Do I need an operator licence to move goods for hire or reward?
In Great Britain you need a goods vehicle operator licence to carry goods for hire or reward in a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes gross weight. Under 3.5 tonnes, domestic work does not need one.
The threshold is gross plated weight, not what you are carrying, so a 3.5 tonne van used domestically sits outside the regime while a 7.5 tonne does not.
Rules changed for international work in vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes, which now needs a standard international licence. If you run to Europe, check your position rather than assuming.
Licence types are restricted for your own goods, standard national for hire or reward in Great Britain, and standard international to go abroad. Getting it wrong is a Traffic Commissioner matter, so it is worth an hour of reading.
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Written by the HaulageBoard team. Last updated 23 August 2026.