The commercial performance of transport services with vehicles with a permissible total weight of more than 3.5 tons requires a license. A distinction must be made between a commercial road haulage license (valid only within Germany) and a Community license (valid within the European Union). The main granting factors are:

• professional suitability

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

• Financial capacity

equity capital of EUR 9,000 for the first vehicle, EUR 5,000 for each additional vehicle)

• personal reliability

A certificate of good conduct and information from the central commercial register must be applied for at the citizens' registration office and sent directly to the licensing authority. If entrepreneurs are already self-employed, certificates of good standing from the tax office, the employees' health insurance companies and the employers' liability insurance association must also be submitted. The documents for personal reliability must not be older than 3 months at the time of application).

The application must be submitted to the locally responsible licensing authority (company headquarters).