Department of Transport: Road Transport Operator Licensing (RTOL)

Road Transport Operator Licensing (RTOL)

The Road Transport Operator Licensing Unit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport deals primarily with applications for Road Haulage Operator's Licences and Road Passenger Transport Operator's Licences, and the addition or removal of vehicles to or from those licences. APPLICATION FORMS AND GUIDELINES FOR OPERATOR'S LICENCES CAN BE ACCESSED BY CLICKING ON LICENSING SECTION FORMS AND INFORMATION IN THE MENU ON THE LEFT.

The Unit also issues certain other licences and permits. The list below outlines the documents issued by RTOL Unit.

NOTE: Our Reports and Publications section includes details of all currently licensed road haulage and road passenger transport operators, their transport managers and the vehicles authorised on their operator licences. Click on that section in the menu to access the registers, which are regularly updated.

COMPLAINTS: Complaints about road transport operators should be sent by e-mail to flp@dttas.ie, by fax to 091-872999 or by post to Road Transport Operator Licensing Unit, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Clonfert House, Bride Street, Loughrea, Co. Galway. Complaints should include the name and address of the operator concerned, the registration numbers of vehicles involved and any other relevant information. Complaints cannot be dealt with unless they are submitted by e-mail, fax or post. All complaints are handled in strict confidence.

Name of Licence or Permit	Purpose
National Road Haulage Operators Licence	This licence grants access to the profession of road haulage operator within the Republic of Ireland only. An operator who engages in road haulage for hire or reward is required to have this licence.
International Road Haulage Operators Licence	This licence grants access to the profession of road haulage operator within the Republic of Ireland and the member states of the European Union. An operator who engages in road haulage for hire or reward is required to have this licence.
Community Licence (Road Haulage)	This licence entitles the holder to engage in the international carriage of goods by road for hire or reward within the member states of the European Union and is issued in conjunction with the International Road Haulage Operator's Licence.
National Road Passenger Transport Operators Licence	This licence grants access to the profession of road passenger transport operator within the Republic of Ireland only. An operator who engages in road passenger transport for hire or reward is required to have this licence.
International Road Passenger Transport Operators Licence and Community Licence	This licence grants access to the profession of road passenger transport operator within the Republic of Ireland and the member states of the European Union. An operator who engages in road passenger transport for hire or reward is required to have this licence. For road passenger transport operations, the Licence and Community Licence are one and the same document, not two separate documents as is the case with road haulage.
ECMT Licence	The ECMT licence is a multilateral licence for the international carriage of goods by road for hire or reward by transport undertakings established in an ECMT member country, and is issued on the basis of a quota system.
Bilateral Permit	This permit allows the holder to carry out transport operations in either Belarus or Russia.
Conformity of Production (COP) Document	When engaging in international transport operations, drivers are advised to carry a standard COP document in the vehicle as evidence of the NOx emissions of that vehicle. NOx emissions of the vehicle are considered when toll charges are being assessed.
Driver Attestation	The driver of a vehicle engaged in the carriage of goods subject to Community Licence (as regards international transport) and who is a national of a non-member country and employed by a road transport operator from a member state should hold a driver attestation. The attestation certifies that the driver in question is employed in the member state in accordance with the relevant legislative and other provisions in force in that member state as regards social conditions, employment and vocational training.

You will find information on the following areas by clicking on the links at the top of the left hand column:

- Road Haulage / Road Passenger Operator's Licence applications (Licensing Section)

- How to add / remove / substitute vehicles (Licensing Section)

- New developments in Road Transport Operator Licensing (Reports and Publications)

- Legislation (Reports and Publications)

- Community Licences (International Section)

- ECMT Licences (International Section)

- Bilateral Permits (International Section)

- Driver Attestations (International Section)

- Conformity of Production (COP) Documents (International Section)

- Certificates of Professional Competence (CPC)

- Contact List (Contact us)

Digital Tachograph and Enforcement

All matters relating to Digital Tachograph Cards or Enforcement (Transport Officers and roadside checks) are dealt with by the Road Safety Authority. (www.rsa.ie)

To apply online for digital tachograph cards (driver and company cards only) or to download application forms for driver cards, company cards, workshop cards and control cards, please visit the Digital Tachograph section of the RSA website.