(DVLA and OTC)
Permits to travel to or through European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) member countries, and the rules you have to follow.
You need an ECMT permit to transport most types of goods (or drive an empty vehicle) through the EU (except Cyprus), Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK to these 13 countries:
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
How to buy the permits
Email DVSA to buy the permits.
DVSA International Road Haulage Permits Office
shorttermecmt@dvsa.gov.uk
You need to include:
- your operator licence number
- the journey destination (it must be either Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey or Ukraine)
- proof that you’ll be travelling to this country in 2020 (for example, a contract to import and export, or evidence of recent or regular to the country)
- how many permits you need
- which type of vehicle you’ll use (Euro V or Euro VI)
Apply for permits for 2021
You might need ECMT permits for journeys to or through the EU from 1 January 2021. You should apply for these in case they’re needed. This page will be updated if anything changes.
You can apply for permits for 2021 between 2 November and 20 November 2020.
Permits will only be allocated after the application period has ended. They are not allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Get ready to apply
To apply, you’ll need to say:
- which countries you’ll need to transport goods to or through in 2021
- the number of international trips you made in 2019 (an outward and return trip counts as one trip)
- the percentage of international trips you made in 2019
- if your journeys include transit (passing through one or several EU countries, without collecting or delivering goods in the EU, before reaching a non-EU destination such as Switzerland)
- if your journeys include cross-trade (moving goods between 2 ECMT member countries)
- the emissions class of the vehicle you’ll be using the permits in (most permits are for Euro VI vehicles only, but a small number will be available for Euro V vehicles)
- which sector you mainly transport goods in
further information: