Transport Licences in Lithuania

AT A GLANCE

Commercial road transport in Lithuania is a regulated activity — carrying goods or passengers for hire or reward without the correct licence exposes the operator to fines, vehicle seizure, and prohibition from operating.
There are two distinct transport licence types: the road haulage licence for commercial goods transport by vehicles above 3.5 tonnes, and the taxi licence for paid passenger transport by car.
Road haulage licences are issued by the Lithuanian Road Administration (VKTI). Taxi licences are issued by the municipal authority of the city in which the service is based — not by a national authority.
The Community Licence for international road haulage carries EU-wide operating rights. The taxi licence is municipal — it authorises operations in a specific city only.
We manage the full application process for both licence types: eligibility assessment, document preparation, authority liaison, and licence collection.

Short answer

Transport licences in Lithuania cover two main categories: road haulage licences for companies that carry goods commercially using heavy vehicles, and taxi licences for companies or individuals providing paid passenger transport. Road haulage licences are issued by the Lithuanian Road Administration and come in two types — the Community Licence for international operations and the national licence for domestic haulage. Taxi licences are issued by the relevant city municipality. We advise on the applicable licence for your specific transport activity, prepare the complete application documentation, and manage the process with the issuing authority from start to licence issuance.

Choose Your Transport Licence

Select the licence that matches your transport activity. Each supporting page provides the full eligibility requirements, document checklist, application process, and ongoing compliance obligations specific to that licence type.

Road Haulage Licence

The road haulage licence authorises a company to carry goods commercially for third parties using motor vehicles with a maximum permissible weight above 3.5 tonnes. For international operations across the EU, a Community Licence issued by the Lithuanian Road Administration is required. For domestic haulage within Lithuania only, a national licence is sufficient. The Community Licence carries a certified copy that must be kept in each vehicle at all times during commercial operations.

What this licence covers:

Community Licence — authorises international commercial goods transport across all EU member states
National Haulage Licence — authorises domestic goods transport within Lithuania
Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) — qualification required for the designated transport manager
Financial standing assessment — €9,000 for the first vehicle; €5,000 for each additional vehicle
Good repute confirmation — for company management and the transport manager
Licence renewal and fleet expansion — adding vehicles to an existing Community Licence

Taxi Licence

The taxi licence authorises a company or individual to carry passengers for hire or reward using a private car — including traditional taxi services, executive car hire, and ride-hailing operations. Taxi licences are issued by the municipality of the city where the service is based: Vilnius City Municipality for Vilnius-based operators, Kaunas City Municipality for Kaunas, and the relevant municipality for other cities. A separate licence is required for each municipality in which the service operates.

What this licence covers:

Municipal taxi operator licence — for the company operating the taxi service in a specific city
Driver approval — individual drivers must be approved by the municipality separately from the operator licence
Vehicle requirements — age, technical standards, taxi signage, and taximeter requirements
Ride-hailing and app-based operators — platform operators providing paid rides through mobile applications
Executive car hire (VIP transport) — chauffeur services and pre-booked private hire
Licence renewal and fleet changes — adding vehicles or drivers to an existing taxi licence

Who Needs a Transport Licence in Lithuania

Not every use of a vehicle for commercial purposes triggers a transport licensing obligation. The obligation arises specifically from carrying goods or passengers for hire or reward — that is, where a third party pays for the transport service. Understanding where the obligation begins prevents the most common compliance error: operators who assume their activity is exempt and discover otherwise only when stopped by road transport inspectors.

Road haulage — when the licence is required

A road haulage licence is required when a company carries goods for third parties using motor vehicles above 3.5 tonnes maximum permissible weight (MPW) and receives payment for doing so. The key elements are all three: third-party goods (not your own goods), vehicles above 3.5 tonnes, and payment. Own-account transport — a company using its own vehicles to transport its own goods (for example, a retailer delivering from its warehouse to its own shops) — does not require a haulage licence. Light commercial vehicle transport (vehicles under 3.5 tonnes) is subject to lighter requirements. Carrying goods for payment in vehicles above 3.5 tonnes for third parties without a licence is a serious violation subject to fines up to several thousand euros and vehicle immobilisation.

Taxi operations — when the licence is required

A taxi licence is required when a company or individual provides paid passenger transport services — taking passengers from A to B in a car for a fare. This applies regardless of how the service is offered: traditional street-hailing, telephone bookings, or app-based ride-hailing. The payment model does not affect the obligation — whether the fare is charged per kilometre, per minute, or as a fixed price, the activity requires a licence if the driver is being paid to transport a passenger. Private hire for events or airport transfers for payment also requires a taxi licence. The only common exemption is non-commercial carpooling — where costs are genuinely shared between driver and passengers with no profit element.

 EU cabotage rules for hauliers

Cabotage — carrying goods within a single EU member state using a vehicle registered in another member state — is subject to strict rules under EU Regulation 1072/2009. A non-Lithuanian haulier operating in Lithuania may perform a maximum of three cabotage operations within 7 days following an international delivery into Lithuania. Exceeding the cabotage limits is a serious violation. Lithuanian Road Administration inspectors actively monitor cabotage compliance. Lithuanian-registered operators holding a Community Licence are not subject to cabotage restrictions within Lithuania.

Key Licensing Requirements at a Glance

The eligibility conditions for transport licences differ significantly between road haulage and taxi operations. The table below summarises the main requirements for each licence type side by side.

Requirement	Road Haulage (Community Licence)	Taxi Licence (Municipal)
Legal entity	Lithuanian registered company (UAB or other)	Lithuanian registered company or sole trader
Good repute	Management and transport manager — no disqualifying convictions	Company management — no relevant criminal convictions
Financial standing	€9,000 first vehicle + €5,000 per additional vehicle	No minimum capital — financial standing assessment by municipality
Professional competence	Transport manager must hold CPC in Road Haulage	Drivers pass municipal knowledge test; no CPC required
Establishment	Genuine establishment in Lithuania with premises	Business based in the licensing municipality
Vehicle requirements	MPW above 3.5t; roadworthy; Community Licence copy in cab	≤5 years old (new licences); taximeter; taxi sign; roadworthy
Driver requirements	Commercial licence (C/CE category for heavy vehicles)	Category B licence; ≥3 years driving experience; knowledge test
Insurance	Compulsory third-party liability; CMR cargo insurance advised	Compulsory third-party liability; passenger liability insurance
Issuing authority	Lithuanian Road Administration (VKTI)	City municipality (Vilnius, Kaunas, etc.)
Licence duration	10 years (renewable)	1–5 years depending on municipality (annual in most cities)
EU passporting	Yes — operates across all EU member states	No — specific municipality only

Road Haulage Licence: The Four Conditions

The road haulage Community Licence is issued under EU Regulation 1071/2009 and requires the applicant to satisfy four mandatory conditions. All four must be met before the licence is issued — partial satisfaction is not sufficient.

Good Repute

The company's management personnel and the transport manager must not have any serious convictions for criminal offences or serious infringements of road transport regulations — particularly in areas of commercial road transport, driving and rest time rules, vehicle weights and dimensions, road safety, environmental protection, and transport-related professional liability. A criminal record check from Lithuania and from any other country where the individuals have resided is required. Insolvency or bankruptcy within the past 5 years may also affect good repute. The VKTI assesses good repute for each named management person and transport manager individually.

Financial Standing

The applicant must demonstrate financial standing sufficient to ensure the proper launch and administration of the business. The required amounts are: €9,000 for the first vehicle, and €5,000 for each additional vehicle. Financial standing can be demonstrated through: company annual accounts showing net assets at or above the required amount; a bank guarantee from a Lithuanian bank; or a declaration by a chartered accountant confirming the company has at least the required sum available. The financial standing assessment is made annually and must be maintained for the duration of the licence.

Professional Competence

At least one person within the company — the designated transport manager — must hold a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) in Road Haulage. The CPC is obtained by passing the professional competence examination administered by the Lithuanian Road Administration. The examination covers: civil law, commercial law, social law, fiscal law, business and financial management of the undertaking, access to the market, technical standards, road safety, and logistics. The transport manager must be genuinely connected to the business — either as an employee or as a director. Holding a transport manager CPC from another EU member state is recognised in Lithuania.

Effective Establishment

The company must be genuinely and stably established in Lithuania with premises from which it actually conducts its transport business — a registered address alone is insufficient. The premises must be accessible for inspections and must contain the core administrative documents of the transport business (vehicle registration documents, driver files, tachograph records, maintenance records). The company's vehicles must be based in Lithuania and maintained there. The VKTI may conduct an on-site inspection of the premises before issuing the licence.

 Transport manager — employee or director?

The transport manager who holds the CPC does not need to be the company’s director — they can be an employee. However, the transport manager must be genuinely employed and actively managing the transport operations. A nominal appointment of a CPC holder who has no actual connection to the company’s operations will not satisfy the VKTI’s effective establishment and professional competence conditions. Where a company cannot find a qualified transport manager, we can advise on CPC examination preparation and introduce candidates through our network.

Taxi Licence: Municipal Licensing and Driver Approval

The taxi licence framework in Lithuania is decentralised — each city municipality sets its own specific requirements within the framework established by the Law on Road Transport. The requirements in Vilnius differ in some respects from those in Kaunas or Klaipėda. What is common to all municipalities is the two-level structure: an operator licence for the company, and individual driver approval for each driver who provides rides under that licence.

Operator licence requirements

The taxi operator licence is issued to the company (or sole trader) operating the taxi service. Common requirements across Lithuanian municipalities include: company registration with transport as a registered activity code (49.32 — Taxi operation); SoDra employer registration before the licence application; vehicles meeting the municipality’s age and technical standards (typically not more than 5 years old for first-time licences); each vehicle fitted with a taximeter (or for ride-hailing operators, an approved pricing mechanism); external taxi identification (taxi sign, livery, or markings as specified by the municipality); and compulsory third-party liability insurance plus passenger liability insurance for each vehicle.

Driver approval

Each driver who provides taxi or ride-hailing services must be individually approved by the municipality — driver approval is separate from and in addition to the operator licence. Driver requirements typically include: a valid Category B driving licence; at least 3 years of driving experience; passing a municipal knowledge test covering local geography, passenger handling, and relevant regulations; no criminal convictions for offences that would make them unsuitable for transporting members of the public; and a valid medical certificate confirming fitness to drive professionally. Drivers must carry their individual approval certificate in the vehicle during all commercial operations.

Ride-hailing platform operators

Companies operating technology platforms that connect passengers with drivers through a mobile application — such as Bolt, Uber, or similar — are required to hold a taxi operator licence in each municipality where they facilitate rides. The platform operator is treated as the licence holder responsible for the service, even if the drivers are self-employed contractors rather than employees. Each driver providing rides through the platform must independently obtain municipal driver approval. The platform must provide the municipality with a list of approved drivers operating under its licence. We advise ride-hailing operators on the applicable municipal requirements across Lithuania and manage simultaneous applications in multiple cities.

What We Do: From Eligibility to Licence

We manage the transport licensing process as a complete engagement — from initial eligibility assessment through to licence collection and ongoing compliance advisory. For operators who need to be licensed quickly, we identify the fastest compliant path and manage every step.

Eligibility and structure assessment

Before any application is submitted, we assess whether the applicant meets all four conditions (for road haulage) or the municipal requirements (for taxi). Where gaps exist — a missing CPC, insufficient financial standing, or vehicles that do not meet age requirements — we identify these before the application is filed and advise on how to resolve them. Starting the application before all conditions are met leads to rejection and wasted time.

Document preparation

Each application requires a defined set of documents — company registration certificates, financial standing evidence, transport manager CPC, criminal record checks for all relevant persons, vehicle registration documents, insurance certificates, and premises documentation. For taxi applications, municipal requirements vary and must be checked specifically for each city. We prepare the full document set, coordinate any required translations or apostilles, and review everything before submission.

Application submission and authority liaison

We submit the application to the Lithuanian Road Administration or the relevant municipality and manage all correspondence during the review period. VKTI or municipal inspectors may request additional documentation or conduct an inspection of the premises or vehicles — we prepare for and accompany these inspections. We track application status and ensure the authority has everything needed to issue the licence without delay.

Post-licence compliance

Once the licence is issued, ongoing compliance obligations arise: vehicles must be maintained to the required standard, tachograph records must be kept correctly, driving and rest time rules must be observed, and the Community Licence must be renewed every 10 years. For taxi operators, annual licence renewal and driver re-approval in some municipalities. We advise on post-licence compliance and assist with renewals, fleet changes, and any regulatory correspondence that arises after the licence is in operation.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Lithuanian road haulage licence — whether the Community Licence or the national licence — requires a company genuinely established in Lithuania. A foreign company cannot directly hold a Lithuanian road haulage licence. The applicant must be a Lithuanian-registered legal entity with actual premises in Lithuania from which it conducts its transport operations. For foreign transport operators who want to access Lithuanian and EU markets under a Lithuanian licence, the standard approach is to register a Lithuanian UAB, meet the four licensing conditions, and then apply. We manage the company registration and licence application as a single integrated process.

The CPC in Road Haulage is the professional qualification required for the transport manager of a licensed haulage company. It is obtained by passing a written examination administered by the Lithuanian Road Administration. The examination covers nine subject areas: civil law, commercial law, social law, fiscal law, business and financial management, access to the market, technical standards and operation, road safety, and logistics and auxiliary services. The examination is available in Lithuanian and in other languages in some sessions. A CPC holder from another EU member state can have their qualification recognised in Lithuania without re-sitting the examination. We advise on CPC examination preparation and can connect applicants with preparatory courses.

There is no maximum number of vehicles that can be covered by a single Community Licence — the licence covers the entire fleet, with a certified copy issued for each vehicle. Each additional vehicle above the first requires additional financial standing of €5,000. When adding vehicles to an existing licence, the company must notify the VKTI, demonstrate the additional financial standing, and obtain new certified copies for the new vehicles. The 10-year licence itself does not need to be renewed — only the certified copies need to match the current fleet.

A Vilnius municipal taxi licence authorises operations primarily in Vilnius. The legal position on inter-city operations is nuanced: in practice, a taxi licensed in Vilnius can complete a journey that started in Vilnius to any destination, including another city. However, systematically picking up passengers in Kaunas (or another city) and operating as a taxi service in that city requires a Kaunas licence. For operators who genuinely serve multiple cities — for example, airport transfer services between Vilnius and Kaunas — we advise on whether licences in multiple municipalities are required and manage simultaneous applications.

For the road haulage Community Licence, financial standing of €9,000 for the first vehicle and €5,000 per additional vehicle must be demonstrated. This is not a one-off payment — it represents the minimum net asset level the company must maintain. Acceptable evidence includes: annual financial accounts signed by a certified accountant showing net assets at or above the required level; a statement from a Lithuanian bank confirming the company has the required amount on deposit; or a bank guarantee issued by a Lithuanian bank. The financial standing requirement is assessed annually — a company whose net assets fall below the threshold may have its licence suspended.

The Lithuanian Road Administration’s statutory processing time for a road haulage Community Licence application is 30 business days from the submission of a complete application. In practice, complete applications where all four conditions are clearly met are typically processed within 3–5 weeks. Where the VKTI requires additional documentation or conducts a premises inspection, the timeline extends. The most common delay is incomplete financial standing documentation or a transport manager whose CPC is not immediately verifiable. We prepare all documentation before submission to minimise the risk of information requests during the review.

Ride-hailing drivers providing paid transport services must hold municipal driver approval — this is separate from and in addition to a standard driving licence. The driver approval process requires: a valid Category B driving licence; at least 3 years of driving experience; passing a municipal knowledge test; no relevant criminal convictions; and a valid professional driver medical certificate. The platform operator (the ride-hailing company) must hold the operator taxi licence; the individual driver must hold their own municipal driver approval. Standard private driving licences alone do not authorise providing paid passenger transport services.

Ready to apply for your transport licence?

Contact us to discuss your transport activity, vehicle fleet, and target timeline. We will confirm the applicable licence type, assess your eligibility against the current requirements, and provide a fixed-fee quote for the complete licensing engagement. We manage road haulage and taxi licensing applications across all Lithuanian municipalities.