A certified true copy of a Community licence is required for domestic and international carriage of passengers (occasional services, regular services) for a charge by a bus (as of 10 seats including the driver’s seat) and by an automobile with 6–9 seats (including the driver’s seat).
A certified true copy of a Community licence is issued for ten years, if the applicant does not require it for a shorter period, and not for longer than the term of validity of the Community licence.
The Community licence is issued by the Association of Estonian International Road Carriers (ERAA).
Legal bases
- Public Transport Act;
- Road Transport Act;
- General Rules for Regular Carriage of Passengers by Bus, Occasional Carriage by Bus, Taxi Service and Carriage of Baggage;
- Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing common rules concerning the conditions to be complied with to pursue the occupation of road transport operator and repealing Council Directive 96/26/EC;
- Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules for access to the international market for coach and bus services, and amending Regulation (EC) No 561/2006;
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 361/2014 laying down detailed rules for the application of Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards documents for the international carriage of passengers by coach and bus and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 2121/98.
Requirements for the applicant
In order to obtain a certified true copy of a Community licence, you need to meet the following requirements:
- Hold a valid community licence.
- The motor vehicle has been entered in the traffic register.
- The motor vehicle complies with the roadworthiness requirements in force.
- The financial standing of an applicant must comply with the requirements established in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009.
- Pay a fee to the ERAA for issuing a certified true copy of a Community licence.
Cross-border operation
If an operator has been established and operates in the field of the carriage of passengers in some other Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area, yet wishes to operate also in Estonia, they need to be established as a carrier in the Republic of Estonia and be entered in the commercial register, or as a legal person into another register in accordance with law.
Examine the Guidelines on applying for a Community licence (carriage of passengers).
Submitting the application
The following documents need to be submitted to obtain a certified true copy of a Community licence:
- An application (in Estonian);
- The contract of use of the vehicle if the applicant is not the owner of the vehicle or a user of the vehicle specified in the registration certificate.
- Documents certifying the financial standing specified in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (if these are not electronically available).
Documents required for applying for a certified true copy of a Community licence are to be:
- Submitted by entering the Register of Economic Activities (you need to log in with an ID card, Mobile ID or Smart ID);
- Sent in the digitally signed format to the email address [email protected] (in Tallinn), [email protected] (in Tartu) or [email protected] (in Pärnu);
- Submitted on paper to the ERAA
- office in Tallinn (Narva mnt 91, Tallinn 10127) on business days from 09.00 to 13.00
- office in Pärnu (Lille 4, 80010 (AIDE ärikeskus, room 208)) Tue.–Th. from 09.00 to 13.00
- office in Tartu (Sepa 26, 50113) on business days from 09.00 to 13.00
- Sent by regular mail to the address of the ERAA at Narva mnt 91, 10127 Tallinn
A certified true copy of the Community licence can be obtained from the Tallinn an Tartu office of the ERAA on business days from 09.00 to 13.00 and from the Pärnu office Tue.–Th. from 09.00 to 13.00.
Upon the operator’s request, a certified true copy of the Community licence can be sent to the operator via mail.
Payment of state fee
In order to apply for a certified copy of a licence, a service fee of EUR 22.32 (EUR 18 + VAT) must be paid to the Association of Estonian International Road Carriers (ERAA). Once the certified copy of the licence is ready, the ERAA will send a prepayment invoice to the email address indicated in the operator’s contact details in the application for the certified copy. The certified copy of the licence can be obtained once the ERAA has received the service fee. In the Tallinn office, you can pay by card or cash; in Tartu and Pärnu, only cash payments are possible.
Processing the application
The processing of an application shall take up to 15 calendar days.
The operator shall be notified of the issuance of a certified true copy of a Community licence via a non-priority letter or e-mail.
The certified true copy of a Community licence shall be issued on paper to a legal representative of the applicant or to a person authorised by a legal representative.
If the application contains any deficiencies, the applicant shall be given a reasonable time limit for the elimination of the deficiencies. During the time limit prescribed for the elimination of the deficiencies, the term for the processing of the application will be suspended.
A certified true copy of a Community licence is issued for 10 years, unless the applicant requires it for a shorter period, but not for longer than the term of validity of the Community licence.
At the end of the duration of a Community licence a new certified true copy of a Community licence can be applied for, if all the requirements imposed upon the applicant are met. The application for obtaining a new Community licence shall be submitted at least 30 days before the end of the validity of the existing certified true copy of a Community licence.
Changing the conditions of a licence or its certified true copy
If there have been any changes in the data contained in the documents submitted for applying for a Community licence (e.g., when the transport manager changes, any changes in the contact information), the issuer of the Community licence must be notified thereof in writing within 28 days.
Should any data entered on a Community licence change (for example, the name or address of the enterprise), a new Community licence needs to be applied for.
Suspension of certified true copy of the Community licence by the operator and termination of economic activities
If an operator wishes to suspend the validity of a certified true copy of a Community licence for a certain period or revoke it, they need to submit a written application to the issuer of the certified true copy of a Community licence.
If the validity of the Community licence has been suspended or revoked, the document must be returned to the issuer thereof immediately but no later than within five business days.
Suspension of validity or revocation of certified true copy of the Community licence
- Upon the carrier’s own written application.
- The following circumstances arise in the carrier’s activities:
- the holder of the licence or the transport manager does not comply with the established requirements;
- the data of the licence holder do not match the contents of the licence;
- a driver of a public transport vehicle employed by the licence holder has in the professional capacity been convicted of a criminal offence (clause 53 (1) 3) of the ÜTS);
- upon applying for a Community licence false information has been provided knowingly that influenced the decision making regarding the application.
Supervision
Supervision over whether the holder of a certified true copy of a Community licence corresponds to the requirements imposed on them during the validity period of the document is exercised by the ERAA and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.
Supervision over the existence of a certified true copy of a Community licence on the roads is exercised by the Police and Border Guard Board and the Tax and Customs Board. Supervision over the existence of the copy of the licence at undertakings is exercised by the Labour Inspectorate.
Contact details
Substantive information
Elo Tambur, Association of Estonian International Road Carriers (ERAA), tel: +372 606 2051, e-mail: [email protected]
Eda Rembel, tel: +372 6 256 427, Ministry of Climate, e-mail: [email protected]
Registry information and technical questions
Register of Economic Activities, tel: +372 668 7080, e-mail: [email protected]