If I wanted to buy a single car transporter and collect cars for people (as a business) would I need an operators license?
think it depends on size and weight ? over 3.5 t and you fall into tacho regs cpc and the rest
Is that 3.5t unladen or laden? So if if its no more than 3.5t unladen I don’t need an O license?
- Overview
You need a goods vehicle operator’s licence if your business uses goods vehicles above a certain weight.
You need a licence to carry goods in a lorry, van or other vehicle with either:
a gross plated weight (the maximum weight that the vehicle can have at any one time) of over 3,500 kilograms (kg)
an unladen weight of more than 1,525 kg (where there is no plated weight)
No, it’s 3.5t GVW, however you’ll also need an O licence is you pull a trailer with something like a 3.5t Sprinter.
You need a goods vehicle operator’s licence if your business uses goods vehicles above a certain weight.
You need a licence to carry goods in a lorry, van or other vehicle with either:
a gross plated weight (the maximum weight that the vehicle can have at any one time) of over 3,500 kilograms (kg)
an unladen weight of more than 1,525 kg (where there is no plated weight)
nurburg340:
Is that 3.5t unladen or laden? So if if its no more than 3.5t unladen I don’t need an O license?
Only if its under 1.525t empty with a full tank of fuel if there’s no plating certificate.
I’ve been looking into this recently , it seems to be unclear across the board , but from what I can gather if the train weight of vehicle trailer & load is under 3.5t, you don’t need it, once you go above that you need tacho , although there are companies that use large discoveries to pull 3.5t… Not on tacho or o licence, I asked the RHA for a definitive answer , still waiting as nobody seems to know legalities of it all…
kemaro:
I’ve been looking into this recently , it seems to be unclear across the board , but from what I can gather if the train weight of vehicle trailer & load is under 3.5t, you don’t need it, once you go above that you need tacho , although there are companies that use large discoveries to pull 3.5t… Not on tacho or o licence, I asked the RHA for a definitive answer , still waiting as nobody seems to know legalities of it all…
A 3.5t vehicle towing a trailer carrying goods would in most cases require a tacho but not an O licence. There are a few exemptions where a tacho wouldn’t be required either and a multi-purpose vehicle (i.e. landrover) is one of them but only a judge can really decide whether or not your vehicle is multi-purpose.
If the VEHICLE is over 3.5t then more than likely an O licence is required but not necessarily as there are exemptions up to 7.5t
For the question originally asked which is carrying cars for other people. A 3.5t beaver tale towing a trailer will require tacho but not O licence and NO DCPC. No trailer (or spec lift) then no tacho or O licence or DCPC. A 7.5t vehicle doing the same would require tacho, O licence and DCPC
If I was a builder with a discovery and a 3.5t plant trailer carrying a digger for me to use as part of my trade and within 50kms of base (soon to be 100kms) then no tacho required. If I am delivering the digger for someone else - tacho needed.
Unfortunately there are multiple scenarios all with different answers.
A 3.5t vehicle towing a trailer carrying goods would in most cases require a tacho but not an O licence. There are a few exemptions where a tacho wouldn’t be required either and a multi-purpose vehicle (i.e. landrover) is one of them but only a judge can really decide whether or not your vehicle is multi-purpose.
Correct on the O licence but not on the tacho, the wording was changed to any vehicle used comercially, so it doesnt matter what it is, if the GTW is over 3.5t then a tacho is needed
If the VEHICLE is over 3.5t then more than likely an O licence is required but not necessarily as there are exemptions up to 7.5t
For the OPs original question he would need an O licence
For the question originally asked which is carrying cars for other people. A 3.5t beaver tale towing a trailer will require tacho but not O licence and NO DCPC. No trailer (or spec lift) then no tacho or O licence or DCPC. A 7.5t vehicle doing the same would require tacho, O licence and DCPC
Since December 2012 a 3.5t beaver tails, van, single cab pick up etc will need an o licence if pulling a trailer that takes its GTW over 3.5t but as said, no DCPC
nurburg340:
If I wanted to buy a single car transporter and collect cars for people (as a business) would I need an operators license?
… Key words that kick in are ‘’ Hire ‘’ and ‘’ Reward ‘’
3.5t is the threshold limit; prime mover or combination, at which to carry goods without an O Licence.
For your own use above that GVW, requires a Restricted O Licence used to be an orange disc
Total above the 3.5 threshold … Sit in a classroom… Hard study… Get Annex ‘A’ CPC…
and have fun trying to process your application for the number of Vehicles / Trailers in the face of adversity from your local residents!!!.. 
I just pack up my business doing this, single car carrier, no trailer, 3.5 ton, you don’t need anything.
But take a close look at your V5 Docs, make sure it says 3500 kgs and not 3510 kgs as I got caught out, if it’s class as a Car transporter recovery vehicle, they (DVLA) put the weight at 3510 kgs.
3.5 tonne car transporter owners can pay at SV tech to get a new plating cert taking them to being able to run at the gross axle weights so around 3.8 tonne ,this is ok for recovery use but for car transportation use obviously brings the vehicle in to o licence scope .
Dieseldog66:
I just pack up my business doing this, single car carrier, no trailer, 3.5 ton, you don’t need anything.But take a close look at your V5 Docs, make sure it says 3500 kgs and not 3510 kgs as I got caught out, if it’s class as a Car transporter recovery vehicle, they (DVLA) put the weight at 3510 kgs.
Good Call Dd66…
Dieseldog66 why did you pack up? Was it just due to the plating issue?
When you were doing it, was it worthwhile? Could you get £1 a mile all miles? i.e. A 100 mile delivery, £200.
What did insurance cost?
I thought that there was a thread on here some time ago which came to the conclusion that the only vehicles that could be put on the back of a 3.5t without overloading it were ones like an old style mini or a 2CV.
a pal of mine has a roll off recovery truck. he can only move broken down or damaged cars. he can’t
just scoop up a car from a garage and take it somewhere… i must say he knows how to make them
a none runner for a short period. i think he can do stolen and recovery…there are do,s and don’ts
John
That will no doubt be because he has it taxed as a “recovery.”