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If you want to transport animals, you need a license as a transport company before you start your activities. The application must be submitted to your competent veterinary office.
Transport companies that transport vertebrate animals in connection with a commercial activity require a license depending on the duration of the transport.
There are two types of approval:
For a type 1 approval, you must meet certain requirements regarding your location/company headquarters, qualified personnel and handling that complies with animal welfare legislation.
For a type 2 license, you must meet some additional requirements. You can find detailed information on the two approvals in the "Requirements" section.
The approvals are issued for a maximum period of five years.
A transport operation includes the entire transportation process from the place of dispatch to the place of destination, including unloading, storage and loading at intermediate stations.
If there are any changes to the information or documents that you have communicated to your veterinary office as part of the approval, please inform your veterinary office no later than 15 working days after the change.
Requirements that you must fulfill in order to obtain a type 1 permit (transport duration up to 8 hours):
Requirements that you must fulfill in order to obtain a type 2 approval (transport duration longer than 8 hours):
The following proofs and declarations are required for type 1 approval:
The following proofs are also required for a type 2 license
Please ask your competent veterinary office whether you need to submit any further documents.
After submitting your application and providing all the necessary documents, your application will be checked and documented by the responsible veterinary office. If the requirements are met, approval will be granted.
You must apply for a license before you start working. You may only start working once you have received the license.
If you are a farmer, you do not need a license to transport animals in your own agricultural vehicles or means of transport in cases where, for geographical reasons, transport is required as part of the seasonal migration of certain animal species (e.g. upbringing or downbringing), or to transport your own animals in your own means of transport over a distance of less than 50 km from your farm.
You also do not need a license
If you wish to use road transport vehicles commercially to transport animals for longer than 8 hours, you will need a permit for the means of transport from the competent veterinary office.