Determining PSV Rules
The tables below will guide you through the process of what rules apply to your operation based upon the type of vehicles operated. A full list of countries that fall within EU or AETR operations can be found at the foot of this page, with all rules applicable to all operations available within this section.
| Type of operation | Number of passenger seats/Rules applicable | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private, non PSV and permit operations | 8 or less | 9 - 12 | 13 - 16 | 17 or more |
| Police, fire and Armed Forces purposes | None | None | None | None |
| UK journeys - non-PSV public 'services' or 'utilities' purposes* | None | None** | Domestic | Domestic |
| UK journeys - non-PSV business use | None | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules |
| UK journeys - volunteer driving of Permit 19 and Permit 22 vehicles or private use | None | None | None | EU/AETR rules |
| UK journeys - employee driving Permit 19 and Permit 22 vehicles | None | Domestic | Domestic | EU/AETR rules |
| International journeys including private use | None in UK but must obey any domestic rules of country visited | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules |
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| Type of operation | Number of passenger seats/Rules applicable | |||
| PSV Operations | 8 or less | 9 - 12 | 13 - 16 | 17 or more |
| Regular service on route not exceeding 50 km | Domestic rules | Domestic rules | Domestic rules | Domestic rules |
| National or international regular service on route exceeding 50 km | Domestic rules on journeys in UK*** | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules |
| National or international non-regular service e.g. commercial excursions, tours or private hire | Domestic rules on journeys in UK*** | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules |
- * There are a number of specific exemptions from the EU/AETR rules that may apply to operations by public authorities while operating in the UK.
- ** Public 'services' or 'utilities' purpose vehicles with 10 to 13 seats (including the driver) must comply with the GB domestic rules when operated under a permit by employee drivers.
- ***EU/AETR rules do not apply but the domestic rules of GB and any other country passed through must be obeyed.
A public service vehicle (PSV) is a motor vehicle that is adapted to carry more than eight passengers and is used to carry passengers for hire or reward or, if adapted to carry eight or fewer passengers is used to carry passengers, for hire or reward at separate fares.
A regular service (which includes special regular services) is a service that provides for the carriage of passengers at specified intervals along a specified route, passengers being picked up and set down at predetermined stopping points. It does not have to be a service for the general public. It may be a service provided exclusively for a particular category of passenger (e.g. it may take children to and from school or workers to and from work). A service may be varied according to the needs of those concerned and still remain a regular service.
If a journey is taken to an EU or European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland then the EU rules apply to the whole journey.
If a journey is taken to or through an AETR country then AETR rules will apply to the whole journey. Vehicles with fewer than eight passenger seats travelling through other countries must obey the relevant domestic rules.
List of EU, AETR and EEA Countries.
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EU countries
Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden UK |
AETR countries
Albania Andorra Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia Kazakhstan Liechtenstein Macedonia Moldova Russia Serbia and Montenegro Turkey Turkmenistan Ukraine Uzbekistan |
European Economic Area (EEA)
All the EU Countries Iceland Liechtenstein Norway 
Key Information
Reminder: Switzerland is not a member of the European Union.
AETR Rules Domestic Rules |
Source - VOSA
