Licence for International Freight Transportation: How to Obtain It and Who Needs One

For road carriers in Ukraine, licensing requirements primarily depend on the type of transportation. If a company or individual entrepreneur plans to transport ordinary goods outside Ukraine, a licence for international freight transportation is required. For domestic transportation of ordinary goods, such a licence is generally not required; however, separate requirements apply to dangerous goods.

Who Needs a Licence for International Freight Transportation

A licence for international freight transportation is required for legal entities and individual entrepreneurs engaged in commercial transportation of goods by trucks on international routes. Licensed activities include, in particular, international road freight transportation, as well as international transportation of dangerous goods and hazardous waste.

However, the licence itself does not replace other documents required for a specific international trip. Depending on the route, international permits, vehicle documents, and driver and cargo documents may also be required.

How to Obtain a Freight Transportation Licence: Step-by-Step Procedure

The procedure for obtaining a freight transportation licence is as follows:

1. Determine the type of activity. It is necessary to correctly select international freight transportation or the relevant type of transportation of dangerous goods.
2. Prepare the transport base. Vehicles may be owned, rented, leased, or purchased on credit.
3. Prepare information about the vehicles and material and technical facilities.
4. Submit an application and the required documents to the State Service of Ukraine for Transport Safety (Ukrtransbezpeka). In particular, the application can be submitted electronically through the relevant service.
5. Wait for the decision. According to the Diia Guide, the standard service processing period is up to 10 business days.
6. Pay the state fee after the decision to issue the licence has been made.

It is important to carefully check the information provided in the application: an incomplete set of documents, inaccurate information, or failure to meet licensing requirements may result in a negative decision.

What Documents Are Required to Obtain a Freight Transportation Licence

The list depends on the type of transportation and the applicable licensing regime. For international freight transportation, an application and the information required under the Licensing Conditions must be submitted.

How can you obtain a licence for international transportation? In particular, the following may be required:

● information about owned, rented, credit-financed, or leased vehicles;
● copies of vehicle registration certificates;
● information about the material and technical facilities or contracts with companies providing the necessary technological operations;
● information about staff qualifications;
● a list of documents attached to the application.

The current document forms should be checked immediately before submission, as regulatory requirements may change.

Is a Licence Required for Road Freight Transportation Within Ukraine?

It depends on the type of cargo. If ordinary domestic freight transportation is involved, a separate licence for such activity is not required. Therefore, if the question is “is a licence required for freight transportation within Ukraine?”, the answer for ordinary cargo is no.

The situation is different for dangerous goods. A licence is required for their transportation by road. The state regulates domestic and international transportation of dangerous goods separately.

Therefore, a freight transportation licence in Ukraine is not required for every type of cargo delivery, but only in cases expressly provided for by law, in particular for international transportation and transportation of dangerous goods.

Licence for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods: Specific Requirements

A licence for the transportation of dangerous goods involves additional requirements because dangerous goods include substances, materials, and products that may cause an explosion, fire, poisoning, injury to people, or environmental damage during transportation.

For such transportation, it is important not only to have a licence but also to ensure that vehicles comply with established requirements, drivers are properly trained, and cargo is correctly labelled and documented. For international routes, the rules governing the international transportation of dangerous goods must also be followed.

During the period of martial law, the licensing procedure for certain types of transportation is regulated by special rules. In particular, applicants are required to provide information about vehicles and colour copies of their registration certificates.

How Much Does an International Freight Transportation Licence Cost and What Determines the Price?

The cost of an international transportation licence includes more than just the state fee. A one-time fee equal to one subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons applicable on the date of the decision is charged for issuing the licence.

In 2026, this amount is UAH 3,328, so this is the basic state fee applied as a general rule.

Additional costs may arise from preparing documents, drawing up contracts, bringing vehicles into compliance with the requirements, and obtaining other permits required for international trips. For example, an international permit for travel through the territory of a foreign country is a separate document and is not included in the licence itself.

Conclusion

A freight transportation licence is not required in every situation. For ordinary domestic freight transportation within Ukraine, it is generally not required. However, a licence is mandatory for international road freight transportation, while additional requirements apply to dangerous goods.

Before submitting the documents, it is important to check the current licensing requirements, the list of vehicles and documents, as well as the requirements applicable to the specific international route.