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EU Community License Instead of National Permit: What the GüKG Amendment Means for Transporters
Since February 27, 2026, a revised version of the Goods Transport Act has been in effect in Germany. The main point: The previous national permit for commercial goods transport is replaced by the EU Community License. New applications will only be issued as a Community License, which will apply to both domestic and cross-border transport. According to the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, already issued national permits remain valid until their expiration date, while permits issued without a time limit are valid until February 27, 2036.
For most drivers with vehicles up to 3.5 tons, there will be no changes in purely domestic traffic, as the Goods Transport Act only applies to vehicles with a permissible total weight above 3.5 tons. The regulation becomes relevant as soon as cross-border transport or cabotage is involved, where the permit requirement applies from 2.5 tons.
What Has Changed as of February 27, 2026?
The Second Act to Amend the Goods Transport Act and the Passenger Transport Act implements the requirements of the EU Mobility Package I into national law. The key points:
The national permit is abolished. Instead of a permit under the previous § 3 GüKG, companies based in Germany will receive an EU Community License. This license applies equally to national and cross-border transport and is issued for up to ten years.
Existing permits continue to be valid. Those who have a national permit do not need to switch immediately. Temporary permits remain valid until their expiration, while indefinite permits are valid until February 27, 2036.
Central risk classification. The previously decentralized state solutions for the risk classification of transport companies will be replaced by a central system.
Digital evidence. Certain documents and proofs may now be presented digitally.
Who Needs a License?
This is the question that causes the most confusion in practice, as two different weight limits exist side by side.
| Use Case | Vehicle Weight | Permit |
|---|---|---|
| purely domestic, commercial for third parties | up to 3.5 t including trailer | no goods transport permit required, but business registration is always necessary |
| purely domestic, commercial for third parties | over 3.5 t including trailer | EU Community License (formerly: national permit) |
| cross-border or cabotage | over 2.5 t | EU Community License |
| own transport (own goods, own purposes) | independent | no permit required under GüKG |
The extension of the permit requirement to vehicles over 2.5 tons in cross-border transport has been in effect since May 21, 2022, and originates from EU law, not from the current amendment. In purely domestic traffic, the threshold remains at 3.5 tons.
What Additional Regulations Apply Since July 1, 2026?
Regardless of the GüKG amendment, another phase of the EU Mobility Package I came into effect on July 1, 2026: Light commercial vehicles with a permissible total weight between 2.5 and 3.5 tons must be equipped with a digital tachograph when used commercially for cross-border transport or cabotage.
Vehicles used exclusively within Germany are not affected by this requirement. Thus, there is a clear distinction for vehicles in this class: nationally without additional requirements, cross-border with license, tachograph, and compliance with driving and rest time regulations.
What Does This Mean for Your Choice of Orders?
Those working with a vehicle between 2.5 and 3.5 tons face a decision with clear cost implications since July 2026. Cross-border orders and cabotage require a Community License, including tachograph installation and data archiving, as well as compliance with driving and rest times. These are one-time acquisition costs and ongoing administrative expenses.
Those who do not want or cannot bear this burden have an alternative: stay national. Domestic routes with high volumes lie between major urban areas, such as Hamburg and the Ruhr area, Berlin and the Ruhr area, or Berlin and Hamburg. Here, bulky individual shipments, furniture, and large appliances can be found in quantities without the obligations of cross-border transport.
This is not a recommendation against international orders, but rather a calculation that each business should make for itself: Which orders incur additional costs, and which do not?
Where Can You Find Domestic Volume?
Those opting for the national route need orders on the major axes. That’s exactly what MUVN Pro is designed for, and it is free for drivers: no base fee, no commission, neither monthly nor per order.
You enter a route that you are already driving or a time window with a radius around your location. Suitable shipments will be suggested to you with a fixed price range, and you decide whether to accept them. It’s about furniture, large appliances, and bulky individual items, meaning cargo that fits a transporter and is not billed at pallet prices.
Three points that are particularly important in the current environment:
- Purely national. Those who only drive domestic shipments are not affected by the tachograph requirement and the license requirement from 2.5 tons.
- Free for drivers. No additional fixed costs in a phase where investments are already necessary.
- No payment terms. The amount is collected from the client at the time of booking and paid out after confirmed delivery. Each shipment is fundamentally secured through MUVN Protect.
Those who continue to drive cross-border can still use MUVN Pro, for example, to fill the return trip on German routes. The legal obligations always depend on the specific transport, not on the platform.
How Do You Apply for an EU Community License?
The license is issued by the authority responsible under state law. The requirements for professional access under EU law must be met: reliability, professional competence, financial capacity, and a real and permanent establishment.
For each vehicle used, a certified copy of the license will be issued upon request, with the necessary financial capacity needing to be proven.
The specific documents, fees, and processing times vary by federal state. Binding information is provided by the responsible transport authority, the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, or your Chamber of Commerce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since when is the new version of the Goods Transport Act in effect?
The Second Act to Amend the Goods Transport Act and the Passenger Transport Act was published in the Federal Law Gazette on February 26, 2026, and came into effect on February 27, 2026.
Is my existing national permit still valid?
According to the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, national permits still in circulation remain valid until their expiration date. Indefinite permits are valid until February 27, 2036. Clarify your specific case with the responsible transport authority.
Do I need an EU license for a sprinter up to 3.5 tons?
In purely domestic commercial traffic, no, because the Goods Transport Act only applies above 3.5 tons permissible total weight including trailer. In cross-border commercial traffic, the permit requirement applies from over 2.5 tons. A business registration is required in any case.
Does the tachograph requirement also apply to domestic trips?
No. The requirement that came into effect on July 1, 2026, for vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 tons applies to commercial cross-border transport and cabotage. Vehicles used exclusively nationally in this class are not affected.
What is the difference between commercial goods transport and own transport?
Commercial goods transport is the paid transport of goods for third parties. Own transport is the transport of one's own goods for one's own purposes, such as when a craft business brings its own materials to the construction site. There is no permit requirement for own transport under the Goods Transport Act.
<aside> ⚖️Legal Notice: This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It reflects the legal status at the time of publication, does not claim completeness or currency, and does not replace an individual case review. Laws and administrative practices may change. Binding information is provided solely by the responsible transport authority, the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, the Chamber of Commerce, or legal counsel. MUVN assumes no liability for decisions made based on this article.
Sources: Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, announcement regarding the amendment of the GüKG. Federal Law Gazette 2026 I No. 47 of February 26, 2026. Goods Transport Act in its current version. Regulation (EC) No. 1071/2009 and No. 1072/2009. Accessed on July 22, 2026.
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