Starting out as a self-employed van courier

Courier work can start with one driver and one van.

The first weeks bring questions about tax, insurance, driving hours and how much the van can carry.

These notes set out the rules for drivers working in Great Britain.

Are you self-employed?

GOV.UK describes a self-employed person as someone who runs their business for themselves and takes responsibility for its success or failure.

You are probably self-employed if most of these are true.

You send invoices for the work you have done.
Nobody supervises you directly while you work.
You pay your own tax and National Insurance.
You get no holiday pay or sick pay.

Status for tax and status in employment law can differ. HMRC's online tool checks how a particular piece of work should be treated for tax.

Registering with HMRC

Most people start as a sole trader, which is the simplest way to run a business. You can start work straight away.

You must register for Self Assessment if you earn more than £1,000 from self-employment in a tax year, which runs from 6 April to 5 April. Keep records from your first job, because they help you work out your profit for the tax return.

A sole trader is personally responsible for all the debts of the business.

Insurance for courier work

Every van on the road must be insured, and third party cover is the legal minimum.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) asks van drivers to tell their insurer whether the van is for social or business use. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says a standard policy will not usually cover business use without business cover. It adds that specialist motor policies exist for businesses built around vehicles, such as a courier service.

How long you can drive

If you drive a van for work for more than 4 hours a day, the Great Britain domestic rules on drivers' hours apply. You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day. You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in a working day.

For an owner-driver, duty means driving or other work to do with the van and its load. A week with no day of more than 4 hours' driving is exempt from the duty limit.

Work in Europe brings extra rules. Carrying other people's goods for pay in Europe in a van over 2,500kg needs a standard international operator licence.

Loading the van

Every van has a design gross weight, shown on its vehicle identification number (VIN) plate. It is the most the van may weigh, with the driver, passengers, fuel and load included. A public weighbridge will tell you what the van weighs.

Overloading affects the van's performance and safety. Spread the load evenly, with the heaviest items at the bottom, and use straps or netting. Some vans have no bulkhead, so an unsecured load can end up in the cab in a crash.

Keeping the van legal

The van must be taxed. Once it is 3 years old it needs an MOT every year.

Vans have lower speed limits than cars. DVSA publishes a walkaround checklist of simple checks before you set off. The police and DVSA can stop a commercial van at the roadside and forbid it from moving until a problem is fixed.