You need a Community licence (Eurovergunning), issued by the NIWO, before you may transport goods by road for payment in the Netherlands. Almost every commercial haulage operation for a Dutch or international client needs this licence, and the NIWO only grants it once your business meets four separate conditions.
What is the Eurovergunning and who needs it?
The Eurovergunning (Euro licence, or “Community licence”) lets you carry goods professionally by road, for payment and on behalf of third parties, within the Netherlands and across the EU. The obligation applies once your vehicle’s payload exceeds 500 kg. Setting up a transport company therefore takes time: before you can start, the NIWO checks a generous amount of paperwork.
How do you apply for the Eurovergunning?
You apply for the Eurovergunning through the NIWO’s online business portal, using eHerkenning. The NIWO (Nationale en Internationale Wegvervoer Organisatie, the Dutch National and International Road Transport Organisation) issues the licence and requires at least one vehicle. The NIWO then issues a licence certificate for each vehicle covered, and with that certificate on board your vehicle may transport goods within the EU, subject to a few exceptions.
Outside the EU you need additional permits, for instance a CEMT permit or a separate ride authorisation. The Eurovergunning itself is valid for five years and must be renewed before it expires. Certain types of transport, such as hazardous materials, require further permits on top of the Eurovergunning.
What do you need to qualify?
The NIWO issues the Eurovergunning only once you meet four main conditions:
- Establishment: you have an actual and permanent place of business in the Netherlands, with at least one vehicle.
- Financial standing: you can show enough capital to start and continue the business. Under the EU rules this generally works out at own capital of at least €9,000 for the first vehicle, plus €5,000 for every additional vehicle. You prove it with an (opening) balance sheet or statement of assets, confirmed by an accountant (RA or AA), a NOAB member, or a member of the Register Belastingadviseurs; specific formal requirements apply to this statement.
- Professional competence: your transport manager holds the recognised diploma “Ondernemer beroepsgoederenvervoer over de weg” (entrepreneur in professional road haulage), obtained by passing six exams organised by a specific branch of the CBR. Not every manager needs the diploma personally; one qualified manager for the company is enough. The manager must live in the EU and can be the director, the owner, or an external person such as an authorised signatory, provided the NIWO can establish that this person actually and permanently manages the transport activities and has a genuine link with the company. If the manager is external, you also need a “verklaring inbreng vakbekwaamheid” (statement contributing competence).
- Good repute: you show this with a certificate of good conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, VOG) for the natural person (NP) and/or the legal entity (RP). A Dutch B.V., V.o.f. or partnership needs the VOG RP; a sole proprietorship and/or an external transport manager needs the VOG NP. Directors who do not live in the Netherlands, or who do not hold Dutch nationality, need a separate VOG NP from their own country of residence or nationality.
An illustrative example: a starting haulier plans to run a single delivery van and applies to the NIWO. The NIWO checks that the business has an actual office in the Netherlands, that its opening balance shows at least the minimum own capital for one vehicle, that its manager holds the CBR diploma, and that both the manager and the company hold a valid VOG. Only once all four checks pass does the NIWO issue the Eurovergunning and the licence certificate for the van.
Adding vehicles later does not require a new Eurovergunning, but you do need a separate licence certificate for each extra vehicle, and your financial standing must cover that vehicle as well.
When can the NIWO refuse or withdraw the licence?
The NIWO can refuse or withdraw your Eurovergunning on advice from Bureau Bibob, for instance where there is a risk that you would use the licence for criminal activities.
What does the Eurovergunning cost?
NIWO’s 2026 tariffs are €255 to process a first application (€130 for a renewal), €27.00 for each licence certificate, and an annual levy of €25.80 per certificate, invoiced twice a year. The NIWO reviews these tariffs every year, so check the current figures on niwo.nl before you apply.
In summary
- You need a Eurovergunning from the NIWO before you may transport goods professionally by road for payment.
- You must show an actual establishment, sufficient financial standing, a qualified transport manager, and good repute.
- The licence is valid for five years and must be renewed in time.
- The NIWO can refuse or withdraw the licence on advice from Bureau Bibob.
- Budget for the application fee, the licence certificate, and the annual levy, and check niwo.nl for the current tariffs.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Eurovergunning for a single van?
Possibly. The obligation turns on your vehicle’s payload rather than the number of vehicles you run, so check your specific vehicle against the current threshold before you start operating.
Can I use an external transport manager?
Yes. The transport manager does not have to be the owner or director, provided the NIWO can establish that this person genuinely and permanently manages your transport activities. You then also need a statement contributing competence for that person.
What happens if I transport goods without a valid Eurovergunning?
You risk enforcement action, because the licence is a legal condition for professional road haulage, not a formality. Apply well before you plan to start driving, since the NIWO needs time to check your paperwork and issue the licence certificates.
Setting up a transport company involves paperwork that most starting entrepreneurs underestimate: the establishment, financial standing, competence and good repute requirements all need supporting documents before the NIWO will issue your licence. Law & More can review your application, and your contracts with drivers and clients, before you submit it.
Unsure where you stand? Tell us about your situation. We will let you know your options within one working day.
How Law & More can help you with this is explained on our corporate lawyer page.
