From 1 October 2023, DVSA will begin enforcement of the posting declaration regulation for lorry drivers.
DVSA’s responsibilities cover EU operators carrying goods between loading and unloading points which are both in the UK.
For EU operators working in the UK, drivers making posting journeys must carry a copy of the posting declaration as evidence that it has been completed.
Image: GOV UK
Roadside checks
Our examiners will check declarations at the roadside.
Where a driver does not have the correct declarations, the operator will face enforcement action.
Unauthorised journeys can be prohibited following roadside stops.
Requirements for UK hauliers
As a UK operator, before your drivers transport goods between 2 points in the EU for commercial purposes, you must declare the details on the road transport posting declaration portal.
This requirement came into effect on 2 February 2023.
Declaring the details is known as making a posting declaration.
EU Member States can enforce these requirements on UK operators.
You can access more information on how to declare you’re transporting goods inside the EU on GOV.UK.
Types of journeys you must declare
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
Find out how many cabotage and cross-trade jobs you’re allowed to do.
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
Journeys inside Ireland
You need to declare journeys inside Ireland if they’re covered by the rules. This includes if you’re a Northern Ireland vehicle operator.
What you do not need to declare
You do not need to declare when your drivers are using an empty vehicle.
You also do not need to declare when your driver is transporting goods:
- from the UK to one place in Europe, where you can both unload and load goods
- from the UK to Europe, and you unload goods at more than one place in Europe (but you cannot load goods in Europe)
- from Europe to the UK, and you load goods at more than one place in Europe (but you cannot unload goods in Europe)
- from the UK to a non-European country (but you cannot load or unload the goods while you’re in Europe)
