Starting May 21, 2022, the legislation on the transport license for 2.5 – 3.5 tons comes into force.
Cross-border road freight transport and cabotage, in Romania and other European countries, carried out with vehicles whose maximum authorized weight exceeds 2.5 tons and goes up to 3.5 tons will be operating illegally after May 21, 2022 without a valid transport license issued by the ARR (Romanian Road Authority).
What has long been business as usual for many transport companies – operating without a transport license – will, under the latest changes introduced by the Mobility Package, become a thing of the past.
In this article, we answer all your questions about obtaining a transport license, the required documents and all the other information you need.
What is a transport license?
As of 21.05.2022, companies that carry out road transport operations for hire or reward in domestic/international traffic with vehicles or vehicle combinations whose maximum authorized weight exceeds 2.5 tons and goes up to 3.5 tons (inclusive) must hold a certified true copy.
Where does the transport license apply?
This license applies to both domestic and international transport, throughout the territory of the EU countries.
Requirements for obtaining a transport license
To obtain the document, you must meet a few conditions:
- Have a registered office in Romania
- Own at least one motor vehicle registered in Romania.
- The company must have a person qualified as transport manager, holding a valid certificate of professional competence, who also meets the “good repute” requirement.
- The transport manager has not been sentenced to prison or otherwise penalized for committing serious offenses, nationally or internationally (this is what “good repute” actually means).
- The EU license will only be granted to solvent transport companies that can prove they have a certain amount of equity. The calculation is based on the number of vehicles available, with the required capital as follows:
– €9,000 for the first vehicle used;
– €5,000 for each additional vehicle with a maximum authorized weight over 3.5 tons;
– €900 for each additional vehicle with a maximum authorized weight over 2.5 tons and under 3.5 tons.
When you CANNOT obtain a transport license
If your company does not have a qualified person with a valid certificate of professional competence as transport manager who meets the “good repute” requirement, you CANNOT obtain a transport license.
Who issues the transport license and how long is it valid?
The transport license is granted by the Romanian Road Authority and is valid for 10 years, while the certified true copy is valid for 1 year. A certified true copy is required and is issued for each vehicle.
What documents are required to obtain a transport license?
- Administrator's ID card;
- Company registration certificate;
- Document proving the existence of the company's place of business, if the address of the place of business differs from that of the registered office;
- Transport manager's ID card;
- The transport manager's certificate of professional competence;
- The transport manager's employment or service contract. Not required if the transport manager is an administrator or shareholder of the company;
- The company's articles of incorporation – fully scanned;
- Certificate of good standing (Certificat Constatator) – no older than 30 days. It can be obtained online;
- The transport manager's criminal record certificate;
- The company's criminal record certificate. The criminal record services of the County Police Inspectorates and of the General Police Directorate of the Municipality of Bucharest issue criminal record certificates to legal entities;
- Vehicle registration documents (talon);
- Vehicle registration certificates;
- The latest balance sheet;
- Authorization to carry out economic activities independently – for authorized natural persons (PFA) or family businesses;
- Proof of holding a real and stable establishment where the company keeps the documents provided for in art. 13 letter a) of O.G. no. 27/2011 – a loan-for-use agreement, lease agreement or sale-purchase agreement for the property where the company has its real and stable establishment where it keeps its documents;
- Proof of recognition of the transport manager's certificate of professional competence, if it was issued by the competent authorities of a European Union member state other than Romania, of the European Economic Area or of the Swiss Confederation.
Where do you submit the documents to obtain a transport license?
To obtain the license and its certified true copies, the company submits its application to the regional agency of the Romanian Road Authority – A.R.R. in the county where the company has its registered office.
After obtaining the transport license, applications for new certified true copies, together with the related documents, can also be submitted by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt or online with an electronic signature on the website of the Romanian Road Authority – A.R.R.
What does it cost to obtain a transport license?
- Issuance of the transport license, valid for 10 years, paid into the ARR account: 706 RON;
- Issuance of the certified true copy, valid for 1 year, paid into the ARR account: 260 RON/vehicle;
- Consulting fee (connection key), paid into the ARR account: 41 RON.
What are the exceptions to these provisions?
For road freight transport for hire or reward in domestic traffic:
- postal transport carried out as part of a universal service;
- non-commercial transport of broken-down or damaged vehicles;
- transport of goods in vehicles whose maximum authorized weight does not exceed 2.5 tons;
- transport of goods by taxi;
- transport of medicines, medical devices and equipment and other items needed in emergencies specific to natural disasters;
- funeral transport;
- trips made with historic vehicles;
- transport carried out with road vehicles specially intended for emergency medical services;
- transport carried out with road vehicles used by the armed forces, civil protection services, fire services and the bodies responsible for maintaining and restoring public order and safety, or hired by them without a driver, when the transport falls within the own remit of these services and is carried out under their control;
- transport carried out with road vehicles whose maximum authorized speed does not exceed 40 km/h;
- transport carried out with road vehicles used for testing for technological improvement;
- transport carried out with agricultural or forestry tractors;
- transport for personal purposes carried out by natural persons with road vehicles they own, regardless of capacity;
- non-commercial transport of milk and beehives.
For road freight transport for hire or reward in international traffic:
- postal transport carried out as part of a universal service;
- transport of damaged or broken-down vehicles
- transport of goods in vehicles whose maximum authorized weight does not exceed 2.5 tons;
- transport of goods by motor vehicles, where the following conditions are met:
- the goods carried belong to the company or have been sold, bought, let out on hire or hired, produced, extracted, processed or repaired by that company;
- the purpose of the journey is to carry the goods to or from the company or to move them, either inside or outside the company, for its own requirements;
- the motor vehicles used for such transport are driven by personnel employed by the company or put at its disposal under a contractual obligation;
- the vehicles carrying the goods are owned by the company or have been bought on deferred terms or hired by it, provided that, in the latter case, they meet the conditions set out in Directive 2006/1/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2006 on the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road
- the transport is no more than an ancillary activity within the company's overall activities;
- transport of medicines, medical devices and equipment, and other items needed in emergencies, in particular in the case of natural disasters.
Does a transport operator that already holds a transport license need to obtain another one?
No. It must obtain a certified true copy of the transport license for each motor vehicle or vehicle combination with a maximum authorized weight between 2.5 – 3.5 tons that it uses for road freight transport for hire or reward.
Frequently asked questions about the transport license for 3.5 tons
1. What does the transport license for 3.5 tons actually mean?
The transport license for 3.5 tons is the official document that allows you to carry out road transport for hire or reward with motor vehicles whose maximum authorized weight is between 2.5 and 3.5 tons. Without this license, you cannot legally operate paid transport in Romania or the EU.
2. Which authority issues the transport license?
In Romania, the transport license is issued by the Romanian Road Authority (A.R.R.), and it must remain valid for the entire period in which you carry out transport activity.
3. How many years is the transport license valid?
Once issued, the transport license is generally valid for 10 years, and for each vehicle a certified true copy is also issued, which must be renewed every year.
4. Do you need a registered office in Romania to obtain the license?
Yes, one of the conditions is that the company has a real and stable registered office in Romania. This is an essential legal requirement for being able to submit the license documents.
5. Can I obtain the license if I do not have a transport manager?
No. To receive the transport license, you must have a person appointed as transport manager, with a valid certificate of professional competence, who meets the “good repute” requirement.
6. Can I obtain the transport license if I only have one van?
Yes, the transport license can also be obtained if the company owns only one van. What matters is that the vehicle is correctly registered, used for transport for hire or reward, and that all legal conditions regarding the company, the transport manager and the documentation are met.
7. What does it cost to obtain a transport license?
Obtaining a transport license involves paying fees to the Romanian Road Authority, including for issuance, for each certified true copy of the license and other administrative costs.
8. Are there situations in which I do not need a license for 3.5 tons?
Yes, some types of transport do not require a license, such as non-commercial transport or when the vehicle does not exceed 2.5 tons and is used for own-account purposes.
9. How quickly can I obtain the transport license?
The issuance time depends on how well prepared the documents are and on the A.R.R. workflow, but if everything is in order, the procedure can be completed relatively quickly after submitting the complete file.
10. Is my transport license also valid in other EU countries?
Yes, the transport license issued by the A.R.R. is recognized in the other EU member states, which allows you to carry out international transport, provided you meet all the conditions and requirements for such operations.
