Logistics and transportation businesses need to ensure they’ve addressed all necessary legal requirements when starting or running their operations in Australia. Our legal team specialises in assisting small businesses in this industry with their legal needs, including contracts, privacy compliance and intellectual property protection.
To start a logistics or transportation business in the UK, you will need to prepare and register a variety of legal documents. Key requirements include:
- Registering your business name with Companies House (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house).
- Obtaining Employers' Liability Insurance and business insurance (e.g. public liability, vehicle insurance).
- Securing Local authority approval (if operating from a commercial premise) and a lease agreement (if renting premises).
- Having Health and safety policies and procedures in place, in compliance with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines (https://www.hse.gov.uk/).
- Complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 for privacy and data protection policies and procedures (https://ico.org.uk/).
- Obtaining the necessary licenses and permits (e.g. Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence, International Road Haulage Permit).
Working in transportation and logistics means you'll come across several risks. Specifically in the areas of warehouses and supply, it can be tricky to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Ensuring goods are transported safely from A to B isn't always easy, as many things can get in the way. In addition, the parties you're working with may have specific expectations of quality and timeliness that would be set out in your contracts with them.
To protect your business, it's wise to insert limitation of liability clauses into your contracts so you don't bear all legal responsibility for things that go wrong, or matters that are outside of your control.
Yes - transportation and logistics businesses require a licence to conduct their business activities legally and safely in the UK.
Licences and permits could include:
- Operator's licence for goods vehicles
- Boatmaster's licence
- Private hire vehicle (PHV) licence
- Warehouse keeper's licence
- Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) licence
Our expert lawyers can also advise you on your legal obligations and regulatory compliance matters for your logistics or transportation business in the UK. Get in touch with our team to learn more.