The commercial performance of transport services with vehicles with a permissible gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tonnes is subject to authorisation. A distinction must be made between a licence for the carriage of goods by road for hire or reward (valid only in Germany) and a Community licence (valid within the European Union). The main grant factors are:

• professional aptitude

Specialist examination before the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or training as a transport specialist or forwarding agent (training started before 04.12.2011)

• financial capacity

Equity of EUR 9,000 for the first, EUR 5,000 for each additional motor vehicle)

• personal reliability

Certificate of good conduct and information from the Central Trade Register must be applied for at the citizens' offices and sent directly from them to the licensing authority. If entrepreneurs are already self-employed, clearance certificates from the tax office, the health insurance companies of the employees and the employers' liability insurance association must also be submitted. The documents for personal reliability must not be older than 3 months when the application is submitted).

The application is submitted to the locally competent approval authority (registered office of the company).