Articles on: Becoming Self-Employed

Transport Business Permit in Luxembourg (Goods and Passengers)

In Luxembourg, transport activities have stricter rules than other commercial activities. The level of regulation depends on what you transport and the size of your vehicles.

Activity	Special permit needed?	Notes
Goods transport with vehicles up to 2.5 tonnes	No	Standard business permit only
Goods transport, 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes (international)	Yes	Permit + financial guarantee
Goods transport, over 3.5 tonnes	Yes	Permit + financial guarantee + community licence
Passenger transport, 9+ seats	Yes	Permit + financial guarantee + community licence
Taxi or single-vehicle transport (under 9 seats)	National rules apply	Different regime — taxi licence

The transport business permit is issued by the Ministry of Economy under the law of 2 September 2011, with sector-specific rules from EU Regulation 1071/2009.

Goods transport over 3.5 tonnes

This is the most regulated category. You need:

Standard business permit — same 4 criteria as any business
Professional capacity (capacite professionnelle) — proof you know how to run a transport company
Financial capacity (capacite financiere) — minimum capital to run safely
Community licence (licence communautaire) — required for international EU transport

Professional capacity (capacite professionnelle)

You qualify in one of these ways:

Pass the House of Training transport course and final exam, OR
Have 5 years of management experience in a transport company (with a relevant higher education diploma) — this exempts you from the training course but you may still need to pass the professional capacity assessment, OR
Have 10 years of management experience in a transport company, acquired before 4 December 2009

Practical tip: Check House of Training's schedule — the next transport access course often opens once or twice a year. Plan ahead.

Experience routes can dispense from the training course but the professional capacity exam itself is generally not waivable. Check with the Ministry of Economy when applying.

Financial capacity (capacite financiere)

You must prove you have enough money to run the business safely. This is done through a bank guarantee (cautionnement) or equivalent:

Vehicle weight	First vehicle	Each additional vehicle
Over 3.5 tonnes	9,000 EUR	5,000 EUR
2.5 to 3.5 tonnes (international)	1,800 EUR	900 EUR

The financial guarantee is a bank-issued caution, not cash you have to spend. It guarantees that you can cover obligations if the business runs into trouble.

Goods transport between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes (international)

Since 2022, EU rules also cover light commercial vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes when used for international transport. You need:

Standard business permit
Professional capacity (same House of Training course)
Financial guarantee (1,800 EUR + 900 EUR per additional vehicle)
Community licence

For purely national transport with vehicles in this category, the requirements are lighter — but if you cross any border, the EU rules apply.

Passenger transport (9+ seats)

For coach or bus services with 9 or more seats, the framework is similar to goods transport:

Standard business permit
Professional capacity (House of Training course)
Financial capacity (bank guarantee)
Community licence for international routes
Vehicles must meet EU safety standards

For taxi services (under 9 seats), there is a separate national taxi licensing regime managed by the Service des taxis at the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works — that is a different process from the standard transport business permit.

Light goods transport (under 2.5 tonnes)

If you only operate vehicles under 2.5 tonnes (think: vans for last-mile delivery, courier services), the special transport rules generally do not apply. You just need:

A standard business permit
The 4 standard criteria (integrity, qualification, premises, management)

The activity is treated as a normal commercial activity.

If you start with a small van and later upgrade to bigger vehicles, you must update your permit and add the financial guarantee. Operating heavier vehicles without the right permit can result in fines and seizure of vehicles.

Where to apply

Business permit: MyGuichet.lu (Ministry of Economy)
Professional capacity course: houseoftraining.lu
Community licence: Applied for after the business permit is granted, via the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works (Departement de la mobilite et des transports), not the Ministry of Economy
Free guidance: House of Entrepreneurship

Quick reference

Question	Answer
Vans under 2.5T — special permit?	No, standard business permit
Vans 2.5-3.5T national only — special rules?	Limited
Vans 2.5-3.5T international — special rules?	Yes, since 2022
Trucks over 3.5T — financial guarantee?	9,000 EUR first vehicle + 5,000 EUR per additional
Where to take the transport course?	House of Training
Community licence — what is it?	Required for international EU transport, applied for after business permit via Ministry of Mobility and Public Works

For the full picture of business permits, see our article on the 4 criteria for a business permit.

One client at a time, one invoice at a time — that's how great businesses are built. Bravo for every step.
🙌💜 Your BravoLisa Team

This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional tax, legal, or accounting advice. Every situation is different — consult a qualified professional (tax adviser, accountant, or lawyer) for advice specific to your circumstances. BravoLisa does not accept liability for decisions made based on this information.

Last updated: April 2026. Rates and thresholds may change — always verify with the relevant authorities for the most current figures.

Updated on: 16/04/2026

Was this article helpful?

Thank you!