Transport Licences: What You Need to Know to Run a Transport Company in Sweden

Starting and running a transport company involves more than just having the right vehicles and customers in place. If you want to carry goods or passengers for payment, a transport licence (trafiktillstånd) is a basic requirement for the business to be legal, reputable and sustainable over time. In this article, we go through what a transport licence is, who needs one and which requirements must be met to get started.

What Is a Transport Licence?

To run a transport company in Sweden that offers goods or passenger transport for payment, you need a transport licence. This is a requirement from the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) to ensure that the business is run in a responsible and lawful way.

A transport licence is a necessary licence that gives companies permission to carry out commercial transport in Sweden. There are two main types of transport licence:

Goods transport licence: For companies that transport goods for payment, for example logistics companies and haulage firms.

Passenger transport licence: For bus companies and other passenger transport using vehicles built for more than nine people. Taxi businesses instead require a separate taxi transport licence.

A company that carries out transport operations without a valid transport licence risks fines or other legal penalties.

Who Needs a Transport Licence?

If your company plans to transport goods or passengers for payment, a transport licence is required. Examples of businesses that need a licence include:

• Haulage firms and courier companies
• Removal firms
• Taxi companies
• Bus companies
  
  

There may be exemptions for smaller transport that is not carried out commercially, but as soon as it is a matter of commercial transport, a transport licence is a must.

Requirements for Getting a Transport Licence

To get a transport licence, the company and the people responsible must meet certain requirements:

Professional competence: The person responsible for transport within the company must have the necessary training and knowledge of the rules and laws governing transport operations. This is shown by passing the professional competence exam at the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket). A course is optional but makes it easier to pass the exam.

Financial resources: The company must show that it has sufficient financial resources to run the business. To get a goods transport licence, capital of at least EUR 9 000 (SEK 99 360 in 2026) is required for the first vehicle and EUR 5 000 (SEK 55 200) for each additional vehicle. The same amounts apply to buses. For taxis, the requirement is SEK 100 000 for the first car and SEK 50 000 for each additional one.

Good repute: The company's management must be of good repute, which means that the people responsible must not have been convicted of serious crimes or have committed serious infringements within the transport sector.

Fixed establishment: The company must be physically established in Sweden, with an actual business address and a place where it can keep its accounting records and other documentation.

To apply for a goods transport licence, the company needs a transport manager who has passed the Transport Administration's knowledge test in professional competence. We offer an online course in professional competence for goods transport through our partner, where you can study at your own pace and prepare for the exam.

If your company does not have its own transport manager, you can instead hire an external consultant. In that case, the Transport Agency requires the arrangement to be governed by a consultancy agreement for a transport manager, which is attached to the application. Among other things, the agreement must clearly set out the scope of the assignment, the division of responsibilities and the fee.

Application Process for the Licence

You apply for a transport licence through the Transport Agency, and the process includes the following steps:

Prepare documentation: You need to gather documents that demonstrate the company's financial position, professional competence and the management's repute.

Submit the application: The application is made through the Transport Agency's e-service. Here you provide all the relevant information about your company and its operations.

Pay the application fee: You pay a fee to the Transport Agency for the application. In 2026 it is SEK 12 500, both for a commercial transport licence for goods and buses and for a taxi transport licence.

Wait for a decision: Processing times vary, so expect several weeks. For taxis, the Transport Agency starts processing the case within five to seven weeks of payment. If all requirements are met, you receive a written decision and the licence comes into effect.

What Happens After You Get a Transport Licence?

Once you have your licence, it is important to keep meeting its requirements, for example by making sure that the company's finances, professional competence and repute remain in good order. The Transport Agency may carry out checks to ensure that the business is run according to the rules.

If the business changes, for example when you buy new vehicles or grow, you may need to update your licence or make a new application.

Summary

A transport licence is an essential requirement for companies that carry out commercial transport in Sweden, whether it involves goods or passenger transport. To obtain a transport licence, the company must demonstrate professional competence, have sufficient financial resources and meet the requirement of good repute.

Having a valid licence means that you can run your transport business legally and safely, and it also gives your customers peace of mind.

Do you need help applying for a transport licence?

Get in touch with us and we can help you through the entire process. Contact us and get a reply with a quote within 24 hours.