The Community licence is the authorisation a hire-and-reward road haulier needs to carry goods between EU member states. It comes from Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 and is issued by the country where the business is established: in Italy, by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. An Italian licence also covers transport to and from the other EEA countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Who needs one
Every haulier carrying goods across a border for hire and reward needs one, and so does any haulier doing cabotage, meaning domestic jobs in another member state after an international delivery. Until 20 May 2022 every vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes was exempt. On 21 May 2022 the threshold dropped to 2.5 tonnes, so a van above 2.5 t carrying third-party goods abroad now has to travel with a certified copy of the licence.
You don’t need one for:
- own-account transport that meets the regulation’s conditions (your own goods, your own vehicles and drivers, and transport that is only ancillary to your main business);
- vehicles up to 2.5 t gross weight;
- purely domestic work, which in Italy still requires registration with the national hauliers’ register (Albo) and the electronic register (REN);
- a few special cases, such as universal-service post, damaged or broken-down vehicles, and medicines for urgent care, especially after natural disasters.
Requirements in Italy
The Ministry requires the business to:
- be registered on the REN, i.e. authorised to work as a road haulier;
- have a transport manager holding a certificate of professional competence valid for international transport;
- run at least one vehicle or combination above 2.5 t;
- not be subject to the forfeiture or suspension measures of Italy’s anti-mafia code.
For businesses starting out with vans, financial standing is the requirement that bites. Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 allows reduced amounts for operators running only 2.5–3.5 t vehicles (€1,800 for the first and €900 for each additional one), but it lets member states insist on the full figures, and Italy does. Expect €9,000 in capital and reserves even for a single van, plus €900 for each further vehicle up to 3.5 t and €5,000 for each heavier one (Ministry circular 3738 of 13 May 2022). Worth knowing if you plan to set up a haulage business in Italy rather than serve the country from abroad.
Validity, copies and cost
The licence is issued to the business, not to a vehicle. The original stays at the office and a certified true copy travels in each vehicle the business operates, whether owned, leased or hired.
Under EU law a licence can be issued for renewable periods of up to ten years. Italy issues it for five years from the start date shown on the document. Since 2 January 2022, a renewal granted before expiry takes effect the day after the old licence runs out, so cover never lapses (Ministry circular 26033 of 30 December 2021).
Applications go by certified email (PEC) to the Ministry’s Directorate-General for Road Safety and Road Haulage, on the form attached to that circular. The licence costs €5.16 in fees plus €32 in stamp duty, paid through PagoPA, and the Ministry has 60 days to decide. Current instructions are on the Ministry’s page (in Italian).
Why it matters for fleets
For a van over 2.5 t working abroad for hire, the licence is only the first requirement. From 1 July 2026 the van also needs a smart tachograph G2V2 and a driver card for whoever drives it, and drivers must observe the driving and rest times of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006. Cabotage and cross-trade jobs between two other countries also require a posting declaration in the EU’s IMI system, submitted no later than the start of the operation; transit and bilateral transport are exempt. The full picture, with deadlines, is in the guide for vans.
At a roadside check the certified copy is one of the vehicle documents, alongside registration and insurance (see what happens during a check).
In a mixed fleet the licence is also a planning constraint. OptivoRoute treats it like any other vehicle-order permission: a delivery tagged as cross-border only goes on vehicles that carry that permission.
FAQ
How long is a Community licence valid?
Up to ten years under EU law; Italy issues it for five years from the start date on the document. A renewal granted early takes effect the day after the previous licence expires.
When is a Community licence not required?
For own-account transport that meets the regulation’s conditions, for vehicles up to 2.5 t, for purely domestic work and for a few special cases, such as medicines for urgent care.
Do vans need a Community licence?
Yes, if the van is over 2.5 t gross weight and carries third-party goods across a border, a rule in force since 21 May 2022. From 1 July 2026 the same van also needs a G2V2 smart tachograph.
Is the Community licence issued to the business or to the vehicle?
To the business. Each vehicle it operates carries a certified true copy.
Is a Community licence needed for cabotage?
Yes. Cabotage is reserved for hire-and-reward hauliers holding a Community licence, and it is limited to three operations in seven days, followed by a four-day wait before the vehicle can start again in the same country.