Procedure descriptions

Applying for authorisation for a regular service with motor vehicles

A distinction is made between

  • normal scheduled services
  • Long-distance transport within Germany between larger cities
  • Special forms of regular services: commuter services, school transport, market trips and theatre trips

Note: Usually only one bus line is operated per routehauthorised per route. The long-distance routes must not compete with the regular services.

You can obtain the licence for a maximum of ten years. After that, you can apply for an extension.

Forms/Online Services

Responsible authority

  • the regional council, where the planned new bus route is to start, if
    • the planned bus route is included in a cross-district local transport or fare network,
    • You wish to operate the planned bus route across borders ("international scheduled services") or
    • the city or administrative district as the lower administrative authority or one of its associated companies either submits the application itself or currently has such an authorisation for the route or section of route applied for
  • in all other cases: the municipal administration of the urban district or the district administration of the town in which the planned bus route is to start.

Note: Domestic long-distance services are not included in transport associations.

Details

Prerequisite

  • for the company:
    • personal and professional suitability of all managing directors of the applicant company and, if available, an external transport manager
    • Registered office or branch office in Germany (as defined under commercial law)
    • Proof that the company is reliable and financially viable
  • for the route:
    • The planned route only includes roads that are suitable.
    • There is no regular service on the planned route.
      The companies that have already beencommissioned toprovide local public transportdo not cover the area andwillnotbe able tosetup a regular serviceafter a certain period of time.
    • The planned bus route is in line with the objectives of the local transport plan. This is drawn up by the administrative districts or independent cities and can be viewed on their websites, where you can also obtain more detailed information.
    • The public transport lines are no longer allocated individually (with a few exceptions), but only "bundled" (line bundles). This line bundle concept is part of every local transport plan of the administrative districts or independent cities.

Procedure

You must apply for authorisation in writing to the responsible office.
Depending on the offer, you will receive an application form there or you can download it from the Internet.

The competent authority will examine your application and obtain opinions from organisations in the catchment area of the planned new line.
These usually include

  • Companies that already offer scheduled services
  • Cities, municipalities and possibly rural districts
  • locally responsible road authorities
  • Planning authorities
  • Trade supervisory authorities
  • other authorities affected by the application
  • Chambers of industry and commerce
  • Trade unions and professional associations

The authority will inform you in writing of the result of the examination procedure.

Deadlines

no later than 12 months before the start of the requested period of validity

Required documents

  • Proof of personal reliability (not older than three months at the time of application), e.g:
  • For registered companies: Extract from the commercial or co-operative register (certified copies)
  • Copy of the shareholders' agreement and the list of shareholders
  • For legal entities: Proof of authorisation to represent the company
  • Proof of financial standing (not older than three months at the time of application):
    • Clearance certificate from the tax office
    • Clearance certificate from the municipality in which your registered office is located
  • Certificate of non-objection from the social security authorities:
    • from health insurance funds with which you insure or have insured employees and
    • for yourself, if you are or were voluntarily or privately insured
  • Clearance certificate from the employers' liability insurance association for the transport and traffic industry
  • Certificate of equity and, if necessary, additional certificate (not older than twelve months at the time of application)
    • The amount of equity capital depends on the number of vehicles intended for use: For the first vehicle, you must provide evidence of equity capital totalling EUR 9,000 and EUR 5,000 for each additional vehicle.
  • Proof of professional suitability:
    • Examination certificate from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or
    • Certificate of professional competence from the IHK for at least five years of managerial activity in a road passenger transport company or
    • Certificate of a recognised equivalent final examination
  • Timetables showing where and at what intervals there are to be stops (in a single copy), also in electronic form - each as a PDF file
  • Overview maps showing the route and stops, as well as all types of transport available in the area (railways, trolleybus lines, motor vehicle lines and shipping lines, the latter insofar as they serve commuter traffic) in a single copy, in electronic form - each as a PDF file
  • List of stops
  • Length of the line in kilometres (for intermediate stops also length of the sections in kilometres)
  • Details of the vehicles to be used (number, type and number of seats and standing room)
  • planned fares and conditions of carriage
  • for regular services that you intend to offer across borders: precise information on driving and rest times
  • if you appoint other persons to manage the company, you must submit the following documents for them:
    • Certificate of good conduct
    • Information from the central trade register
    • Extract from the central traffic register
    • Proof of professional suitability
    • Proof of employment (employment contract)

Note: The competent authority may request further documents.

Costs

depending on the line design and examination costs: EUR 100.00 - 2,440.00

Processing time

usually three months

The period can be extended by a maximum of a further three months. The prerequisite is that the competent authority has announced this in a written interim decision within the first three months.

Miscellaneous

none

Legal basis

Personenbeförderungsgesetz (PBefG):

  • § 8 Förderung der Verkehrsbedienung und Ausgleich der Verkehrsinteressen im öffentlichen Personennahverkehr
  • § 42 Begriffsbestimmung Linienverkehr
  • § 42a Personenfernverkehr
  • § 43 Sonderformen des Linienverkehrs

Verordnung der Landesregierung und des Verkehrsministeriums über personenbeförderungsrechtliche Zuständigkeiten (PBefZuVO):

  • § 1 - Zuständigkeit der unteren Verwaltungsbehörden
  • § 2 - Zuständigkeit der Regierungspräsidien

Berufszugangsverordnung für den Straßenpersonenverkehr (PBZugV)

Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1073/2009 des europäischen Parlaments und des Rates vom 21. Oktober 2009 über gemeinsame Regeln für den Zugang zum grenzüberschreitenden Personenkraftverkehrsmarkt und zur Änderung der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 561/2006:

  • Artikel 1 Anwendungsbereich

Release note

Machine generated, based on the German release by: Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart, 01.07.2025