F1: New rules for vans

New rules for vans

Van haulers who transport goods must have completed and passed training as a van hauler and have issued a van permit from the Danish Road Traffic Authority.

The requirement applies to vans or lorries (van with a trailer) over 2.000 kg up to and including 3.500 kg permissible total weight, which transports goods for foreign account with a total weight of more than 11 kg. pr. General cargo.

Permission is not required for company driving, which is defined by driving with goods that the company owns, rents, or borrows.

As a freight transport driver with permits for freight transport with cars over 3.500 kg. total weight it is possible to issue permits without having to meet the requirement of education and exam. The van permit is only required for haulage companies established in Danish territory.

The following requirements must be met to obtain a van permit:

Professional qualifications: You must have completed a van driver training that has been approved by the Danish Road Traffic Authority within the past 10 years. The education ends with a written exam.

Finances: You must have an equity of at least DKK 13.390 for the first permit and DKK 6.695 for each additional permit.

Arrears to the public sector: There must be no non-private overdue debt to the public sector of DKK 50.000 or more for either the company or the transport manager. Note: It is possible to enter into an installment agreement.

Moral conduct and good practice: The Danish Road Traffic Authority makes a specific assessment based on each case.

If the van haulage business is run as a personally owned business, the van hauler must meet the requirements for professional qualifications, finances, arrears as well as good manners to obtain a van permit. A transport manager cannot be employed in a personally owned company.

If the van haulage business is run as a public limited company, private limited company, or partnership, etc., the van licenses must be applied for an issued to the company. The company must meet the requirements for finances, arrears, and good practice. The company must also hire a transport manager who will actually and continuously oversee the company’s freight transport at the expense of others. There must be an employment contract for the transport manager, stating that the person in question is the transport manager and remuneration thereof. The transport manager must meet the requirements for professional qualifications, arrears to the public sector as well as good manners and good practice.

If the transport manager does not own all the shares in the company, the employment contract between the transport manager and the company must be submitted to the Danish Road Safety Authority together with your application for a van license. It must be stated in the employment contract that the person in question is employed as a transport manager. The transport manager must receive a remuneration of at least DKK 10.000 per month. Note: If the transport manager is also a driver, the person in question must instead have a contractual salary as a driver and in addition receive a remuneration for the work as transport manager of minimum of DKK 35.000 per year.

If the transport manager resigns, the transport company must hire a new one within 6 months.

The permit is valid for 10 years at a time and must therefore be renewed on an ongoing basis. If a company grossly or repeatedly violates the rules in the field of transport, then the permit can be revoked. In that case, the permit must be returned to the Danish Road Traffic Authority.