Guidance: International road haulage: HGV and trailer documents

Published: 09 July 2024
By Chris Haycock

Your vehicle must be taxed and you must carry certain documents about your HGV and trailer with you if you drive a commercial vehicle carrying goods between countries. These include:

• the vehicle and trailer registration documents
• certificates for any specialist approvals the vehicle has
• a goods vehicle operator licence disc
• licences or permits needed for the journey
• vehicle and trailer insurance documents
• a UK sticker (previously a GB sticker)

There’s separate guidance about the HGV driver documents you need for international road haulage.

Your need to carry your vehicle registration documents when driving abroad for less than 12 months. This can be either:

• the vehicle log book (V5C), if you have one
• a VE103 to show you’re allowed to use a hired or leased vehicle abroad

There are different rules if you take the vehicle out of the UK for 12 months or more.

You need to carry the trailer registration certificate when you travel abroad.

Find out how to register your trailer to take it abroad.

You also need to carry a ‘certificate of keeper’ if you have an abnormal load trailer.

You need to carry any documents about specialist approvals your vehicle has. These might include approvals for:

• carrying dangerous goods
• transporting perishable food
• sealed load compartments for quicker border crossings under the TIR system

You must display a valid operator licence disc for either:

• a standard international operator licence for Great Britain
• a standard international operator licence for Northern Ireland

You need to carry copies of the licences or permits that are needed for the journey you’re making.

Check which international road haulage permits you need to carry.

You need to carry extra documents about the load you’re carrying if you’re doing a cabotage job.

If you’re using a European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) permit, you also need to carry:

• an ECMT certificate of compliance for the vehicle and trailer
• an ECMT certificate of roadworthiness

Find out more about ECMT permits.

You must have suitable motor insurance cover when you drive abroad.

In some countries, you will need to carry a ‘green card’ as proof of the insurance cover.

You need a green card to drive in:

• Albania
• Azerbaijan
• Israel
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Ukraine

You do not need a green card to drive in the EU (including Ireland), Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia or Switzerland.

You will need to carry more than one green card if:

• you have fleet or multi-vehicle insurance - you’ll need a green card for each vehicle
• your vehicle is towing a trailer - you’ll need one for the towing vehicle and one for the trailer (you need separate trailer insurance in some countries)
• you have 2 policies covering the duration of your trip, for example, if your policy renews during the journey

You must carry a physical copy of your green card when driving abroad. Electronic versions of green cards are not acceptable.

Make sure your employer either:

• contacts their vehicle insurance provider at least 6 weeks before you travel to get a copy
• prints green cards their insurance providers electronically send to them (this does not need to be printed on green paper)

You will need to show green cards if you’re involved in an accident.

Find out more about vehicle insurance.

Contact your insurance provider if you’re involved in a road accident in the EU.

Any legal proceedings against either the responsible driver or the insurance provider of the vehicle will need to be brought in the EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway where the accident happened. You might have to make your claim in the local language.

You will not get compensation in some countries if the accident is caused by an uninsured driver or if the driver cannot be traced.

Get legal advice if you need more information about this.

In some countries, you may need to produce a certificate of insurance for the goods carried to avoid paying a premium.

Check the rules with the British Embassy in the countries you’re travelling through or to.

You do not need a UK sticker if either:

• your number plate includes the UK identifier on its own or with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack)
• you’re driving in Ireland

You must display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

• a GB identifier with the Union Flag (also known as the Union Jack)
• a Euro symbol
• a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
• numbers and letters only - no flag or identifier

If you’re in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker no matter what is on your number plate.

If you have an old-style GB sticker, cover or remove it.

You must secure your vehicle to stop people using it to enter the UK illegally.

Record the checks you do on the vehicle security checklist.

You may have to pay a:

• vehicle toll or charge in EU countries
• vehicle tax i