A number of changes have been announced to the Operator or “O” Licensing Scheme; the system used for regulating the use of vehicles used for commercial purposes. The scheme is basically a system of quality control applied to operators of vehicles which are used for hire or reward or in connection with a trade or business.
There are a number of exemptions from the requirement to hold an O Licence and those most relevant to farming include using an agricultural vehicle to haul farm implements or trailed appliances and articles for the farm (inputs) or forestry estate by the occupier or a contractor employed to do agricultural work by the farm occupier.
The main change to the scheme is that as of 4 December 2011, any activity for hire or reward will require an O licence, regardless of weight. Prior to this date, there was an exemption for small vehicle and trailer drawbar combinations, provided the vehicle did not exceed 3.5 tonnes and the unladen weight of the trailer was less than 1,020kgs.
The impact of this change on your activities is expected to be minimal, as many tasks involving these smaller combinations are normally conducted for your own benefit (not for hire or reward) and will therefore remain exempt.
More information on exemptions from O licences is available in NFU Business Guide 113 “Operator licensing” or by calling NFU CallFirst on 0870 845 8458.
- Terry Preston - 14/12/2011
There are many farm contractors on a very fine line when they use special trailers for hauling hardcore, compost, soil and at times grain to say that it is not for hire and reward.