Making changes to an Operator’s Licence

The Office of the Traffic Commissioners (OTC) needs to be advised of any material changes that affect your business or operation. This could be from adding or removing vehicles within what you have been granted; to increasing your fleet size or adding or removing a transport manager. Most of this should now be done on-line as it’s faster and more efficient, although to add a transport manager a TM1 form requires to be completed and sent with the relevant certificates.

You also need to advice or company and any convictions of either a director, driver or partner. These changes need to be reported in the appropriate way and in the correct timescale as shown below as taken from OTC section on the GOV.UK website.

Can you all answer these 2 questions with a yes, as if not then you need to report it / them as soon as possible:

• are your company, directors / partners, operating centre, office or vehicle details up to date on your Operator Licence and therefore with the OTC?
• have you notified the OTC of any changes to the directors / partners, or of any convictions received by them, the transport manager or drivers from the company?

You’ve got formal, legal obligations to tell your Traffic Commissioner about changes that affect your Operator’s Licence

The licence to operate road haulage or passenger transport vehicles is given to you on trust. So, by signing up to the licence promises, you make a commitment to the OTC to comply.

As a responsible operator, you should be aware of the undertakings and conditions that you agreed to, but some Restricted Licence operators may not be which is why we offer our Restricted Operator licence Management and Compliance service. However, we feel it’s always useful for everyone to get a reminder of what you need to tell the Traffic Commissioner about and when you need to do it which is what the list below is.

The list below shows the changes you need to notify to the OTC and within the timescales required:

• conviction; fixed penalty notice of officer of the operator – within 28 days;
• conviction; fixed penalty notice of employee – within 28 days;
• bankruptcy of operator; director; partner – within 28 days;
• administration; liquidation; administration; receivership; CVA (company voluntary arrangement) – before an appointment or order is made;
• change in name or legal form of undertaking – within 28 days;
• death of operator; partner – as soon as possible;
• change of licence type – application required as no authority until grant;
• change in operating centre – application required as no authority until grant;
• change in address of establishment – within 28 days;
• change of director or partner – as soon as possible;
• change or death of a transport manager – within 28 days;
• change of maintenance supplier or arrangements – as soon as possible;
• removal of vehicle or trailer – within 1 month;
• addition of vehicle or trailer – within 1 month if within the operator licence margin or an application is required although there would be no authority until operate them until the change is granted.

You can read more in this guidance by following the link good repute and fitness to the relevant place on the GOV.UK website.

If you are bewildered by what you have read and need to do, please contact us via email; [email protected] or call; 01935 577007 for free expert, friendly and professional advice regardingour Making Changes to an Operator Licence services.