How to Start a Haulage Company (UK)

Step 1 — Choose your lane and vehicle

Decide what you'll move and for whom: general pallets, containers, chilled, or same-day van work. The vehicle follows the niche — a 3.5t van avoids O-licence requirements for domestic work but caps revenue; an 18-tonner or artic opens contract work but brings the full compliance stack. Many successful operators start as an owner-driver subcontracting for larger fleets before winning direct customers.

Step 2 — Licences and legal structure

For vehicles over 3.5 tonnes you'll need an operator's licence from the Traffic Commissioner: restricted (own goods only) or standard (hire and reward), with a CPC-qualified transport manager for standard licences. Apply via the VOL service and allow about seven weeks. Set up a limited company early — licences, finance and insurance are all cleaner with the right entity from day one.

Drivers need the correct licence category (C1, C, C+E) plus Driver CPC and a tachograph card for in-scope work.

Step 3 — Know your numbers

Before quoting a single job, know your cost per mile: fuel, driver cost (including your own time), insurance, VED, O-licence and compliance costs, finance, maintenance and tyres, spread over realistic annual miles. Undercutting on price without knowing your cost base is the classic first-year failure mode. Use a cost-per-mile calculator and re-run it whenever fuel moves.

Step 4 — Win your first loads

Liquidity comes from three places: load boards and exchanges (start free — Loadmarket charges nothing), subcontracting for established hauliers and pallet networks, and direct relationships with local shippers. Return loads matter from day one: an empty leg is a cost, a cheap backload is margin. List your company in free directories so shippers searching your area can find you.