Everything about permits in the transport sector

You have a load of waste, soil, pallets or agricultural bulk goods ready for transport. A carrier needs to collect it. But can you simply trust any transport company? If the required permits and registrations are not in order, you as the client may also face problems. A fine, a delayed or stopped shipment, or problems during an inspection by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate are risks you want to avoid.

In this blog, you will read which permits and registrations transport companies may need. We focus on the transport of waste, soil, pallets and agricultural products.

In short:

• Professional road haulage in the Netherlands requires a Community transport licence (Eurolicence) when the vehicle or combination has a payload of more than 500 kilograms or a maximum authorised mass of more than 2,500 kilograms.
• Companies that professionally transport waste in the Netherlands generally also need a VIHB registration.
• For cross-border waste shipments, the European Waste Shipment Regulation (EWSR) applies.
• If soil or pallets are classified as waste, additional waste transport rules may apply.
• For agricultural bulk goods intended for the animal feed chain, GMP+ certification can play an important role.

Below, we explain what these permits, registrations and rules mean and why they are also important to you as a client.

Which permit does a professional road carrier need?

Companies that transport goods by road for third parties in return for payment need a Community transport licence (Eurolicence) when using a vehicle or combination of vehicles with a payload of more than 500 kilograms or a maximum authorised mass of more than 2,500 kilograms.

The NIWO (National and International Road Transport Organisation) issues the Dutch Eurolicence. Companies must meet requirements regarding a genuine and stable establishment, professional competence, sufficient financial standing and good repute.

The Eurolicence is valid for five years and must then be renewed. If you work with a professional road carrier, it is worth checking whether the company holds a valid licence.

Which registration is required for waste transport?

VIHB is the Dutch abbreviation for Vervoerder, Inzamelaar, Handelaar en Bemiddelaar. In English, these activities are referred to as Transporter, Collector, Dealer and Broker.

Companies that professionally transport or collect industrial or hazardous waste in the Netherlands must be registered on the national VIHB list. The registration requirements also apply to foreign companies carrying out these activities in the Netherlands.

When a carrier needs a VIHB registration, the relevant VIHB number must be included on the waste accompanying document. For transport or collection activities, a copy of the VIHB certificate issued by NIWO with the word "KOPIE" must also be present in the vehicle. Transport companies are not permitted to produce these copies themselves.

Why should you check the carrier as a client?

Waste transport involves obligations for several parties in the chain. The waste producer or holder, the carrier and the receiving company each have their own responsibilities. For waste transported in the Netherlands, an accompanying document is generally required, and the carrier must have the registrations required for the transport.

Before handing waste over for transport, it is therefore important to check whether the carrier is registered on the VIHB list when a VIHB registration is required. This reduces the risk of problems during an inspection and helps prevent delays in the waste chain.

Which rules apply to cross-border waste shipments?

When waste crosses national borders, the European Waste Shipment Regulation (EWSR) applies.

Green List waste intended for recovery can, when the conditions of Article 18 of the EWSR are met, be shipped under the information requirements for Green List waste. The shipment must be accompanied by the appropriate Annex VII document.

Since 21 May 2026, additional requirements apply to Annex VII shipments. Among other things, the person arranging the shipment must check whether the recovery facility has the permit or registration required under the applicable waste legislation. A new Annex VII form and a contract that complies with Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 must also be used.

Other waste shipments may fall under the prior notification and consent procedure. For these shipments, the competent authorities involved must give their consent before the shipment can take place.

Since 21 May 2026, notifications and transport notifications that fall under the notification procedure are handled through the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS). Mandatory digital reporting of Annex VII shipments through DIWASS has been postponed until 1 January 2027. Until then, the existing reporting procedure for these shipments remains in place. From 1 January 2027, an Annex VII shipment must be reported digitally before transport in accordance with the applicable DIWASS rules.

Do these rules also apply to soil, pallets and agricultural bulk goods?

There is no separate road transport licence specifically for soil. Whether soil is legally classified as waste depends on the circumstances. Its origin, intended use and the applicable waste legislation all play a role.

During transport on public roads, soil or dredged material is in many cases regarded as waste. This can also apply to reusable or clean soil. If soil is transported as waste in the Netherlands, the rules for waste transport apply. A transport accompanying document is generally required, and professional transporters of waste must in almost all cases be registered on the VIHB list. Depending on the situation, additional rules may apply to excavation, storage or application of the soil. More information is available from the Dutch Business Portal.

For pallets, the legal status of the load is also important. New pallets and pallets that remain products are transported under the normal rules for road haulage. If discarded pallets are classified as waste wood, the rules for waste transport apply and the carrier may need a VIHB registration.

For agricultural bulk goods intended for the animal feed chain, GMP+ certification can play an important role. GMP+ is not a statutory road transport permit. It is an internationally recognised certification scheme for feed safety. Certified transport companies must comply with requirements covering matters such as previous loads, cleaning procedures and the cleanliness of loading compartments. Clients in the animal feed sector may require their carriers to be GMP+ certified.

How do you check whether a carrier has the correct permits and registrations?

When working with a new waste carrier in the Netherlands, check the company's VIHB number in the NIWO VIHB register. For professional road haulage, you can also ask the carrier to provide evidence of a valid Eurolicence.

For international waste shipments, ask which types of waste and countries the carrier works with and whether it has experience with the applicable EWSR procedures, Annex VII documentation and DIWASS. International waste transport can involve different registrations, notifications and authorisations depending on the waste stream, destination and type of shipment.

Which permits and registrations does DTC have?

At DTC De Transportcompagnon, we have been providing national and international transport since 2009, including waste, recycling materials and secondary fuels. For waste transport in the Netherlands, we are registered on the national VIHB list and we hold a valid Eurolicence.

For international waste transport, we work with the applicable waste shipment procedures and the required documentation. DTC has experience with waste transport to countries including Belgium, Germany, England, Denmark, Sweden, Luxembourg, Poland and Austria. Depending on the destination and waste stream, the relevant registrations, notifications and authorisations are used.

We carry out these transports with equipment including our walkingfloor trailers, container trucks and tautliners.

Frequently asked questions about permits in the transport sector

What is the difference between a Eurolicence and VIHB registration?
A Eurolicence is the road haulage licence required for professional carriage of goods by road when the relevant vehicle weight or payload thresholds are exceeded. VIHB registration is a separate Dutch registration for companies that professionally transport, collect, deal in or broker industrial or hazardous waste.

Do I also need a transport permit as the client?
Hiring a carrier does not automatically mean that you need a Eurolicence yourself. If you are the waste producer, holder or another party in the waste chain, you may have separate obligations under waste legislation. These depend on your role and the type of waste shipment.

Does VIHB registration also apply to soil and pallets?
It depends on whether the material is legally classified as waste. Soil can also be regarded as waste during transport when it is clean or intended for reuse. Discarded pallets classified as waste wood also fall under waste legislation. When waste is professionally transported in the Netherlands, a VIHB registration is generally required for the carrier.

Is GMP+ certification mandatory?
GMP+ is not a statutory road transport permit. It is a certification scheme for feed safety. Companies operating in the animal feed chain may require transport to be carried out by a GMP+ certified carrier.

What is walkingfloor transport?

You are standing at a discharge location with a fully loaded trailer. The ground is soft. There are ruts in the yard. Indoor unloading is mandatory or there is a low canopy. Tipping is not allowed. Planning is under pressure and every minute counts.

Situations like this occur every day at waste processors, recycling companies and producers of secondary fuels. In many of these cases, walkingfloor transport is the solution.

In this blog you will read:

• what walkingfloor transport is
• how a walkingfloor trailer works
• when to use it and when not to

Table of contents:

1. What is a walkingfloor trailer?
2. How does a walkingfloor trailer work?
3. What is a walkingfloor trailer used for?
4. Which walkingfloor system brands are popular?
5. What are the advantages of a walkingfloor trailer?
6. When do you use something other than a walkingfloor?
7. How long does unloading take on average?
8. How should a walkingfloor trailer be loaded?
9. What does walkingfloor transport cost?
10. How safe is walkingfloor transport?
11. Maintenance, malfunctions and damage
12. What is walkingfloor transport?

 

1. What is a walkingfloor trailer?

A walkingfloor trailer is a semi trailer with a hydraulically driven loading floor. This floor consists of several aluminium floor slats that move in a fixed pattern. This movement pushes the load in a controlled way towards the rear.

Why does the trailer not need to tip?

The floor itself unloads the cargo. The trailer remains horizontal. This makes walkingfloor transport suitable for:

• locations with limited height
• soft or uneven ground
• situations with higher safety requirements

Where is walking floor transport used?

Walkingfloor transport is widely used in the waste and recycling sector, for biomass and for residual streams destined for incineration.

2. How does a walkingfloor trailer work?

The floor consists of three groups of floor slats. First, all slats move backwards together. Then the groups move forward one by one. Two thirds of the floor always remain stationary, so the load does not move back with the slats.

This process repeats until the trailer is empty. The driver operates the system via a remote control or from the cab. The speed is adjusted to the type of material.

In practice, unloading a full trailer takes on average five to fifteen minutes. Dry and light materials unload faster than wet or sticky streams.

 

3. What is a walkingfloor trailer used for?

Which materials are transported?

Walkingfloor trailers are mainly used for:

• household and industrial waste
• paper and plastic
• biomass such as wood chips
• RDF and SRF
• compost and sorting residues

Why are these materials suitable?

These streams are often voluminous and are unloaded at locations where safety and control are important. Because the trailer does not tip, the risk of instability is lower than with a tipper.

Which goods are most suitable?

Mainly light bulk streams. In these cases, the trailer is usually full by volume before the maximum weight is reached. The higher unladen weight of the trailer is less relevant here.

 

4. Which walkingfloor system brands are popular?

In the Netherlands, trailers are mainly used from:

• Knapen Trailers
• Kraker Trailers
• STAS

Many trailers are equipped with a Cargo Floor system. This system is widely used and spare parts are readily available, which is important for continuity and maintenance.

5. What are the advantages of a walkingfloor trailer?

The main advantages are:

• no tipping risk
• unloading on soft or uneven ground
• suitable for indoor unloading
• controlled and even discharge
• suitable for multiple material types

In practice, this leads to less downtime and fewer incidents at locations where a lot of equipment is operating.

 

6. When do you use something other than a walkingfloor?

A walkingfloor trailer is versatile, but not always the most logical choice. The type of trailer depends on the material, the weight, the unloading location and the loading and unloading method.

Type of trailer	When to use	Why not a walkingfloor
Walkingfloor	Waste, biomass, RDF, indoor unloading, soft ground	Not required if unloading is straightforward
Tipper	Sand, gravel, rubble at a fixed unloading site	Heavier and slower
Container	Fixed container transport	No swap function
Tautliner	Palletised and general cargo	Unnecessary technology

When is a tipper more efficient?
A tipper is used for heavy, homogeneous bulk streams such as sand, gravel and rubble. Unloading is fast and the trailer has a low unladen weight. With heavy bulk, a walkingfloor means a loss of payload and time. If height and ground conditions are not an issue, a tipper is more efficient.

When do you choose container transport?
Container trailers are used for fixed container flows that are swapped using a crane or hook system. Walkingfloor transport is designed for direct unloading and therefore does not fit this method.

When is a tautliner the logical choice?
A tautliner is suitable for palletised and general cargo loaded and unloaded with a forklift. In this type of transport, a moving floor has no function.

 

7. How long does unloading take on average?

Unloading a walkingfloor trailer takes on average five to fifteen minutes. The unloading time depends on:

• type of material
• moisture content
• even distribution of the load
• set unloading speed

8. How should a walkingfloor trailer be loaded?

When loading, it is important to:

• distribute the load evenly
• avoid foreign objects
• avoid loading material that is too wet
• distribute pallets properly

Incorrect loading increases the risk of blockages and damage to the floor slats.

 

9. What does walkingfloor transport cost?

Walkingfloor transport is on average ten to twenty five percent more expensive than tipper transport over comparable distances. The rate depends on distance, waiting time, unloading location and type of material.

On short trips, the price difference is more noticeable than on longer distances. This is because fixed costs such as maintenance and equipment weigh more heavily.

Walkingfloor transport is often used to prevent delays, damage or safety issues. In those situations, the higher rate is more predictable than the costs of downtime.

Why is the rate higher?

The higher rate is mainly due to:

• higher unladen weight
• more complex technology
• higher maintenance costs
• limited availability

How much payload do you lose?

A walkingfloor trailer has on average one to three tonnes less payload than a tipper.

With light waste streams this is less relevant. With heavy bulk, this difference affects the cost per tonne.

When do the extra costs not pay off?

Walkingfloor transport is often less logical for:

• heavy bulk at fixed unloading sites
• locations without height or safety restrictions
• very short unloading times

 

10. How safe is walkingfloor transport?

Safety is one of the main reasons for using walkingfloor transport. Especially at unloading locations where conditions are not ideal, this method offers more control than tipping.

Difference compared to tipping

With a tipper, the trailer is raised to unload the cargo. This requires a flat, stable surface and sufficient height. If the ground is soft or sloped, there is a risk of instability. This can lead to tipping, equipment damage or dangerous situations for personnel.

A walkingfloor trailer remains horizontal during unloading. The load is discharged in small, controlled steps. This keeps the centre of gravity low and prevents sudden shifts during unloading. The risk of instability is significantly reduced.

Working on soft ground

At locations such as landfills, temporary transfer sites and wet yards, the ground is often unstable. Ruts, tracks and mud are common. In these situations, tipping is often not allowed or even prohibited.

Walkingfloor transport is better suited because:

• the trailer does not lift
• the load remains evenly distributed
• small corrections are possible during unloading

This does not mean there are no risks, but the risks are more manageable.

Risks at landfills and busy unloading sites

At waste processing sites, multiple machines are often operating at the same time, such as loaders, cranes and compactors. Visibility is limited and ground conditions change constantly.

Specific risks to consider include:

• crossing traffic during unloading
• limited sightlines for drivers
• ruts and subsidence that appear suddenly
• mud reducing traction

Because a walkingfloor unloads in a controlled way and does not tip, the driver can often better anticipate these conditions. Clear coordination with the unloading site remains essential.

Manual removal of residual load

With wet or sticky materials, some cargo may not discharge automatically. Manual clean up always involves risks, regardless of trailer type.

Key points of attention:

• switch off engine and hydraulics
• never work between moving parts
• do not use heavy equipment directly on the floor

Walkingfloor transport reduces risk but does not eliminate it. Safe working depends on clear agreements and discipline at the unloading site.

 

11. Maintenance, malfunctions and damage

A walkingfloor trailer is technically more complex than a tipper or tautliner. This means maintenance and correct use play a larger role in reliability and service life. Problems rarely occur suddenly. They usually build up step by step.

What malfunctions occur most often?

The most common issues with walkingfloor trailers are:

• hydraulic leakage at hoses, couplings or cylinders
• contamination under the floor slats
• wear or damage to the floor slats

Why is contamination under the floor a risk?

Dirt increases resistance on the floor. Consequences include:

• heavier floor movement
• longer unloading times
• increased load on the hydraulic system
• higher risk of jamming

Regular cleaning, especially after wet or contaminating loads, helps limit these issues and prevents unnecessary wear.

Damage to floor slats

Floor slats are strong, but not designed for sharp or heavy foreign objects. Stones, metal or hard items in waste streams can damage the floor.

Damage often results from:

• insufficient load checks during loading
• mixed streams with unexpected materials
• uneven weight distribution

A damaged floor slat can cause uneven movement and increases the risk of further damage to the system.

What usually causes damage?

In practice, damage is more often caused by use than by technology. Common causes include:

• uneven loading
• material that is too wet or sticky
• foreign objects in the load
• insufficient cleaning between trips

These mistakes may seem minor but have a major impact on malfunctions, maintenance costs and downtime.

Why is preventive maintenance important?

Preventive maintenance not only prevents malfunctions but also extends the service life of the trailer. Regular inspection of hydraulics, floor slats and fixings is not optional but a requirement for reliable operation.

With intensive use in waste and recycling, preventive maintenance is almost always cheaper than repairs afterwards. Downtime at an unloading site often costs more than the maintenance itself.

 

12. What is walkingfloor transport?

Walkingfloor transport is goods transport using a trailer with a hydraulically driven floor to load and unload cargo horizontally. The moving floor discharges the material in a controlled way, without the trailer needing to tip.

This type of transport is suitable for situations with limited height, soft ground or higher safety requirements. That is why walkingfloor transport is widely used in the waste and recycling sector, for biomass and for secondary fuels.

It is not a solution for every type of load, but within the right application it is a safe and reliable transport method.