International road haulage permits

Last updated: 31 December 2021

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

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

Check if you need ECMT permits

You can use ECMT international road haulage permits for journeys between 43 ECMT member countries:

Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the UK.

A limited number of ECMT permits are available. However, you can usually make journeys to 41 of these 43 countries without an ECMT permit.

EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland

You only need your UK Licence for the Community if your journey is between the UK and an EU country, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

You do not need an ECMT permit.

Cross-trade jobs in the EU

You can use your UK Licence for the Community to carry out 2 cross-trade jobs (moving goods between 2 countries) in the EU.

You need an ECMT permit if you want to carry out a third cross-trade job. The ECMT permit will let you carry out 3 cross-trade jobs between any ECMT country.

Cross-trade jobs between EU and non-EU countries

You need an ECMT permit if you want to carry out a cross-trade job between the EU and a non-EU country. The non-EU country must be an ECMT member country.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine

You do not usually need any permits to transport goods to, through or from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

However, you need to get a bilateral road haulage permit if you’re travelling:

• through Turkey to another country
• in Ukraine using a Euro III or Euro IV vehicle

Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia or Tunisia

You can get bilateral road haulage permits instead of ECMT permits if your journey involves Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia or Tunisia.

Unlike ECMT permits, many more of these permits are available.

Armenia or Azerbaijan

You must have an ECMT permit to transport goods to, through or from Armenia or Azerbaijan.

If your journey also includes any other ECMT countries, you should:

• use your ECMT permit for the journey
• not apply for separate bilateral permits - you cannot use a bilateral road haulage permit at the same time as an ECMT permit

What you cannot use ECMT permits for

You cannot use ECMT permits:

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

Eligibility

To apply for an ECMT permit, you must:

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

Apply for permits

Rules for using the permits

You must carry your UK Licence for the Community during any journeys to or through EU countries when you’re using an ECMT permit.

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

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

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

You can only use your original permit. You cannot:

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

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

Example

If you have 10 ECMT permits, you can have a maximum of 10 vehicles making journeys to or through ECMT countries at once.

When a vehicle returns to the UK, you can use the same permit to make another journey during the period it is valid for, or you can move the permit to another vehicle on your operator licences. That vehicle can then make journeys to or through ECMT countries.

If you have more than one vehicle operator licence

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

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

Rules for the vehicles and trailers

You cannot use ECMT permits you’re allocated:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apply for an ECMT certificate of roadworthiness.

Before you start

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

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

Meet the ECMT Quality Charter

You must meet the ECMT Quality Charter requirements.

If you have a standard international operator licence

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

If you have a restricted or standard national operator licence

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

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

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

Fill in the ECMT log book before a journey

Each ECMT permit comes with a log book.

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

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

What drivers need to carry during journeys

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

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

The driver must show the documents at checkpoints when asked.

Find out how different countries carry out checks.

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

Send journey records to DVSA

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

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

International Road Haulage Permits Office
DVSA
Hillcrest House
386 Harehills Lane
Leeds
LS9 6NF

Lost, damaged or stolen permits

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

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

DVSA International Road Haulage Permits Office
irhp@dvsa.gov.uk
Telephone: 0330 678 1117
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

If you give up your operator licence

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