What is a transport license?
A transport license is a permit to engage in the business of transporting people or goods. When deciding to start such a business, one must obtain it at the appropriate county office for the established company. The local road and transport authority is responsible for processing the application, and each application undergoes thorough verification.
The transport license is issued for a minimum of two years and a maximum of 50 years. The exact requirements for obtaining it are specified by the regulations of the Road Transport Act of 2013 and Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
Documents required to obtain a transport license
Obtaining a permit for domestic transport requires meeting numerous formal requirements. In addition to the application, the following documentation must be submitted to the office:
- A certificate of no criminal record
- A copy of the Professional Competence Certificate of the person managing the transport (or the certificate of another board member)
- Documents confirming the financial capacity of the company (bank guarantee, annual financial statement, or professional liability insurance)
- Documents confirming the fact of conducting business (extract from the business register, a certificate of assigning NIP and REGON numbers)
- A list and documentation of vehicles covered by the license
- A certificate of employment or intent to employ drivers.
License for international transport
If the business is based on international transport, it is necessary to obtain a permit for common transport. The common license is issued by the Chief Road Transport Inspector. The condition for obtaining it is having a transport license in the country. Importantly, every vehicle operating internationally within the enterprise must be reported along with the application for a common license. Every driver must have the documents confirming the license and the permit to conduct business.
How much does a transport license cost?
An entrepreneur applying for a transport license must prove that they have adequate financial security, either in monetary or tangible form. For a common license (for international transport), this is an amount of around €9,000 for the first vehicle and €5,000 for each subsequent one. Fees for a national license are as follows:
- PLN 800 – license for a period of 2 to 15 years
- PLN 900 – license for a period of 15 to 30 years
- PLN 1,000 – license for a period of 30 to 50 years.
If you wish to obtain a permit for passenger transport, the cost for each variant is reduced by PLN 100.
The cost of issuing an international transport license for 5 years is PLN 4,000, and for a 10-year license, it is PLN 8,000. Each vehicle used for international transport must have an extract from the license. Obtaining such an entry means an expenditure of around PLN 440 for a 5-year license and PLN 880 for a 10-year license. In addition, standard treasury fees apply, related, for example, to establishing a power of attorney.
Total cost of a transport license
The total cost of obtaining a transport license depends on the number of vehicles, the type and validity period of the license, as well as the cost of insurance. Fees for a newly established company with one vehicle and a transport license for 5 or 10 years may be as follows:
- PLN 1,000 – issuance of a permit to practice the carrier profession
- PLN 4,000 or PLN 8,000 – issuance of a common license for 5 or 10 years
- PLN 440 or PLN 880 – extract from the common license for a vehicle
- PLN 270 – carrier’s professional liability insurance
- additional costs of renting or leasing a vehicle
- additional cost of obtaining a Professional Competence Certificate (approx. PLN 800).
Transport without running a business
If you are interested in working in the transportation of people or goods but do not want to start your own business, you can contact Avalon Logistics Group. By partnering with us, you will gain a transparent agreement and favorable employment conditions. As a partner of Uber, Glovo, Wolt and FREE NOW, we will handle your settlements, and if you do not have your own vehicle, we will provide you with a car from our fleet. Fill out the form on the website and start earning in the transportation industry!
