before

you

leave

the

UK

You

need

to

get

a

vehicle

log

book

before

you

leave

the

UK

DVLA

can

not

send

a

vehicle

log

book

to

an

address

outside

the

UK

When

you

get

your

log

book

fill

in

and

send

the

permanent

export

section

to

DVLA

It

will

take

longer

than

usual

to

get

your

log

book

because

of

coronavirus

If

you

do

not

receive

it

before

you

leave

the

UK

contact

the

driving

authority

of

the

country

you

’re

travelling

to

to

find

out

what

documents

you

need

If

you

’ve

already

left

the

UK

Contact

the

driving

authority

of

the

country

you

’re

taking

the

vehicle

to

They

’ll

tell

you

what

documents

you

’ll

need

to

provide

to

register

the

vehicle

there

You

also

need

to

send

a

letter

to

DVLA

to

tell

them

you

’ve

taken

the

vehicle

out

of

the

country

Include

your

name

and

address

the

date

you

took

the

vehicle

out

of

the

country

where

DVLA

can

send

the

vehicle

tax

refund

if

you

’re

entitled

to

one

If

you

can

not

get

a

vehicle

log

book

Contact

the

driving

authority

of

the

country

you

’re

taking

the

vehicle

to

they

’ll

tell

you

how

to

register

your

vehicle

Send

a

letter

to

DVLA

to

tell

them

you

’ve

taken

the

vehicle

out

of

the

country

Include

your

name

and

address

the

date

you

took

the

vehicle

out

of

the

country

where

DVLA

can

send

the

vehicle

tax

refund

If

the

permanent

export

section

is

missing

If

the

permanent

export

section

is

not

in

the

log

book

send

a

letter

to

DVLA

to

tell

them

you

’ve

taken

the

vehicle

out

of

the

country

Include

your

name

and

address

the

date

you

took

the

vehicle

out

of

the

country

Moving

your

vehicle

between

Great

Britain

and

Northern

Ireland

Fill

in

the

change

of

address

section

in

your

log

book

and

send

it

to

DVLA

Personalised

registrations

You

’ll

need

to

transfer

or

retain

your

personalised

registration

before

exporting

your

vehicle

Otherwise

you

’ll

lose

your

right

to

the

registration

number

For

less

than

months

You

must

take

your

vehicle

log

book

with

you

if

you

’re

taking

your

vehicle

abroad

for

less

than

months

You

may

have

to

show

it

if

you

’re

stopped

at

a

port

or

while

driving

abroad

Your

must

show

your

most

recent

address

in

the

UK

Apply

in

advance

if

you

need

to

get

a

or

update

your

before

you

travel

It

will

take

longer

than

usual

to

get

your

new

because

of

coronavirus

UK

law

still

applies

to

a

UK

registered

vehicle

if

you

take

it

abroad

for

less

than

months

That

means

you

need

to

make

sure

your

vehicle

is

taxed

in

the

UK

while

it

’s

abroad

you

have

a

current

MOT

you

have

insurance

You

’ll

also

need

to

make

sure

you

meet

any

international

or

national

conditions

for

licensing

and

taxation

Check

if

you

need

to

pay

import

duty

You

may

need

to

pay

import

duty

on

your

vehicle

if

you

take

it

outside

the

UK

Check

with

the

authorities

in

the

country

you

’re

taking

your

vehicle

to

You

do

not

need

to

pay

import

duty

to

take

your

vehicle

from

Northern

Ireland

to

Great

Britain

or

the

EU

If

you

’re

going

to

a

non

EU

country

that

charges

duty

you

can

buy

a

CPD

Carnet

This

lets

you

take

your

vehicle

into

the

country

temporarily

without

paying

duty

It

can

also

make

crossing

the

border

simpler

You

’ll

have

to

pay

a

fee

and

a

deposit

You

usually

get

the

carnet

within

weeks

of

applying

Taking

a

vehicle

to

Liechtenstein

Mexico

or

Somalia

You

must

take

an

International

Certificate

for

Motor

Vehicles

ICMV

with

you

as

well

as

your

Apply

for

an

ICMV

Bringing

your

vehicle

back

untaxed

If

you

bring

your

vehicle

back

to

the

UK

untaxed

you

can

not

drive

it

back

into

the

UK

it

’ll

have

to

be

transported

and

a

SORN

Statutory

Off

Road

Notification

must

be

made

straight

away

Taking

hired

or

leased

vehicles

abroad

temporarily

You

’ll

need

a

vehicle

on

hire

certificate

to

show

you

’re

allowed

to

use

a

hired

or

leased

vehicle

if

you

’re

driving

it

abroad

You

can

get

a

for

a

fee

from

the

British

Vehicle

Rental

and

Leasing

Association

BVRLA

Logistics

UK

RAC

Motoring

Services

Road

Haulage

Association

RHA

Taxes

if

you

buy

a

new

vehicle

to

take

abroad

If

you

buy

a

new

or

used

vehicle

to

take

out

of

the

UK

you

might

not

have

to

pay

UK

VAT

or

vehicle

taxes

such

as

the

registration

fee

What

you

pay

and

how

you

pay

it

depends

on

where

you

’re

exporting

to

and

from

Export

your

vehicle

with

the

Personal

Export

Scheme

You

may

be

able

to

use

the

Personal

Export

Scheme

to

take

a

new

or

used

vehicle

from

Great

Britain

to

anywhere

outside

the

UK

from

Northern

Ireland

to

a

non

EU

country

When

you

buy

a

new

vehicle

and

export

under

the

scheme

you

do

not

pay

UK

VAT

But

you

still

have

to

pay

vehicle

taxes

and

the

registration

fee

You

must

be

planning

to

leave

the

UK

for

at

least

months

with

the

vehicle

You

usually

have

to

be

personally

driving

your

vehicle

What

you

need

to

do

Fill

in

form

VAT

your

supplier

will

give

you

a

copy

and

give

it

to

your

supplier

You

can

drive

the

vehicle

in

the

UK

for

up

to

months

after

the

delivery

date

or

months

for

non

UK

and

non

EU

residents

it

must

then

be

exported

The

date

for

export

of

the

vehicle

is

shown

on

the

for

new

cars

or

the

VAT

for

used

cars

After

export

send

the

DVLA

the

new

vehicles

second

hand

vehicles

If

you

do

not

export

the

vehicle

on

time

you

’ll

have

to

pay

the

UK

VAT

Export

your

vehicle

from

Northern

Ireland

to

the

EU

If

you

buy

a

new

vehicle

in

Northern

Ireland

to

take

to

an

EU

country

you

do

not

have

to

pay

UK

VAT

if

you

take

the

vehicle

out

of

the

UK

within

months

do

not

drive

the

vehicle

in

the

UK

unless

you

register

and

tax

it

Your

supplier

will

get

you

to

fill

in

form

VAT

You

’ll

have

to

declare

your

vehicle

and

pay

VAT

in

the

other

country

when

you

get

there


Overview

If

you

drive

a

goods

vehicle

or

a

passenger

carrying

vehicle

you

must

follow

the

rules

on

how

many

hours

you

can

drive

and

the

breaks

that

you

need

to

take

There

are

sets

of

rules

that

could

apply

to

your

journey

EU

rules

AETR

rules

GB

domestic

rules

The

rules

that

apply

depend

on

the

type

of

vehicle

you

’re

driving

which

country

you

’re

driving

in

If

you

drive

under

the

EU

or

GB

domestic

drivers

hours

rules

you

also

need

to

follow

the

working

time

rules

If

you

’re

an

employer

of

drivers

or

mobile

workers

there

are

more

rules

you

must

follow

There

are

different

drivers

hours

rules

in

Northern

Ireland

If

you

do

not

follow

the

rules

If

you

break

the

drivers

hours

rules

the

Driver

and

Vehicle

Standards

Agency

DVSA

can

give

you

a

verbal

warning

for

minor

offences

made

by

accident

or

because

of

inexperience

an

offence

rectification

notice

for

offences

which

are

not

a

risk

to

road

safety

you

’ll

have

days

to

fix

the

issue

a

prohibition

notice

for

serious

or

dangerous

offences

you

must

stop

a

dangerous

activity

or

start

following

the

regulations

a

fine

or

points

on

your

licence

a

fixed

penalty

the

amount

depends

on

how

serious

the

offence

is

You

can

be

prosecuted

for

very

serious

or

multiple

offences

DVSA

can

give

you

further

penalties

such

as

an

improvement

or

prohibition

notice

if

you

also

break

the

working

time

rules

You

can

ask

for

an

emergency

exemption

from

the

rules

Read

the

guidance

on

emergency

exemption

and

temporary

relaxation

of

drivers

hours

and

working

time

rules

Drivers

hours

checklists

You

can

also

print

out

the

Staying

legal

checklists

which

cover

the

basic

rules

Staying

legal

the

basics

HGV

drivers

Staying

legal

the

basics

PSV

drivers

Rules

for

employers

If

you

employ

drivers

or

other

mobile

workers

you

must

keep

drivers

hours

records

for

at

least

one

year

make

sure

they

are

properly

trained

and

understand

the

rules

organise

their

time

so

that

they

can

follow

the

rules

check

your

drivers

hours

records

and

data

monitor

your

workers

working

time

Mobile

workers

are

drivers

including

employed

drivers

own

account

drivers

and

agency

drivers

members

of

the

vehicle

crew

for

example

a

second

driver

on

a

coach

anyone

else

who

is

part

of

the

travelling

staff

for

example

a

bus

conductor

a

drayman

or

a

security

guard

aboard

a

vehicle

carrying

high

value

goods

Goods

vehicles

The

rules

that

apply

to

goods

vehicles

depend

on

the

weight

of

your

vehicle

the

country

you

’re

driving

in

and

what

you

’re

using

the

vehicle

for

EU

rules

EU

rules

apply

if

the

maximum

permissible

weight

of

your

vehicle

or

vehicle

combination

is

more

than

tonnes

and

you

’re

driving

in

any

of

the

following

the

EU

including

the

UK

an

European

Economic

Area

EEA

country

Switzerland

Some

vehicles

are

exempt

from

EU

rules

when

driven

in

the

UK

AETR

rules

AETR

European

Agreement

Concerning

the

Work

of

Crews

Engaged

in

International

Road

Transport

rules

apply

if

your

vehicle

will

pass

through

an

AETR

country

GB

domestic

rules

GB

domestic

rules

apply

if

both

the

following

are

true

the

maximum

permissible

weight

of

your

vehicle

or

vehicle

combination

is

under

tonnes

your

vehicle

is

exempt

from

EU

rules

when

driven

in

the

UK

If

you

’ll

be

driving

through

a

country

outside

of

the

UK

EU

EEA

or

Switzerland

you

should

contact

the

UK

embassy

of

the

country

to

check

on

local

rules

More

information

Read

Goods

vehicles

rules

on

drivers

hours

and

tachographs

for

the

main

rules

Read

the

rules

for

drivers

hours

in

the

recovery

vehicle

industry

You

can

also

print

out

the

Staying

legal

leaflet

which

includes

checklists

covering

the

basic

rules

There

are

specific

rules

for

tachographs

and

horse

boxes

or

trailers

Passenger

carrying

vehicles

If

you

’re

driving

a

vehicle

that

carries

passengers

the

rules

that

apply

to

you

depend

on

the

number

of

passenger

seats

how

far

you

’re

driving

the

distance

of

your

route

if

you

’re

driving

to

or

from

another

country

if

you

’re

driving

on

a

regular

or

a

non

regular

service

A

regular

service

follows

a

specified

route

with

stopping

points

for

passengers

to

get

on

or

off

Public

service

vehicles

PSV

A

public

service

vehicle

is

a

vehicle

that

’s

used

to

carry

passengers

for

hire

or

payment

Type

of

operation

or

fewer

passenger

seats

to

passenger

seats

to

passenger

seats

or

more

passenger

seats

Regular

service

on

route

not

exceeding

km

GB

domestic

rules

GB

domestic

rules

GB

Domestic

rules

GB

Domestic

rules

National

or

international

regular

service

on

route

exceeding

km

The

local

rules

of

the

countries

you

drive

in

GB

domestic

rules

in

the

UK

EU

AETR

rules

EU

AETR

rules

EU

AETR

rules

National

or

international

non

regular

service

for

example

commercial

excursions

tours

or

private

hire

The

local

rules

of

the

countries

you

drive

in

GB

domestic

rules

in

the

UK

EU

AETR

rules

EU

AETR

rules

EU

AETR

rules

Other

passenger

carrying

vehicles

You

do

not

need

to

follow

any

drivers

hours

rules

if

you

drive

a

police

fire

service

or

armed

forces

vehicle

If

you

drive

for

a

different

public

authority

or

for

a

business

and

your

vehicle

is

a

non

PSV

with

up

to

passenger

seats

you

do

not

need

to

follow

any

drivers

hours

rules

or

more

passenger

seats

you

must

follow

the

EU

rules

unless

your

vehicle

is

exempt

from

EU

law

If

you

drive

a

non

commercial

vehicle

You

drive

a

non

commercial

vehicle

if

passengers

are

not

charged

to

use

the

vehicle

you

and

any

other

workers

are

not

paid

to

operate

or

work

in

the

vehicle

the

vehicle

is

not

used

professionally

or

commercially

If

your

vehicle

has

up

to

passenger

seats

you

do

not

need

to

follow

any

drivers

hours

rules

If

your

vehicle

has

or

more

passenger

seats

you

usually

need

to

follow

the

EU

rules

You

need

to

follow

GB

rules

instead

if

your

vehicle

has

between

and

passenger

seats

and

is

only

used

for

non

commercial

journeys

If

you

use

your

vehicle

outside

the

UK

If

you

drive

between

the

UK

and

another

country

and

your

vehicle

has

up

to

passenger

seats

you

must

follow

the

local

rules

for

the

country

you

’re

driving

in

or

more

passenger

seats

you

must

follow

the

EU

or

the

European

Agreement

Concerning

the

Work

of

Crews

of

Vehicles

Engaged

in

International

Road

Transport

AETR

rules

More

information

Read

Passenger

vehicles

rules

on

drivers

hours

and

tachographs

for

the

main

rules

You

can

also

print

out

the

Staying

legal

leaflet

which

includes

checklists

covering

the

basic

rules

Exemptions

from

EU

law

Some

types

of

vehicle

are

exempt

from

EU

rules

This

means

they

come

under

GB

domestic

rules

in

the

UK

The

main

types

of

exempt

vehicle

are

vehicles

that

can

not

go

faster

than

kilometres

per

hour

including

vehicles

that

are

restricted

by

a

set

speed

limiter

emergency

aid

vehicles

vehicles

used

in

the

non

commercial

transport

of

humanitarian

aid

for

use

in

emergencies

or

rescue

operations

breakdown

vehicles

specialised

breakdown

vehicles

working

within

a

km

of

their

base

vehicles

undergoing

road

tests

for

technical

development

repair

or

maintenance

purposes

and

new

or

rebuilt

vehicles

which

have

not

yet

been

put

into

service

vehicles

manufactured

more

than

years

ago

vehicles

used

by

agricultural

horticultural

forestry

farming

or

fishery

businesses

for

carrying

goods

within

km

of

where

the

business

is

based

vehicles

that

are

used

to

carry

live

animals

between

a

farm

and

a

market

or

from

a

market

to

a

slaughterhouse

where

the

distance

is

less

than

km

vehicles

that

are

used

to

carry

animal

waste

or

carcasses

that

are

not

intended

for

human

consumption

educational

vehicles

for

example

play

buses

and

mobile

libraries

vehicles

or

combinations

of

vehicles

with

a

maximum

permissible

weight

of

tonnes

or

less

that

are

used

for

carrying

work

equipment

for

the

driver

where

the

distance

is

less

than

km

vehicles

driven

only

on

islands

whose

area

does

not

exceed

square

kilometres

vehicles

with

a

maximum

weight

of

tonnes

which

use

natural

or

liquefied

gas

or

electricity

as

fuel

and

carry

goods

within

km

from

their

base

driving

instruction

or

exams

vehicles

used

for

driving

instruction

and

examination

Includes

instruction

for

renewal

of

Driver

Certificate

of

Professional

Competence

CPC

circus

vehicles

specialised

vehicles

transporting

circus

and

funfair

equipment

milk

collection

vehicles

used

for

collecting

milk

from

farms

or

returning

milk

containers

or

milk

products

for

animal

feed

to

farms

any

vehicle

that

is

propelled

by

steam

Read

the

full

list

of

exempt

vehicles

EU

rules

Driving

hours

The

main

EU

rules

on

driving

hours

are

that

you

must

not

drive

more

than

hours

in

a

day

this

can

be

extended

to

hours

twice

a

week

hours

in

a

week

hours

in

any

consecutive

weeks

All

driving

you

do

under

EU

rules

must

be

recorded

on

a

tachograph

Breaks

and

rest

The

main

points

of

EU

rules

on

breaks

and

rest

are

that

you

must

take

at

least

hours

rest

every

day

you

can

reduce

this

to

hours

rest

times

between

any

weekly

rest

periods

an

unbroken

rest

period

of

hours

every

week

you

can

reduce

this

to

hours

every

other

week

a

break

or

breaks

totalling

at

least

minutes

after

no

more

than

hours

minutes

driving

your

weekly

rest

after

consecutive

hour

periods

of

working

starting

from

the

end

of

the

last

weekly

rest

period

taken

Coach

drivers

on

an

international

trip

can

take

their

weekly

rest

after

consecutive

hour

periods

starting

from

the

end

of

the

last

weekly

rest

period

taken

For

more

details

on

rests

and

breaks

read

Goods

vehicles

rules

on

drivers

hours

and

tachographs

Passenger

vehicles

rules

on

drivers

hours

and

tachographs

AETR

rules

The

European

Agreement

Concerning

the

Work

of

Crews

of

Vehicles

Engaged

in

International

Road

Transport

AETR

rules

are

now

the

same

as

the

EU

rules

on

drivers

hours

The

AETR

rules

cover

all

EU

countries

and

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia

and

Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North

Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San

Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United

Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB

domestic

rules

The

GB

domestic

drivers

hours

rules

apply

to

most

passenger

carrying

vehicles

and

goods

vehicles

that

do

not

have

to

follow

the

EU

rules

GB

domestic

rules

apply

in

Great

Britain

there

are

separate

rules

in

Northern

Ireland

Goods

vehicles

Duty

time

If

you

work

as

a

driver

for

a

company

duty

time

is

any

working

time

If

you

’re

self

employed

duty

time

is

only

time

you

spend

driving

the

vehicle

or

doing

other

work

related

to

the

vehicle

or

its

load

Daily

driving

limit

You

must

not

drive

for

more

than

hours

in

a

day

on

a

public

road

off

road

if

not

during

duty

time

Off

road

driving

counts

as

duty

time

if

it

’s

for

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building

work

civil

engineering

Daily

duty

limit

You

must

not

be

on

duty

for

more

than

hours

in

any

working

day

This

limit

does

not

apply

on

any

working

day

when

you

do

not

drive

You

must

record

your

hours

on

a

weekly

record

sheet

or

on

a

tachograph

Exemptions

You

do

not

need

to

follow

the

GB

domestic

rules

if

you

are

dealing

with

an

emergency

for

example

a

major

disruption

to

public

services

or

danger

to

life

are

using

the

vehicle

for

private

driving

and

not

for

work

drive

off

road

or

on

private

roads

during

duty

time

drive

a

vehicle

used

by

the

armed

forces

police

or

fire

brigade

Passenger

carrying

vehicles

Duty

time

If

you

work

as

a

driver

for

a

company

duty

time

is

any

working

time

If

you

’re

self

employed

duty

time

is

only

time

you

spend

driving

the

vehicle

or

doing

other

work

related

to

the

vehicle

or

its

load

Daily

driving

limit

You

must

not

drive

for

more

than

hours

in

any

working

day

Breaks

and

continuous

driving

After

hours

minutes

of

driving

you

must

take

a

break

of

at

least

minutes

for

rest

and

refreshment

Or

within

any

period

of

hours

minutes

you

must

take

at

least

minutes

in

breaks

You

must

also

have

a

break

of

at

least

minutes

at

the

end

of

this

period

unless

it

’s

the

end

of

the

working

day

Length

of

working

day

spreadover

You

must

not

work

more

than

hours

between

the

times

of

starting

and

finishing

work

including

non

driving

work

and

any

times

when

you

’re

off

Daily

rest

periods

You

must

take

a

rest

of

hours

before

the

first

duty

and

immediately

after

the

last

duty

in

a

working

week

You

must

take

a

rest

of

at

least

hours

between

working

days

or

spreadovers

this

can

be

reduced

to

hours

up

to

times

a

week

Fortnightly

rest

periods

Every

weeks

you

must

take

at

least

one

period

of

hours

off

duty

A

fixed

week

is

from

hours

on

Monday

to

hours

the

next

Sunday

Exemptions

You

do

not

need

to

follow

the

GB

domestic

rules

if

you

are

dealing

with

an

emergency

for

example

a

major

disruption

to

public

services

or

danger

to

life

drive

for

less

than

hours

a

day

in

a

week

If

you

drive

for

more

than

hours

for

up

to

days

a

week

you

do

not

need

to

follow

all

of

the

rules

You

need

to

follow

the

rules

for

daily

driving

limits

and

length

of

working

day

start

and

finish

all

of

your

duties

within

a

hour

period

take

a

rest

of

hours

before

the

first

duty

and

immediately

after

the

last

duty

If

you

work

overnight

and

the

rules

applied

on

the

day

your

shift

began

you

must

follow

the

rules

for

your

entire

shift

even

if

your

shift

finishes

during

a

week

in

which

you

’re

exempt

from

the

rules

Driving

under

both

EU

and

GB

domestic

rules

If

you

work

partly

under

EU

AETR

rules

and

partly

under

GB

domestic

rules

during

a

day

or

a

week

you

need

to

know

the

following

driving

under

EU

rules

counts

towards

the

driving

and

duty

limits

under

GB

domestic

rules

on

any

days

you

drive

under

EU

rules

you

must

take

EU

daily

rest

periods

as

well

as

a

weekly

rest

period

you

can

not

count

the

time

you

spend

driving

under

EU

rules

as

an

off

duty

period

under

GB

domestic

rules

driving

and

other

duty

under

GB

domestic

rules

count

as

attendance

at

work

not

as

a

break

or

rest

period

under

EU

rules

Driving

limits

You

must

follow

the

GB

domestic

limit

of

a

maximum

of

hours

driving

a

day

But

at

any

time

when

you

’re

actually

driving

under

the

EU

rules

you

must

follow

all

the

rules

on

EU

driving

limits

Other

duty

limits

You

must

follow

the

GB

domestic

limit

of

a

maximum

of

hours

on

duty

if

you

drive

a

goods

vehicle

hours

on

duty

if

you

drive

a

passenger

carrying

vehicle

Rest

periods

and

breaks

You

must

follow

the

EU

rules

on

rest

periods

and

breaks

on

days

and

weeks

when

you

drive

under

EU

rules

A

fixed

week

is

from

hours

on

Monday

to

hours

the

next

Sunday

Read

Goods

vehicles

rules

on

drivers

hours

and

tachographs

for

the

main

rules

Read

the

rules

for

drivers

hours

in

the

recovery

vehicle

industry


Overview

Traffic

commissioners

are

responsible

for

licensing

and

regulating

operators

of

heavy

goods

vehicles

HGVs

public

service

vehicles

PSVs

and

local

bus

services

They

can

also

take

action

against

their

drivers

They

can

call

a

formal

public

inquiry

in

a

court

to

get

more

evidence

to

help

them

decide

if

they

should

grant

or

refuse

licences

for

HGV

or

PSV

operators

take

action

against

a

vehicle

operator

bus

service

operator

or

driver

of

a

bus

minibus

or

lorry

This

might

be

if

someone

has

objected

to

a

licence

being

granted

or

the

traffic

commissioner

thinks

an

operator

may

have

broken

the

terms

of

their

licence

A

vehicle

or

bus

service

operator

can

also

request

a

public

inquiry

but

the

traffic

commissioner

does

n’t

have

to

hold

one

Objecting

to

a

licence

Licence

applications

are

made

public

Objections

can

be

made

by

certain

public

bodies

and

in

some

cases

individuals

Objections

by

public

bodies

Bodies

that

can

object

to

a

licence

application

include

local

and

planning

authorities

the

police

some

trade

associations

and

trade

unions

When

a

public

body

can

object

A

public

body

can

object

to

a

licence

about

the

professional

competence

of

the

operator

or

its

transport

manager

operator

’s

finances

operator

’s

reputation

or

fitness

to

hold

a

licence

operator

’s

arrangements

for

vehicle

maintenance

and

drivers

hours

operating

centre

’s

environmental

standards

and

general

conditions

Objections

must

be

put

in

writing

to

the

traffic

commissioner

within

days

of

a

licence

application

being

made

public

You

can

see

the

latest

applications

and

traffic

commissioner

decisions

in

the

regularly

updated

Applications

and

Decisions

guides

for

goods

vehicles

and

the

Notices

and

Proceedings

guides

for

public

service

vehicles

PSVs

Read

the

guide

on

goods

vehicle

operator

licensing

for

further

information

Objections

by

individuals

representations

If

a

vehicle

operator

wants

to

add

an

operating

centre

to

a

licence

or

make

changes

to

an

existing

centre

owners

and

residents

of

land

nearby

can

object

This

is

called

a

representation

However

representations

must

be

about

environmental

issues

such

as

concern

over

noise

and

only

if

they

’re

going

to

affect

the

owner

or

resident

’s

use

or

enjoyment

of

the

land

Read

the

guide

on

making

a

representation

or

complaint

for

further

information

Being

called

to

a

public

inquiry

You

may

have

to

attend

a

public

inquiry

if

someone

has

objected

to

your

application

for

a

licence

or

change

to

a

licence

you

have

not

kept

to

the

conditions

of

your

licence

for

example

you

’ve

used

more

vehicles

than

permitted

there

are

environmental

concerns

about

a

goods

vehicle

operating

centre

on

your

licence

your

conduct

has

come

into

question

for

example

you

’ve

been

caught

using

a

mobile

phone

while

driving

You

’ll

get

a

letter

with

all

the

details

Notice

to

attend

You

’ll

get

a

minimum

of

days

notice

if

the

inquiry

is

about

a

transport

manager

days

notice

if

the

inquiry

is

about

a

new

or

existing

goods

operator

licence

days

notice

if

the

inquiry

is

about

a

new

or

existing

passenger

operator

’s

licence

You

can

not

ask

for

the

hearing

to

be

changed

to

another

date

unless

you

have

a

good

reason

that

can

be

backed

up

For

example

if

you

’re

going

on

holiday

you

may

need

to

send

evidence

to

show

it

was

pre

booked

At

the

public

inquiry

You

can

decide

to

represent

yourself

or

ask

someone

to

represent

you

such

as

a

lawyer

This

could

be

someone

else

like

a

transport

consultant

if

the

traffic

commissioner

agrees

Evidence

is

not

given

under

oath

but

witnesses

have

to

tell

the

truth

If

you

do

not

tell

the

truth

you

could

lose

your

licence

or

criminal

charges

may

follow

What

happens

at

the

hearing

Report

to

the

inquiry

clerk

as

soon

as

you

arrive

The

traffic

commissioner

will

then

decide

whether

oppositions

should

be

heard

listen

to

the

application

outline

and

ask

questions

about

it

listen

to

objectors

or

a

Driver

and

Vehicle

Standards

Agency

DVSA

traffic

examiner

outline

their

cases

and

ask

questions

ask

applicants

and

objectors

to

present

their

cases

in

detail

they

or

any

of

the

parties

may

ask

questions

question

applicants

on

how

conditions

added

to

the

licence

may

affect

their

business

ask

applicants

and

objectors

to

sum

up

their

cases

The

traffic

commissioner

will

announce

their

decision

at

the

time

or

give

it

in

writing

later

usually

within

days

Decision

and

penalties

The

traffic

commissioner

can

decide

to

refuse

to

grant

a

licence

refuse

to

vary

an

existing

licence

attach

conditions

to

a

licence

grant

a

licence

allowing

fewer

vehicles

than

the

number

applied

for

impose

financial

penalties

on

registered

bus

service

operators

end

or

suspend

an

existing

licence

disqualify

an

individual

or

a

company

from

having

a

licence

disqualify

transport

managers

You

can

appeal

against

the

decision

Appeals

You

can

appeal

to

the

Upper

Tribunal

against

a

traffic

commissioner

decision

form

You

must

send

the

form

to

the

tribunal

within

month

of

the

traffic

commissioner

’s

written

decision

The

address

is

on

the

form

Find

out

more

about

making

an

appeal

to

the

Upper

Tribunal

Further

information

The

Office

of

the

Traffic

Commissioner

has

produced

a

detailed

guide

to

traffic

commissioner

public

inquiries

It

includes

further

information

on

how

you

might

be

called

to

an

inquiry

how

you

might

find

out

if

an

inquiry

is

to

be

held

how

they

work

on

the

day


Overview

You

need

a

goods

vehicle

operator

’s

licence

if

your

business

uses

goods

vehicles

above

a

certain

weight

The

rules

are

different

if

you

’re

in

Northern

Ireland

You

need

a

licence

to

carry

goods

in

a

lorry

van

or

other

vehicle

with

either

a

gross

plated

weight

the

maximum

weight

that

the

vehicle

can

have

at

any

one

time

of

over

kilograms

kg

an

unladen

weight

of

more

than

kg

where

there

is

no

plated

weight

There

are

different

types

of

licence

what

you

need

depends

on

the

work

you

do

You

must

also

make

sure

that

any

drivers

you

use

or

employ

have

the

correct

licence

and

training

All

vehicles

that

you

use

should

be

correctly

taxed

and

kept

safe

and

in

good

condition

at

all

times

Some

goods

vehicles

do

not

need

an

operator

’s

licence

read

more

about

the

exemptions

Motor

vehicles

and

trailers

You

’ll

need

a

goods

vehicle

operator

’s

licence

for

a

motor

vehicle

and

trailer

combination

if

the

motor

vehicle

and

the

trailer(s

are

plated

and

the

total

of

their

gross

plated

weights

is

more

than

kg

the

total

unladen

weight

of

the

vehicle

and

trailer

combination

is

more

than

kg

You

do

not

need

an

operator

’s

licence

if

your

trailer

’s

unladen

weight

is

less

than

kg

and

you

only

carry

your

own

goods

Carrying

goods

for

hire

or

reward

You

’ll

need

a

standard

licence

if

you

’re

carrying

other

people

’s

goods

for

hire

or

reward

such

as

working

as

a

courier

or

freight

transport

business

and

the

vehicle

and

trailer

combination

exceeds

the

weight

limits

above

for

a

single

vehicle

Types

of

licence

There

are

different

types

of

operator

’s

licence

for

goods

vehicles

The

licence

you

need

depends

on

where

you

transport

goods

to

and

from

and

who

you

do

it

for

Standard

national

licence

This

licence

means

you

can

carry

your

own

goods

in

the

UK

and

internationally

other

people

’s

goods

in

the

UK

You

can

also

take

loaded

trailers

to

or

from

ports

within

the

UK

as

part

of

an

international

journey

as

long

as

your

vehicles

do

not

leave

the

country

Standard

international

licence

This

licence

means

you

can

carry

your

own

goods

and

other

people

’s

goods

both

in

the

UK

and

on

international

journeys

After

you

get

a

standard

international

licence

you

can

also

request

the

issue

of

a

UK

Licence

for

the

Community

A

UK

Licence

for

the

Community

allows

trips

between

all

EU

member

countries

transit

traffic

through

EU

member

countries

cabotage

a

journey

entirely

within

one

EU

country

Restricted

licence

This

licence

allows

you

to

carry

your

own

goods

but

not

other

people

’s

goods

Your

licence

will

continue

to

be

valid

as

long

as

you

pay

your

continuation

fee

every

years

and

operate

within

the

terms

of

your

licence

You

’ll

be

contacted

every

years

to

make

sure

that

your

licence

shows

the

correct

information

Contact

the

Driver

and

Vehicle

Standards

Agency

DVSA

if

you

have

any

questions

about

vehicle

licences

Transport

outside

the

EU

Contact

the

DVSA

International

Road

Haulage

Permits

Office

for

help

with

applications

for

transport

outside

certain

EU

countries

Apply

for

a

licence

The

goods

vehicle

operator

licensing

scheme

is

administered

by

the

Driver

and

Vehicle

Standards

Agency

DVSA

on

behalf

of

the

traffic

commissioners

The

rules

and

fees

are

different

if

you

’re

in

Northern

Ireland

How

to

apply

for

a

licence

You

can

apply

for

a

goods

vehicle

operator

’s

licence

online

You

’ll

also

need

to

advertise

your

application

for

a

licence

advertise

your

proposed

operating

centre(s

designate

a

transport

manager

if

you

’re

applying

for

a

standard

licence

provide

information

about

your

financial

situation

draw

up

a

maintenance

contract

with

a

garage

or

agent

to

do

safety

inspections

and

repair

vehicles

if

you

do

not

do

this

yourself

You

’ll

have

to

pay

a

fee

to

apply

for

a

licence

You

’ll

usually

get

a

decision

on

your

application

within

weeks

if

you

apply

online

weeks

if

you

apply

by

post

Apply

for

an

interim

licence

If

you

need

a

licence

urgently

you

can

apply

for

an

interim

licence

until

you

get

your

full

licence

The

traffic

commissioner

will

only

consider

issuing

an

interim

licence

on

receipt

of

a

complete

application

for

an

operator

’s

licence

What

the

traffic

commissioners

do

There

are

traffic

areas

in

Great

Britain

with

a

traffic

commissioner

responsible

for

each

area

You

’ll

need

to

hold

a

goods

vehicle

operator

’s

licence

for

each

traffic

area

where

you

have

an

operating

centre

Traffic

commissioners

are

responsible

in

their

area

for

licensing

operators

of

Heavy

Goods

Vehicles

HGVs

granting

vocational

licences

taking

action

against

drivers

of

HGVs

When

necessary

they

also

hold

public

inquiries

to

consider

the

environmental

suitability

of

HGV

operating

centres

applications

for

new

licences

disciplinary

action

against

operators

who

have

broken

the

conditions

of

their

licences

Fees

for

goods

vehicle

licences

When

applying

for

a

goods

vehicle

operator

’s

licence

you

’ll

have

to

pay

a

one

off

fee

payable

on

application

a

fee

for

the

issue

of

a

licence

a

fee

for

the

issue

of

an

interim

licence

if

applicable

You

’ll

then

have

to

pay

a

continuation

fee

every

years

to

keep

your

licence

active

Action

Fee

Application

for

a

licence

Issue

of

a

licence

Continuation

of

a

licence

after

years

Issue

of

an

interim

licence

Major

change

to

a

licence

How

to

pay

You

can

pay

your

fees

online

when

you

apply

for

a

vehicle

operator

licence

by

phone

call

the

DVSA

Helpline

on

to

pay

for

the

interim

issuing

and

continuation

fees

find

out

about

call

charges

by

post

cheques

should

be

made

payable

to

DVSA

and

sent

to

the

following

address

Operating

centres

Your

operating

centre

is

where

your

vehicles

are

normally

kept

when

not

in

use

When

you

apply

for

an

operator

’s

licence

you

’ll

be

asked

to

give

the

address

of

your

proposed

centre(s

and

information

about

the

numbers

of

trailers

and

vehicles

you

will

keep

there

You

’ll

need

to

show

that

your

operating

centre

is

large

enough

has

safe

access

is

in

an

environmentally

acceptable

location

If

you

do

not

own

the

operating

centre

you

must

show

that

you

’re

allowed

to

use

it

Advertising

your

application

for

a

goods

vehicle

operator

’s

licence

You

must

advertise

your

application

for

a

licence

in

a

local

newspaper

and

supply

details

of

your

proposed

operating

centre

This

advertisement

must

appear

at

least

once

in

the

period

from

days

before

to

days

after

you

make

your

application

to

give

people

the

chance

to

object

Your

application

may

be

refused

if

you

do

not

advertise

the

centre

properly

Objecting

to

an

application

for

a

goods

vehicle

operator

licence

Local

councils

planning

authorities

police

trade

associations

trade

unions

and

other

bodies

may

object

to

your

application

for

a

licence

Objections

may

be

made

on

the

grounds

of

your

fitness

to

operate

your

financial

arrangements

your

professional

competence

the

environmental

impact

of

the

operating

centre

the

general

suitability

of

the

centre

Your

operating

centre

will

need

to

meet

certain

conditions

and

not

interfere

with

any

local

amenities

Certain

things

will

be

taken

into

account

like

its

effect

on

the

surrounding

environment

planning

permissions

or

applications

relating

to

the

centre

or

the

land

near

it

the

number

type

and

size

of

vehicles

using

the

centre

where

and

how

vehicles

will

park

how

often

and

for

what

purpose

the

centre

will

be

used

Maintaining

your

vehicles

You

must

keep

your

vehicles

safe

and

in

good

condition

at

all

times

You

’ll

have

to

keep

records

of

all

safety

inspections

and

maintenance

that

you

or

your

maintenance

contractor

do

for

a

minimum

of

months

Carrying

out

your

own

inspections

and

maintenance

If

you

carry

out

your

own

safety

inspections

and

maintenance

you

must

keep

records

that

include

vehicle

details

a

list

of

all

items

to

be

inspected

when

and

by

whom

the

inspection

is

carried

out

the

result

of

the

inspection

details

of

any

work

carried

out

a

declaration

that

any

defects

have

been

properly

fixed

Walkaround

checks

You

must

make

sure

your

drivers

carry

out

a

walkaround

check

before

driving

a

vehicle

for

the

first

time

each

day

Using

a

maintenance

provider

If

you

do

not

do

this

work

yourself

you

must

provide

the

traffic

commissioner

with

a

copy

of

a

contract

with

a

maintenance

provider

You

’re

still

responsible

for

the

condition

of

your

vehicles

and

trailers

even

if

they

are

maintained

for

you

by

someone

else

Read

the

guidance

to

find

out

how

to

keep

your

vehicle

in

a

roadworthy

condition

There

are

also

specific

roadworthiness

checks

for

recovery

vehicles

and

for

horse

boxes

and

trailers

Employing

or

using

drivers

If

you

employ

or

give

work

to

drivers

you

must

check

that

they

have

the

correct

licence

and

training

to

drive

goods

vehicles

Professional

lorry

drivers

need

to

hold

a

Driver

Certificate

of

Professional

Competence

Driver

CPC

If

you

employ

or

give

work

to

foreign

drivers

you

should

make

sure

they

understand

the

rules

for

driving

in

the

UK

The

Highways

Agency

has

produced

guides

for

foreign

HGV

drivers

in

languages

Make

changes

to

your

licence

You

can

make

changes

to

your

goods

vehicle

operator

’s

licence

once

you

have

it

for

example

add

more

vehicles

to

it

You

can

update

your

licence

online

You

must

apply

by

post

if

you

want

to

transfer

your

operating

centre

to

another

operator

Download

and

fill

in

form

the

address

is

on

the

form

Order

a

replacement

licence

Write

to

the

Office

of

the

Traffic

Commissioner

if

you

need

to

replace

your

licence

What

happens

if

you

break

the

terms

of

your

licence

The

Driver

and

Vehicle

Standards

Agency

carries

out

regular

roadside

vehicle

checks

and

checks

on

operating

centres

They

then

submit

information

to

the

independent

traffic

commissioners

Your

vehicle

may

be

prohibited

or

immobilised

if

a

DVSA

roadside

check

finds

that

it

’s

been

overloaded

it

’s

unroadworthy

it

breaks

the

rules

on

the

transport

of

dangerous

goods

a

driver

has

broken

drivers

hours

regulations

Your

licence

could

be

taken

away

suspended

or

restricted

by

the

traffic

commissioner

if

you

break

any

of

the

terms

or

conditions

of

your

licence

do

not

meet

health

and

safety

conditions

are

convicted

of

certain

offences

are

made

bankrupt

or

if

the

licence

holder

is

a

company

that

company

goes

into

liquidation

administration

or

receivership

use

a

place

not

listed

on

the

licence

as

an

operating

centre

are

given

a

prohibition

notice

by

DVSA

following

an

inspection

The

traffic

commissioner

may

decide

to

call

you

to

a

public

inquiry

to

consider

if

any

action

against

your

licence

is

necessary

Exemptions

You

do

not

need

a

goods

vehicle

operator

’s

licence

if

your

vehicle

was

first

used

before

has

an

unladen

weight

of

kilograms

or

less

and

a

maximum

gross

plated

weight

over

kilograms

is

using

public

roads

for

less

than

miles

a

week

whilst

moving

between

private

premises

belonging

to

the

same

person

as

the

vehicle

if

the

vehicle

’s

used

for

excavation

or

demolition

it

does

not

matter

who

it

belongs

to

is

being

used

on

trade

plates

is

a

passenger

carrying

vehicle

Categories

of

vehicles

that

are

exempt

Several

types

of

vehicle

do

not

need

an

operator

’s

licence

including

military

vehicles

snow

ploughs

and

gritters

emergency

service

vehicles

including

those

used

by

gas

electricity

water

and

telephone

companies

hearses

recovery

vehicles

only

if

they

’re

used

exclusively

for

that

purpose

tractors

and

agricultural

vehicles

used

in

certain

circumstances

Read

the

guidance

to

find

out

more

about

the

vehicle

operator

licensing

system

Categories

of

vehicles

that

are

not

exempt

These

types

of

vehicles

are

never

exempt

mobile

exhibition

vehicles

catering

vehicles

mobile

shops

mobile

medical

screening

vehicles

vehicles

with

fixed

equipment

carrying

goods

not

strictly

for

use

in

connection

with

that

equipment

or

towing

a

trailer

that

’s

carrying

goods


Overview

A

local

bus

service

uses

public

service

vehicles

PSVs

to

carry

passengers

who

pay

separate

fares

over

short

distances

The

route

can

be

any

length

as

long

as

passengers

can

get

off

within

miles

measured

in

a

straight

line

of

where

they

got

on

You

must

usually

register

with

the

local

authority

and

the

local

traffic

commissioner

if

you

’re

operating

a

local

service

outside

London

there

are

some

exceptions

You

need

a

London

Service

Permit

to

run

a

service

in

London

Who

can

register

You

can

register

a

local

bus

service

if

you

hold

a

valid

PSV

operator

’s

licence

hold

a

community

bus

permit

are

a

local

education

authority

and

want

to

provide

a

local

service

using

a

school

bus

belonging

to

you

Taxi

or

private

hire

vehicle

owners

can

also

register

by

getting

a

special

PSV

operator

’s

licence

Before

you

register

Before

registering

a

local

bus

service

you

should

consider

if

your

route

is

suitable

you

have

the

right

sort

of

vehicles

you

can

keep

to

the

timetable

given

the

traffic

conditions

on

route

you

have

enough

drivers

to

cover

absences

though

sicknesses

holidays

etc

you

have

replacement

vehicles

if

other

vehicles

are

off

road

there

are

any

traffic

regulation

conditions

contact

your

local

traffic

area

office

a

Quality

Partnership

or

Quality

Contract

Scheme

exists

contact

your

local

transport

authority

You

must

run

the

service

just

as

you

have

registered

it

even

if

staff

members

are

ill

or

a

vehicle

is

off

the

road

There

are

penalties

if

you

do

not

How

to

register

You

must

tell

the

local

authority

in

England

or

the

local

council

in

Scotland

that

you

’re

starting

a

bus

service

You

must

do

this

days

before

you

apply

to

the

traffic

commissioner

Apply

to

the

traffic

commissioner

at

least

days

before

your

service

starts

or

days

before

if

your

service

is

in

Wales

This

notice

period

begins

on

the

day

when

the

traffic

commissioner

accepts

your

application

Holders

of

a

Section

community

bus

permit

must

give

at

least

days

notice

in

England

and

Wales

and

days

in

Scotland

If

you

want

to

start

the

service

sooner

you

must

complete

a

supplementary

form

The

traffic

commissioner

decides

whether

or

not

to

agree

to

this

If

you

’re

planning

a

service

in

Strathclyde

you

must

also

give

notice

to

the

Strathclyde

Partnership

for

Transport

days

before

you

apply

to

the

traffic

commissioner

Fees

It

costs

to

register

a

local

bus

service

to

register

a

community

bus

service

Apply

online

You

can

register

through

the

electronic

bus

service

registration

EBSR

system

Telephone

the

Driver

and

Vehicle

Standards

Agency

DVSA

helpline

for

information

on

how

to

do

this

Apply

by

post

Print

off

and

fill

in

the

application

form

for

the

type

of

service

you

want

to

run

application

to

register

a

bus

service

England

Wales

and

Scotland

Application

to

register

a

local

bus

service

with

a

flexible

route

supplementary

form

application

to

start

change

or

cancel

a

registered

bus

service

with

less

than

days

notice

England

Wales

and

Scotland

Where

to

send

the

form

Send

the

form

and

fees

to

Central

Licensing

Office

for

England

and

Wales

except

London

Office

of

the

Traffic

Commissioner

for

Scotland

Other

people

you

must

tell

You

must

also

send

copies

to

all

councils

your

route

passes

through

for

example

the

county

council

shire

council

unitary

authority

the

relevant

Passenger

Transport

Executive

if

there

is

one

Getting

help

Read

the

following

guides

for

more

information

on

local

bus

service

registration

guide

for

operators

England

Scotland

and

Wales

the

registration

of

flexibly

routed

local

bus

services

guide

for

operators

Change

or

cancel

a

bus

service

Apply

to

the

local

authority

and

the

traffic

commissioner

if

you

want

to

change

a

timetable

route

or

other

detail

of

your

service

cancel

the

service

You

must

tell

the

local

authority

in

England

or

the

local

council

in

Scotland

that

you

’re

changing

or

cancelling

a

bus

service

You

must

do

this

days

before

you

apply

to

the

traffic

commissioner

Apply

to

the

traffic

commissioner

at

least

days

before

your

service

changes

or

stops

or

days

before

if

your

service

is

in

Wales

Holders

of

a

section

community

bus

permit

must

give

at

least

days

notice

in

England

and

Wales

and

days

in

Scotland

If

you

want

to

make

the

changes

or

cancel

the

service

sooner

you

must

fill

in

a

supplementary

form

England

Scotland

or

Wales

The

traffic

commissioner

decides

whether

or

not

to

agree

to

this

Fees

It

costs

to

change

a

local

bus

service

to

change

a

community

bus

service

There

’s

no

fee

for

a

cancellation

Application

and

supplementary

forms

Print

off

and

fill

in

the

application

and

supplementary

forms

to

change

or

cancel

a

registered

bus

service

England

Scotland

or

Wales

change

or

cancel

a

registered

bus

service

with

less

than

days

notice

England

Scotland

or

Wales

Exemptions

You

do

not

have

to

register

a

bus

service

if

all

of

the

following

apply

someone

other

than

you

or

your

agent

is

responsible

for

arranging

the

journey

and

bringing

the

passengers

together

the

journey

is

not

advertised

in

advance

to

the

general

public

all

passengers

travel

together

to

or

from

the

same

place

for

example

a

school

or

factory

passengers

pay

the

same

fare

no

matter

how

far

they

travel

School

or

college

bus

services

If

you

operate

a

bus

service

provided

by

a

local

education

authority

in

England

or

Wales

you

may

not

have

to

register

it

You

do

not

need

to

register

a

service

if

the

only

passengers

who

pay

fares

are

either

studying

at

a

school

or

college

supervising

pupils

or

students

teachers

or

assistants

working

at

the

school

or

college

If

other

people

can

also

use

the

service

it

must

be

registered

Other

exemptions

You

do

not

need

to

register

a

replacement

bus

service

for

example

when

a

train

service

is

temporarily

cancelled

and

a

bus

is

used

instead

provided

under

an

agreement

with

the

Secretary

of

State

the

Scottish

Ministers

or

the

National

Assembly

for

Wales

excursions

or

tours

unless

they

operate

once

a

week

or

more

for

at

least

weeks

in

a

row

An

excursion

or

tour

is

where

passengers

travel

together

on

a

journey

with

or

without

breaks

from

one

or

more

places

to

one

or

more

places

and

back

Traffic

regulation

conditions

The

local

council

can

ask

the

traffic

commissioner

to

impose

conditions

on

your

licence

The

traffic

commissioner

will

decide

if

conditions

are

needed

to

prevent

dangers

to

other

road

users

reduce

traffic

congestion

limit

environmental

pollution

The

conditions

could

affect

your

bus

routes

where

you

can

stop

when

you

can

stop

and

for

how

long

where

you

can

turn

or

reverse

the

number

of

vehicles

their

type

or

their

frequency

In

some

cases

the

conditions

will

start

straight

away

You

’ll

be

told

if

conditions

have

been

imposed

and

they

’ll

be

added

to

your

licence

You

can

not

meet

the

conditions

You

must

change

the

registration

within

days

if

you

can

not

run

your

service

under

the

conditions

You

will

not

have

to

pay

a

fee

if

you

change

the

registration

because

of

these

conditions

You

must

meet

the

conditions

until

the

change

of

registration

takes

effect

You

disagree

with

the

conditions

You

can

ask

for

a

public

inquiry

within

days

if

you

disagree

with

the

traffic

commissioner

’s

decision

It

’s

against

the

law

to

disobey

traffic

regulation

conditions

Penalties

for

poor

service

Once

you

have

registered

your

service

you

must

run

it

at

the

times

you

’ve

said

it

would

run

along

the

route

you

’ve

registered

Penalties

If

you

do

not

run

a

reliable

or

punctual

service

the

traffic

commissioner

can

stop

you

from

running

the

service

or

even

running

any

services

at

all

The

traffic

commissioner

can

also

fine

you

The

size

of

the

fine

is

based

on

the

number

of

vehicles

you

’re

licensed

to

use

If

you

provide

the

local

bus

service

in

England

and

Wales

you

may

also

have

to

spend

money

on

providing

or

improving

local

services

or

facilities

compensate

passengers

You

can

appeal

to

the

Upper

Tribunal

if

you

disagree

with

the

traffic

commissioner

’s

decision

Read

more

about

the

standards

for

local

bus

services

and

how

traffic

commissioners

expect

you

to

operate

Register

a

bus

service

in

London

To

run

a

bus

service

in

London

you

must

have

a

London

Service

Permit

Permits

last

for

years

and

you

must

normally

apply

at

least

months

before

starting

the

service

You

can

apply

for

a

shorter

period

of

notice

if

Transport

for

London

TfL

agrees

Concessionary

fares

You

may

be

eligible

to

take

part

in

a

concessionary

fare

scheme

This

reimburses

you

for

carrying

passengers

who

get

discounted

travel

such

as

older

people

disabled

people

children

Contact

your

local

council

for

more

information

on

taking

part

Some

councils

offer

a

voluntary

membership

scheme

for

operators

Others

have

a

compulsory

scheme

Find

out

more

Find

out

more

about

concessionary

fare

schemes

for

England

Scotland

Wales

Grants

for

local

bus

services

You

might

qualify

for

the

Bus

Service

Operator

’s

Grant

in

England

or

Scotland

or

the

Regional

Transport

Services

Grant

in

Wales

if

you

provide

a

service

where

at

least

half

the

seats

are

available

to

and

regularly

used

by

the

general

public

stops

on

the

route

are

in

places

that

people

are

likely

to

use

reasonably

often

fixed

bus

stops

or

otherwise

single

journey

fares

are

reasonably

priced

fares

can

be

paid

conveniently

the

bus

does

not

have

signs

or

any

other

indication

that

it

’s

not

available

to

the

general

public

information

about

the

service

its

route

and

timetable

is

accessible

to

the

general

public

advance

bookings

of

flexible

services

do

not

deter

people

who

want

to

make

a

single

journey

There

are

slightly

different

conditions

if

your

bus

service

is

intended

for

transporting

pupils

people

with

disabilities

or

elderly

people

Read

more

about

the

Bus

Service

Operator

’s

Grant

England

and

Scotland

How

to

apply

Contact

the

helpline

for

your

area

England

Scotland

Wales

The

grant

is

administered

through

the

Regional

Transport

Consortia