Transporting goods inside the EU? 1 October 2023 deadline

As a UK operator, before your drivers transport goods between 2 points in the EU for commercial purposes, you must declare the details on an EU portal.

Declaring the details is known as making a posting declaration. There are no fees to make a posting declaration.

From 1 October 2023, the DVSA will begin enforcement of the posting declaration regulation for lorry drivers.

This applies to EU operators carrying goods between loading and unloading points which are both in the UK (cabotage).

If you’re a driver making posting journeys in the UK, you must carry a copy of the posting declaration as evidence that it has been completed.

Unauthorised journeys can be prohibited following roadside stops.

You must declare:

• Cabotage jobs (loading goods in one of these countries and unloading them at another point in the same country using a UK-registered vehicle).
• Cross-trade jobs (loading goods in one of these countries and unloading them in another of these countries using a UK-registered vehicle).
• Moving goods for your own business’ use inside these countries, including if your business is not mainly about moving goods.

You must make a declaration when you use any of these vehicles to transport the goods:

• Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
• HGVs towing trailers.
• Vans of any size or other light goods vehicles (sometimes called ‘light commercial vehicles’).
• Vans towing trailers.
• Cars towing trailers.

More information is available on the road transport posting declaration portal here.  You can also contact the regulatory team if you need any advice here.