The Saeima¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Law on Carriage by Road

Chapter I
General Provisions

Section 1. Terms Used in this Law

The following terms are used in this Law:

1) authorisation for regular passenger services for hire or reward (hereinafter - the authorisation) - a document certifying the right of a carrier to operate regular passenger services for hire or reward in a relevant journey along a route according to an approved timetable;

2) bus - a road vehicle intended for the carriage of passengers (nine and more people, excluding the driver);

3) bus station - a territory with structures that is separated from a carriageway and is intended for organising the traffic of road vehicles, servicing or interchange of road vehicles and passengers in routes;

4) carriage by road - movement of any road vehicle along a road, carrying passengers or goods;

5) [10 March 2022];

6) road vehicle - a vehicle with an engine (except for tractors and self-propelled machines) that is used for the carriage of passengers or goods along railless roads. Trailers and semi-trailers shall be considered to be part of a road vehicle;

7) driver - a person who lawfully drives a road vehicle;

8) perishable goods - agricultural and fish products, as well as other goods during the carriage of which a special temperature regime must be observed and which must be carried by specialised road vehicles;

9) luggage - objects which a passenger carries with himself or herself or sends by means of a road vehicle;

10) bulk goods - goods which consist of loose mass and are carried without packaging (sand, grain, and other similar goods);

11) dangerous goods - goods considered to be dangerous goods within the meaning of the Law on the Movement of Dangerous Goods;

12) forwarder - a merchant who, according to the contract concluded with the consignor of goods, organises carriage of goods and provides services related to such carriage;

12¹) intermodal transport operation - a transport operation which meets one of the following conditions:

a) the abovementioned transport operation corresponds to the definition of the combined transport operation, and one or several containers or swap bodies the total maximum length of which does not exceed 45 feet are being carried;

b) one or several containers or swap bodies the total maximum length of which does not exceed 45 feet are being carried, provided that the length of the initial or final leg of the transport operation along motorways in the territory of the European Union does not exceed 150 kilometres and the remaining part of the transport operation is carried out by waterways. The abovementioned initial or final leg of the transport operation along motorways in the territory of the European Union may also exceed 150 kilometres in order to reach the nearest transport terminal suitable for the relevant service (the terminal may also be located in another European Union Member State where the goods have not been loaded or unloaded), provided that vehicle combinations with a semi-trailer consisting of a two-axle towing vehicle and a three-axle semi-trailer or a three-axle towing vehicle and a two-axle or three-axle semi-trailer are used for the carriage by road;

13) hired vehicle - any vehicle which for a charge and for a certain period is transferred for use to a merchant who is engaged in carriage for hire or reward or performs own-account carriage according to the contract concluded with the person offering such vehicles;

14) cabotage - short-term domestic carriages of passengers or goods for hire or reward by means of road vehicles which are performed in another country without registering an undertaking, branch or representative office therein;

15) combined transport operation - carriage of goods if a heavy goods vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer with or without a towing vehicle or in the combination thereof, or 20 feet or larger containers in the initial (final) leg of a journey use a motorway, but in the remaining legs use a railway, inland waterways or maritime routes, if any of the legs of the road, except for the motorway, exceeds the distance of 100 kilometres in a straight line. Within the framework of a combined transport operation, the initial (final) leg of the journey shall be undertaken along a motorway between the place of loading (unloading) the goods and the nearest railway station suitable for loading (unloading) the goods or within a radius not exceeding a distance of 150 kilometres in a straight line from an inland port or sea port where the goods is loaded (unloaded);

16) goods - a thing (products, goods, bundles, containers, and other objects) registered for carriage;

17) possessor of goods - a person who acts with the goods in his or her own name on a lawful basis, irrespective of whether the goods is his or her property;

18) timetable - the regime for the performance of carriage, which specifies the movement, stopping, and parking in a journey (journeys) along the route of a bus (road vehicle), as well as the time for the performance of carriage and dates of performance;

18¹) licence card - a document of a particular form or an entry in a State information system which certifies that a carrier may perform carriage for hire or reward of the specific type indicated in the document or entry with the specific road vehicle;

18²) contractor or sub-contractor - an undertaking which has concluded a contract with a road haulage operator on transport services and is not a consignor or a forwarder;

19) en route passenger service points - a bus station, a passenger interchange facility, and a stop;

20) route - a previously selected path of movement of a road vehicle between two points of destination of the movement;

21) consignor - a person who hands over goods for carriage. A consignor and consignee may be the same person;

22) passenger - a person who, in accordance with the contract (ticket) or on another lawful basis, uses a road vehicle for a journey and carriage of luggage, as well as uses other services provided by the carrier;

23) occasional passenger services - passenger services which do not correspond to the definition of regular services (including special regular carriage) in which such groups of passengers are carried who have been formed upon the initiative of a commissioning party or a carrier itself. Such service shall lose the status of occasional services and obtain the status of regular services if the carriage of passengers is carried out with certain regularity, following the same or similar route of regular passenger services and functionally services the same passengers who are picked up or set down in en route passenger service points or in lanes provided for the public transport;

24) regular passenger services - carriage of passengers by suitable vehicles according to certain timetables on a regular basis following certain route for a previously determined fare and payment for the carriage of luggage, and also the provision of passenger services which provide for the picking up and setting down of passengers in en route passenger service points;

25) special regular passenger services - regular passenger services which provide for the carriage of specified categories of passengers;

26) carriage of passengers and goods for hire or reward (hereinafter - the carriage of passengers and goods) - carriage of passengers and goods for a charge in the form of a professional activity;

26¹) taxi service - a service where a passenger, upon an agreement with the carrier, is transported to the place indicated by the passenger [inter alia, a passenger transport service which is offered, requested, and confirmed using electronic communications services (including a website or a mobile application online)] and payments are made according to the fare recorded by a taximeter and surcharge;

26²) commercial passenger car service - a transport service by a car, in addition to taxi service, which is offered, requested, and confirmed using only electronic communications services on a website or in a mobile application online, and the payment for which is only made using non-cash payments;

26³) passenger interchange facility - a territory that is separated from a carriageway where platforms are situated and that is intended for organising the traffic of road vehicles, servicing or interchange of road vehicles and passengers in routes;

27) own-account carriage - carriage which is performed free of charge using vehicles, except for the vehicle registered in another country, that are in the possession of or hired by a merchant, a farm or a fishing undertaking, a cooperative society operating in agricultural sector, a State or a local government authority, an association or a foundation (hereinafter - the performer of own-account carriage) and that are driven by the performer of own-account carriage himself or herself or his or her employee in order to carry, for the needs of the performer of own-account carriage, persons or goods that are his or her property or that he or she has bought, sold, leased, rented, acquired, manufactured, processed, or repaired. Own-account carriage shall only be an ancillary activity of the performer of own-account carriage;

28) carrier - a merchant, a cooperative society, or a farm or a fishing undertaking that undertakes a carriage obligation on the basis of an order or contract with a consignor, passenger or on another lawful basis;

28¹) stop - a place for passenger interchange in routes;

29) consignee - a person to whom goods are to be issued at the place of destination, in accordance with the contract of carriage;

29¹) international route - a route that crosses the State border of Latvia;

30) international carriage - carriage within the performance of which it is necessary to cross the State border of Latvia;

31) liquid goods - oil and oil products, alcohol, vegetable oil, animal fats, and other goods which are carried in sealed containers;

32) direct mixed traffic - carriage of passengers or goods which is performed by several carriers by road and using other transport and for which a single transport document is drawn up for the whole itinerary;

32¹) website or mobile application service - an online service for the carriage by road;

32²) provider of a website or mobile application service - a merchant who organises the carriage by road and provides related services online in accordance with the contract concluded with the carrier;

33) freight forwarding services - a package of services and works related to the sending, carriage, receipt, and storage of goods which is performed for a charge.

[9 May 2002; 2 December 2004; 5 May 2005; 22 June 2006; 4 April 2007; 14 June 2007; 14 October 2010; 12 May 2011; 23 April 2015; 15 June 2017; 28 September 2017; 13 June 2019; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024; 24 April 2024]

Section 2. Application of this Law

This Law governs legal relations between a carrier, driver, provider of a website or mobile application service, forwarder, consignor, consignee, and passenger, organising and completing carriage of passengers and goods in the form of a professional activity.

[13 June 2019]

Section 3. Laws and Regulations Governing Legal Relations in Carriage by Road

(1) Legal relations which arise when performing carriage of goods and passengers by road are governed by this Law, the Civil Law, other laws and regulations, as well as by international agreements which are binding on Latvia.

(2) If international agreements ratified by the Saeima which are binding on Latvia include provisions contrary to those included in this Law, the provisions of the international agreements shall be applied.

Section 4. Management and Control of the Field of Carriage by Road

(1) In accordance with the requirements of this Law and other laws and regulations, public administration in the field of carriage by road shall be implemented, according to their competence, by the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Welfare, local governments, and institutions subordinate to such ministries and local governments, including by the persons and authorities within the scope of administration tasks delegated thereto.

(2) The Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of the Interior, and institutions subordinate thereto shall, according to their competence, perform State supervision over compliance with laws and regulations in the field of carriage by road, issue documents specified in the laws and regulations relating to carriage by road, cooperate with the competent authorities of other countries in the field of carriage by road, and also fulfil other tasks specified in laws and regulations.

(3) Control of carriage by road shall, according to their competence, be implemented by the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Finance, local governments, and institutions subordinate to such ministries and local governments, carriers, and also other persons and authorities specified in laws and regulations.

(4) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for organising and implementing control of carriage by road.

(5) For the purposes of controlling carriage by road, mutual administrative cooperation and assistance between European Union Member States shall be provided free of charge. A request for information shall not prevent competent authorities from taking measures in accordance with the relevant European Union and national legislation to investigate and prevent infringements of the requirements laid down in the laws and regulations governing the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods. Information provided in accordance with the requirements laid down in the laws and regulations governing the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods shall only be used in respect of the matters for which it is requested. Any personal data shall be processed solely for the purposes of ensuring conformity with the requirements of the laws and regulations governing the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road and shall be carried out in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation).

[16 December 2010; 27 March 2024]

Section 4.¹ Accounting System for the Control of Carriage by Road

(1) An accounting system for the control of carriage by road is a part of the State information system Integrated Information System of the Interior which contains the information obtained as a result of the control of carriage by road.

(2) The purpose of the accounting system for the control of carriage by road shall be to ensure processing of the necessary information and promote interinstitutional cooperation when organising and implementing control of carriage by road.

(3) The Cabinet shall determine the amount of information to be included in the accounting system for the control of carriage by road, the authorities entitled to process such information, the procedures for the inclusion of information in the system and the retrieval thereof from the system, and also the procedures for processing the information included in the system and the storage periods thereof, and the procedures for the exchange of information through the Internal Market Information System (hereinafter - the IMI System) developed in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System and repealing Commission Decision 2008/49/EC.

[15 June 2017; 10 March 2022]

Section 4.² Transport Control Service of a Local Government

(1) The transport control service of a local government is an authority formed by a local government or an official appointed thereby and the purpose of its actions is to ensure the carriage by road that conforms to the laws and regulations of the Republic of Latvia by supervising and controlling the carriage by road.

(2) In order to control the conformity of the carriage by road with the requirements laid down in laws and regulations, the officials of the transport control service of a local government are entitled to:

1) stop road vehicles used for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward or road vehicles intended for the transportation of goods;

2) perform control purchases and place control purchase orders.

(3) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which the transport control service of a local government stops road vehicles used for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward and road vehicles intended for the carriage of goods.

(4) A local government which does not have a transport control service of a local government established may delegate all or some of the tasks of the service, including the conduct of administrative offence proceedings, to another local government.

[13 June 2019; 27 March 2024]

Section 5. Road Transport Administration

[29 October 1998]

Section 5.¹ Road Transport Administration

(1) When implementing the requirements of the laws and regulations for the carriage of passengers and goods by road, the Road Transport Administration shall, according to its competence and in accordance with the international and European Union requirements, ensure:

1) the quality and development of activities related to carriage by road;

2) the development and administration of an Informative Database of Road Transport Operators;

3) the information necessary for the fulfilment of the functions of State administration in the road transport sector;

4) the activities specified in international intergovernmental and interministerial agreements;

5) the participation of Latvia in the meetings of joint commissions established within the scope of the operation of international agreements on carriage by road, the Group on Road Transport of the International Transport Forum (ITF), and other international organisations related to the road transport sector;

6) the issuance, cancellation, and temporary suspension of cards for the digital control device (tachograph) for recording work and rest time of the driver of a vehicle in accordance with the procedures stipulated by the Cabinet;

6¹) the fulfilment of the function of the competent authority of the digital tachograph system of the European Union Member State;

7) the issuance of authorisations for the international carriage of passengers and goods by road;

8) the issuance of European Community licences, copies of European Community licences, and driver attestations for the international carriage of passengers and goods, their cancellation or temporary suspension in accordance with the procedures stipulated by the Cabinet;

9) the fulfilment of Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport and amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 (hereinafter - Regulation (EU) No 181/2011) in accordance with Article 28(1) of Regulation (EU) No 181/2011;

10) the review of passenger complaints which have not been resolved in accordance with Article 27 of Regulation (EU) No 181/2011;

11) the registration of drivers for taxi service and commercial passenger car service in accordance with the procedures stipulated by the Cabinet;

12) [13 June 2019];

13) the registration of bus stations, suspension or cancellation of their registration, inspection of the bus station service fee and supervision of the operation of bus stations for servicing journeys in routes of regional significance;

14) the organisation of examinations and issuing of certificates of professional competence for a transport manager in accordance with Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing common rules concerning the conditions to be complied with to pursue the occupation of road transport operator and repealing Council Directive 96/26/EC (hereinafter - Regulation No 1071/2009);

15) the issuing of special permits (licences) and licence cards for the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward, commercial passenger car service, and carriage of goods;

16) the registration of the providers of website and mobile application services and cancellation of registration thereof;

17) the issuing and cancellation of certificates for own-account carriage of passengers and goods;

18) the performance of the tasks of the competent authority in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation No 1071/2009;

19) the keeping of the national electronic register specified in Article 16 of Regulation No 1071/2019 within the framework of the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators;

20) the fulfilment of the obligations assigned to the national contact point with regard to the exchange of information with other Member States in accordance with the requirements laid down in the laws and regulations governing the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods.

(2) The Cabinet shall issue regulations regarding approval of the price list of such services which are provided by the Road Transport Administration upon fulfilling the State administration tasks delegated thereto.

(3) Submissions, documents appended to submissions, and powers of attorney may also be submitted to the Road Transport Administration electronically by filling in a special online form on the website of the Road Transport Administration at www.atd.lv (e-service), not using a secure electronic signature, indicating an electronic mail address for communication. The means of identification of a person available in the single application module ensured by the State Regional Development Agency shall be used for identification.

[2 December 2004; 5 May 2005; 1 December 2005; 4 April 2007; 13 December 2007; 12 May 2011; 7 February 2013; 28 September 2017; 13 June 2019; 17 June 2020; 27 March 2024]

Section 5.² Road Transport Inspectorate

[16 December 2010]

Section 5.³ State Police

(1) The State Police shall supervise and control the carriage by road in order to ensure carriage by road conforming to the laws and regulations of the Republic of Latvia and international regulatory enactments binding on the Republic of Latvia.

(2) The State Police shall prepare information in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport and amending Council Regulations (EEC) No 3821/85 and (EC) No 2135/98 and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 (hereinafter - Regulation No 561/2006) and the Commission Decision of 22 September 2008 drawing up the standard reporting form referred to in Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council which has been taken on the basis of the abovementioned Article, and communicate the relevant information to the European Commission.

[16 December 2010; 15 June 2017]

Section 5.⁴ Operation of Individual Contested or Appealed Administrative Acts

Contesting or appeal shall not suspend the operation or enforcement of the following administrative acts:

1) the decision to issue, cancel or temporarily suspend a card for the digital control device (tachograph) for recording work and rest time of the driver of a vehicle;

2) the decision to issue, cancel or temporarily suspend a European Community licence for the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward or carriage of goods by goods road vehicle for hire or reward in the territory of the European Union;

3) the decision to issue, cancel or temporarily suspend a copy of the European Community licence for the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward or carriage of goods by goods road vehicle for hire or reward in the territory of the European Union;

4) the decision to issue, cancel or temporarily suspend the authorisation for the international carriage of passengers or goods by road;

5) the decision to issue, cancel or temporarily suspend the special permit (licence) for the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward or carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicle for hire or reward;

6) the decision to issue, cancel or temporarily suspend the licence card for the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward or carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicle for reward;

7) the decision to register the driver for taxi service or commercial passenger car service, or removal thereof from the register;

8) the decision to issue or cancel the special permit (licence) for taxi service or commercial passenger car service;

9) the decision to issue or cancel the licence card for taxi service or commercial passenger car service;

10) the decision to register a bus station, to suspend or cancel the registration thereof;

11) the decision to cancel the registration of the provider of a website or mobile application service or to block the website application;

12) the decision to issue or cancel the certificate for the own-account carriage of passengers and goods.

[12 May 2011; 28 September 2017; 13 June 2019]

Chapter II
Carriage of Goods by Road

Section 6. Licensing Carriage of Goods

(1) Carriage of goods by an N category vehicle or an N category vehicle with a trailer or a semi-trailer with a total permissible laden weight exceeding 2.5 tonnes may be performed if the carrier has obtained the special permit (licence) for the carriage of goods by a goods vehicle for hire or reward from the Road Transport Administration and meets the requirements of Article 3 of Regulation No 1071/2009.

(2) The special permit (licence) shall grant a carrier the right to perform carriage of goods only by road vehicles which are in the possession thereof or, in accordance with the procedures stipulated by the Cabinet, by road vehicles which are in the possession of other persons.

(3) In relation to each N category vehicle or N category vehicle with a trailer or a semi-trailer with a total permissible laden weight exceeding 2.5 tonnes, the carrier shall receive a licence card from the Road Transport Administration for the carriage of goods for hire or reward in the territory of Latvia. If the laden weight of an N category vehicle or an N category vehicle with a trailer or a semi-trailer exceeds 2.5 tonnes but does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and if it is subject to the lowest financial requirements specified in the second sentence of Article 7(1) of Regulation No 1071/2009, an appropriate note shall be made in the received licence card.

(3¹) A copy of the European Community licence issued by the Road Transport Administration for the carriage of goods by goods road vehicle for hire or reward in the territory of the European Union shall also be valid for the carriage of goods for hire or reward in the territory of Latvia.

(4) The procedures for issuing, cancelling, and temporary suspending special permits (licences) and licence cards in relation to road vehicles for carriage of goods, professional competence certificates and permits for the international carriage of goods shall be determined by the Cabinet.

(5) A State fee shall be paid for the issuance of the special permit (licence) for the carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicles for hire or reward, and the amount and payment procedures thereof shall be determined by the Cabinet.

(6) The Road Transport Administration shall issue the special permit (licence) and licence card, making an entry in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators and without drawing up a separate written decision. At the same time, information on the issuing of the special permit (licence) and licence card shall be published on the website of the Road Transport Administration and sent to the electronic mail address specified by the carrier in the application. The special permit (licence) shall be issued for ten years. The licence card shall be issued for a period of time up to 12 months. The special permit (licence) and the licence card shall become valid on the day when information on the issuing of the special permit (licence) and the licence card is published on the website of the Road Transport Administration.

(7) The special permit (licence) or the licence card may be cancelled:

1) if the carrier does not conform to the requirements of Article 3(1) of Regulation No 1071/2009;

2) if the infringements referred to in Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/403 of 18 March 2016 supplementing Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the classification of serious infringements of the Union rules, which may lead to the loss of good repute by the road transport operator, and amending Annex III to Directive 2006/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, have been established in respect of the carrier;

3) if the Road Transport Administration receives information from the controlling bodies that the carrier gravely violates the requirements of the laws and regulations of the Republic of Latvia, and also of international agreements binding upon Latvia in the field of road transport and road traffic safety;

4) if the carrier has not had, for more than a year, a heavy goods vehicle at its disposal to which the licence card or a copy of the European Community licence has been issued.

(8) The licence card shall be cancelled if the Road Transport Administration establishes or receives information from the controlling bodies that the carrier does not have legal grounds to use the road vehicle.

(9) A carrier shall, in accordance with the requirements of Article 4 of Regulation No 1071/2009, select a transport manager who manages transport operations in one or two undertakings in accordance with the conditions of Article 4(2)(c) of Regulation No 1071/2009.

(10) A carrier, the legal representatives thereof, and the transport manager must meet the requirements for good repute laid down in Article 6(1), third subparagraph, points (a) and (b) of Regulation No 1071/2009 and information on criminal record in specific areas recorded in the Punishment Register shall be taken into account in the assessment of conformity with these requirements.

(11) Each year, until 31 January, on the basis of a request from the Road Transport Administration, the State Revenue Service shall provide information on the number of persons employed by licensed freight carrier companies as on 31 December of the previous calendar year.

[2 December 2004; 5 May 2005; 12 May 2011; 13 June 2019; 17 June 2020; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 6.¹ Requirements in Relation to the Professional Competence of Drivers Performing Carriage of Goods

(1) Drivers who have the professional knowledge necessary for such carriage may carry goods by heavy goods vehicles or combinations thereof for the driving of which the driverʼs licence for C1, C1E, C, or CE category vehicles or an equivalent driverʼs licence is required. The professional knowledge obtained shall be certified by the entry "Code 95" in the driverʼs licence or in the driver qualification card. The professional knowledge obtained by drivers who are employed by an undertaking which has received a European Community licence for the carriage of goods by goods road vehicle for hire or reward in the territory of the European Union and for whom a driver attestation is required in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 on common rules for access to the international road haulage market may be certified by the entry "Code 95" in the driver attestation or by the driver attestation issued before 23 May 2020 in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 on common rules for access to the international road haulage market (hereinafter - Regulation No 1072/2009).

(2) The drivers driving the following vehicles shall be exempt from the compliance with the requirement laid down in Paragraph one of this Section:

1) vehicles the maximum authorised speed of which does not exceed 45 kilometres per hour;

2) vehicles which are used or controlled by the national armed forces, civil protection service, fire-fighting service, forces for maintaining public order, and emergency medical service when the carriage is performed in relation to the tasks assigned to the abovementioned services;

3) vehicles for which driving tests are performed for the purposes of technical development, repair, or service, or drivers driving new or rebuilt vehicles which have not been put into service yet;

4) vehicles which are used in emergency situations or which are intended for the performance of rescue tasks, including vehicles which are used for non-commercial carriage of humanitarian assistance cargoes;

5) vehicles which are used in a driving test or driving lessons, training any person who wishes to obtain the right to drive (including providing additional training with the employer) in the presence of a driver who has the necessary professional knowledge or in the presence of a driving instructor who has the right to train drivers to drive vehicles of the relevant categories if the abovementioned vehicles are not used for carriage of goods by goods road vehicle for hire or reward;

6) vehicles which are used for non-commercial carriage of goods;

7) vehicles with which materials, equipment, or machinery used by the drivers as part of their work are transported, if driving a vehicle is not the main activity of the driver;

8) vehicles with which carriage of goods is performed in rural areas for their own business needs if the transport service is not provided and the carriage is occasional;

9) vehicles which are used or leased without a driver by agricultural, gardening, forestry, farming, or fishing undertakings in order to carry goods related to their commercial activities, except for cases where the carriage is part of the main activity of the driver or exceeds a distance of 100 kilometres from the base of the undertaking which owns or leases the vehicle.

(2¹) A driverʼs licence for C or CE category vehicles with the entry "Code 95" that gives the right to perform carriage of goods with the vehicles corresponding to this category shall be issued to a person who has obtained the professional knowledge necessary for performing carriage of goods and has reached 18 years of age.

(2²) The professional knowledge necessary for the carriage of goods may be obtained by the persons specified in Section 22, Paragraph one, Clause 1 of the Road Traffic Law.

(3) The knowledge necessary for drivers for the carriage of goods, as well as the procedures for the initial and periodic training shall be determined by the Cabinet.

[22 June 2006; 7 February 2013; 17 June 2020; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 7. Contracts of the Carriage of Goods

(1) Carriage of goods by road shall be performed according to a contract on the basis of which the carrier undertakes to deliver goods entrusted by the consignor to the place of destination and to the issue thereof to the consignee, but the consignor undertakes to pay for the carriage of goods.

(2) It is prohibited for the parties to include such provisions in the contract of carriage the implementation of which may cause violations of the work and resting regime of the driver, as well as of the road-traffic regulations.

(3) If the goods carriage contract is concluded with a forwarder and the forwarder acts in its own name, the obligations and liability of a consignor in accordance with this Law shall apply to the forwarder when specifying the price of the carriage in the contract.

[2 December 2004]

Section 8. Concluding a Goods Carriage Contract

(1) A goods carriage contract may be concluded orally or in writing for the carriage of individual goods or for the performance of the carriage of goods within a particular period of time.

(2) An oral agreement shall be considered to be concluded from the moment when the goods are entrusted for carriage.

(3) The following are only to be concluded in writing:

1) contracts of the carriage of goods for the performance of which direct mixed traffic is intended to be used;

2) contract for the international carriage of goods;

3) contracts for the carriage of dangerous goods;

4) contracts in all cases when so required by the consignor;

5) contracts in the case of intermodal transport operations.

(4) Acceptance of orders by drawing up a consignment note of a particular form (hereinafter - the consignment note) shall be treated as concluding a written contract.

[2 December 2004; 15 June 2017]

Section 9. Content of the Consignment Note

(1) Unless otherwise provided for in other laws and regulations, the consignment note shall be drawn up in at least three copies and they shall be signed by a consignor and the carrier. The first copy of the consignment note shall be issued to a consignor, the second - to a consignee, but the third copy of the consignment note shall be kept by the carrier. Drawing up of multiple copies of the consignment note shall apply only to the consignment notes drawn up in paper form.

(2) The consignment note shall be prepared by a consignor. If a consignor or carrier wishes so, the consignment note may be drawn up for each road vehicle or each type of goods or separately for each part (batch) of the goods.

(3) The consignment note shall include the following information:

1) the place and date of issue of the consignment note;

2) the name (or given name and surname) and address of the consignor;

3) the name (or given name and surname) and address of the carrier;

4) the place and date of the receipt of the goods and the place of delivery;

5) the name (or given name and surname) and address of the consignee;

6) the accepted designation for the characterisation of the goods and the type of packaging thereof, if dangerous goods are being transported - the generally accepted designation thereof;

7) the number of goods units, their special marking and numbering;

8) the gross weight of the goods or the amount of the goods in other units of measurement;

9) payments related to the carriage of the goods (cost of carriage, supplementary payments, customs duties and taxes), as well as other payments from the moment of concluding a goods carriage contract until the issuance of the goods;

10) instructions which must be complied with when drawing up customs documents regarding the export of goods and objects across the State border under customs control and when complying with the requirements of other control institutions;

11) [2 December 2004];

12) in the case of an intermodal transport operation, the weight of a container or a swap body which is used within the framework of the relevant transport operation.

(4) If necessary, the consignment note shall also specify:

1) a prohibition to perform reloading;

2) payments which must be settled by the consignor;

3) payments which must be settled when transferring the goods;

4) the value of the goods in the delivery of which the consignor is specially interested;

5) the consignor's instructions for the carrier regarding the insurance of the goods;

6) an agreed term within which the carriage must be performed;

7) the documents transferred to the carrier.

(5) Any other necessary information may be referred to in the consignment note.

(6) The consignment note shall be endorsed, if the consignment note indicates so directly.

(7) The failure to draw up the consignment note or loss thereof shall not affect the validity of the contract of carriage if the parties do not object to the performance of the contract.

[2 December 2004; 15 June 2017; 10 March 2022]

Section 10. Supplementary Documents Prepared by the Consignor

A consignor shall attach to the consignment note or transfer for the disposal of the carrier the documents and information necessary for compliance with the requirements of customs and other control institutions.

Section 11. Obligations of a Carrier when Transferring a Road Vehicle

(1) A carrier shall, at a previously agreed upon time, transfer a road vehicle which shall be in good technical condition, suitable for the carriage of the relevant type of goods and comply with sanitary requirements.

(2) The suitability of the road vehicle for the carriage of a relevant type of goods (commercial readiness) shall be determined by a consignor.

(3) If deficiencies in the road vehicles, which may affect the safekeeping of goods, are detected during carriage, a consignor is entitled to refuse the loading of the goods into such road vehicle.

Section 12. Obligations of a Consignor and Carrier when Receiving and Transferring Goods for Carriage

(1) A consignor has the obligation to transfer goods for carriage in such tare or packaging which is necessary for the safekeeping of the goods.

(2) The goods must be grouped and the necessary documents must be prepared for each consignee separately.

(3) When accepting goods for carriage, a carrier shall, upon the request of a consignor, present to him or her documents confirming the right of carriage. A carrier must verify whether the goods have been loaded into and fixed in a road vehicle in compliance with the requirements of traffic safety and the operation of the road vehicle. If the carrier has, while performing an external inspection, found that the goods have been loaded and fixed incorrectly and the safekeeping thereof is threatened, it has the obligation to notify the consignor thereof. Upon request of the carrier, the consignor must eliminate the deficiencies found during the loading and fixing of goods. Regulations for the placement and fixing of goods shall be issued by the Cabinet.

(4) If a consignor refuses to eliminate the deficiencies found when loading and fixing goods or if the goods do not correspond to the provisions of Paragraph one of this Section, the carrier is entitled to refuse the carriage of such goods and consider the goods not to be transferred for carriage. A note in the transport documentation of the goods shall be made thereon.

(5) Regulations regarding the carriage of dangerous goods shall be issued by the Cabinet.

(6) [13 October 2022]

[29 October 1998; 10 May 2001; 13 October 2022]

Section 13. Loss of Goods

(1) A consignor and consignee have the right to consider goods to be lost and to seek compensation for the lost goods if it has not been issued within 30 days after the moment of transferring the goods agreed upon in the contract of carriage or in cases where the contract does not specify the moment of transferring the goods - within 60 days from the registration of the goods for carriage.

(2) If the goods for the loss of or shortage in which the carrier has paid a reimbursement is subsequently found, the consignee has the right to receive such goods if he or she repays the received reimbursement to the carrier.

Section 14. Registration of the Completion of Carriage

The procedures for registering the performance of regular (continuing) service contracts shall be determined by the parties by common accord.

Section 15. Allocation of Loading and Unloading Obligations, as well as Obligations of Cleaning up a Road Vehicle

(1) The devices and ancillary materials necessary for loading and unloading goods shall be allocated and installed by a consignor, but removed by a consignee, unless otherwise specified in the contract.

(2) Resources for covering and fixing the goods shall be allocated by the carrier, unless otherwise specified in the contract.

(3) A carrier shall transfer to a consignee all devices which belong to the consignor together with the goods or deliver back to it in accordance with the consignor's instruction in the consignment note.

(4) Accounts for the abovementioned operations are performed according to the procedures specified in the contract.

(5) Goods shall be loaded into, fixed, covered, and fastened in a road vehicle by the consignor, but the coverings and fastenings shall be removed and the goods shall be unloaded by the consignee.

(6) A carrier, upon agreement with a consignor or consignee, may undertake loading and unloading of goods. The contract shall specify the provisions for providing ancillary services.

(7) After unloading goods, a consignee shall, with his or her own resources, put in order the road vehicles and containers by cleaning out the remains of the goods, but after the transportation of animals, birds, and perishable goods and similar goods they shall be washed and, where necessary, disinfected.

(8) In cases specified in the contract, the washing and disinfection of road vehicles and containers shall be performed by a consignor. The consignor shall make a note in the consignment note regarding the performed sanitary technical treatment.

Section 16. Obligations and Rights to Act with Goods

(1) A consignor has the right to request that a carrier discontinues carriage, changes the place of delivery of goods or transfers the goods to a consignee who is not specified in the consignment note.

(2) A consignor shall lose the rights specified in Paragraph one of this Section from the moment the second, third, and fourth copies of the consignment note are transferred to the consignee. From that moment the carrier must comply with the instructions of the consignee. The consignor shall also lose the rights specified in Paragraph one of this Section in cases where the goods has been lost or has not arrived within the specified term, as well as from the moment the right to bring an action in person has arisen for the consignee concerning the loss of the goods.

(3) If the consignee provides an instruction to transfer the goods over to another person by exercising his or her right to act with the goods, such a person is not entitled to re-route the goods.

(4) The right to act with goods shall be implemented in compliance with the following rules:

1) the consignor has to submit to the carrier the first copy of the consignment note in which new instructions and procedures for the reimbursement of expenses and losses which may be incurred when complying with such instructions shall be entered;

2) the fulfilment of such instructions must be possible at the moment the person who has to comply therewith receives the right to act with the goods;

3) the fulfilment of the instructions may not impede the performance of a normal course of work in the carrier's undertaking and to cause losses to other consignors and consignees;

4) division of goods may not be permitted if it has one consignment note or the goods is not to be divided.

(5) If a carrier fails to fulfil the given instructions due to the reasons referred to in Paragraph four, Clauses 2 and 3 of this Section, it must notify the person who has given the instructions thereof without delay.

(6) A carrier who has failed to fulfil the instructions given in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Section or has fulfilled them without requesting that the first copy of the consignment note be issued to it shall be liable to the person who has the right to submit a claim regarding the losses caused.

Section 17. Determination of the Amount, Labelling, and Packaging of Goods

(1) When transferring and accepting goods for carriage which is carried without tare, as well as bulk, liquid goods, and goods in containers, a consignor must determine and show in the consignment note the weight of such goods.

(2) Goods in tare and piece goods shall be accepted for carriage in compliance with a consignment note showing the weight and number of units of the goods. The consignor shall determine the weight and number of units of the goods in tare and piece goods before they are transferred for carriage. The total weight of the goods shall be determined by weighing the goods or calculating its weight in compliance with the number of the goods units according to the calculating table or standard. The weight of individual goods may be determined by calculating it on the basis of the volume proportion or notionally.

(3) The goods services of rail terminals, ports (quaysides) and airports shall transfer the goods to the carrier, inspecting the weight or number of units of the goods, as well as the state of the goods. The goods in tare and piece goods shall be transferred, examining only the weight and state of damaged goods units.

(4) When carrying goods in closed road vehicles and trailers, the weight of the goods in separate sections of the road vehicle, containers, and tanks which have been sealed by a consignor shall be determined by a consignor, unless otherwise provided for in the contract.

(5) The weight of goods in the consignment note shall be entered by a consignor, specifying the type of specification thereof.

(6) Loaded closed road vehicles and trailers, separate road vehicle sections, containers and tanks which are to be delivered to one consignee, as well as small piece goods which are in boxes, tins and other tare, must be sealed by a consignor.

[1 December 2005]

Section 18. Transfer of Goods to a Consignee at the Place of Destination

(1) Goods by weight and goods units shall be transferred to a consignee in accordance with the same procedures by which it was accepted from a consignor.

(2) When transferring goods, the presence of a carrier in the inspection of the weight, state, and number of goods units of the goods shall not be necessary, provided that the goods have been delivered in closed road vehicles, trailers, separate sections of a road vehicle, containers and tanks with undamaged seals of a consignor.

(3) When transferring goods, a carrier must participate in the inspection of the weight, state, and number of goods units of the goods if:

1) the goods has been delivered in a damaged or open load bin of a road vehicle or in a load bin in working order, but with damaged seals;

2) perishable goods has not been delivered within the specified time period for carriage or the temperature regime has not been complied with in the carriage thereof.

(4) A carrier shall transfer goods in tare and piece goods, examining only the weight and state of the damaged goods units. If damage to the tare or other circumstances have been found which may affect the state of goods, the carrier, together with the consignee, must examine the damaged units of goods by opening them.

(5) If a consignee does not have truck scales and there are no signs of a shortage in goods, the delivered goods without tare and bulk goods shall be transferred without weighing.

(6) At the place of destination, the carrier shall transfer goods to the consignee indicated in the consignment note or specified by the contract.

(7) A carrier and consignee shall verify the transfer and receipt of goods with a signature and seal (stamp) on each copy of the consignment note, the three of which shall be transferred to the consignee, but the rest shall remain with the carrier.

(8) If a shortage in goods, spoilage or damage of goods is found when checking the weight, the number of units or state of goods, the carrier and consignee must specify the amount of the weight shortage, spoilage or damage and a note thereon must be made in the consignment note or a deed must be drawn up if there is not a consignment note.

(9) If expert examination is required, the carrier shall, upon its own initiative or upon request of the consignee, invite experts.

Section 19. Right of a Consignee to Refuse to Accept Goods

(1) A consignee has the right to refuse to accept goods fully or partly only if it has become completely or partly unusable for the specified purpose, as well as if the goods is not addressed to him or her.

(2) The impossibility to use goods must be proved by a consignee, unless otherwise provided for in the contract.

(3) While a carrier has not received the relevant instructions from a consignor as regards to how the goods should be handled, the consignee may change his or her decision and accept the goods.

Section 20. Liability of a Consignee for Unfounded Refusal to Accept Goods

A consignee who has unfoundedly refused to accept goods, referring to the spoilage thereof as a reason for it, shall be liable for the damage of the goods which has occurred after the refusal to accept it.

Section 21. Obligations of Consignor and Consignee if a Consignee Refuses to Accept Goods

If a consignee refuses to accept goods from a carrier, the consignor may re-route the goods to another consignee. A consignee must make an entry in the consignment note on the refusal to accept the goods and specify the reasons for the refusal.

Section 22. Obligations of a Consignor and Carrier when Re-routing Goods

(1) If circumstances have arisen which impede the transfer of goods at the specified place, a carrier shall, without delay, request instructions from a consignor.

(2) A consignor shall, within the term specified in the contract, give instructions to a carrier regarding the new place of delivery of goods or regarding the possible sale of such goods.

(3) A consignor shall reimburse to a carrier all expenses related to the carriage, re-routing, and sale of goods.

(4) If re-routing of goods takes place on the way, an entry thereon must be made in all copies of the consignment note.

(5) If it is impossible for a carrier to deliver goods to the new place, it may refuse such carriage, informing a consignor about it. In such a case, the carrier shall return the goods to its consignor.

Section 23. Rights of a Carrier to Act with Unaccepted Goods

(1) A carrier may, without waiting for instructions from a consignor, sell the goods which has not been accepted by the consignee if:

1) such necessity is caused by the state of the goods or the spoilage thereof;

2) expenses for the storage are disproportionate compared to the usual value of the goods;

3) no instructions from the consignor or a person authorised thereby have been received within the term specified in the contract.

(2) A carrier shall return to the consignor the amount which has been received from the sold goods, having deducted the distribution expenses beforehand therefrom. If income from the distribution of goods exceeds the value of the goods specified by the consignor and the distribution expenses, the carrier has the right to keep the difference.

(3) If a consignee refuses to accept the delivered goods or such goods may not be transferred due to other reasons, a carrier may unload it at the expense of a consignor; the carriage shall be considered completed after unloading. In such a case, the carrier may entrust the storage of goods to a third person and then it shall be responsible only for the choice of such a third person. The carrier may also deliver back such goods at the expense of the consignor.

Section 24. Payments for Carriage of Goods

Payments for the carriage of goods shall be settled by the consignor or consignee in accordance with the contract, on the basis of the carrier's invoices. The invoice for the carriage performed shall be submitted and paid in accordance with the procedures specified in the contract.

Section 25. Liability of a Consignor, a Contractor, or a Sub-contractor

(1) A consignor must compensate for losses caused in relation to the fulfilment of the obligations (failure to fulfil the obligations) of the consignor specified in the contract of carriage and laws and regulations, as well as pay a penalty if the parties have agreed upon such.

(2) If, without informing a carrier, such goods has been transferred for carriage the carriage of which is prohibited or during the carriage of which special precautionary measures must be taken, as well as if the name of the goods or its special features have been indicated incorrectly, the consignor must compensate for losses incurred and pay the penalty if the parties have agreed upon such.

(3) A consignor, a contractor, or a sub-contractor shall, when transferring goods for carriage, have joint liability for ensuring that a carrier performs carriage in accordance with the requirements of Chapters II and III of Regulation No 1072/2009.

[10 March 2022]

Section 26. Liability of a Carrier

(1) A carrier shall be liable for complete or partial loss, shortage, spoilage or damage of goods caused from the moment the goods is accepted until the moment when the goods is transferred, as well as for late delivery.

(2) A carrier shall not be liable for loss, shortage, spoilage or damage of goods if it proves that it has happened due to the following reasons:

1) due to the fault of a consignor (consignee);

2) due to lack of tare or packaging which, upon acceptance of the goods for carriage, could not be noticed from the external appearance or because such tare has been used which fails to comply with the special features or standards of the goods (except for the cases where there are signs that damage to the tare have been caused on the way);

3) if goods has been transferred for carriage without specifying in the transport documents the particular characteristics of the goods for which special safety rules must be complied with or relevant measures must be taken in order to ensure safe-keeping of the goods in the carrying or storing thereof.

(3) A carrier shall be liable for the failure to keep goods safe if a consignee or another person who is authorised to submit claims proves that the failure to keep the goods safe has occurred due to the fault of the carrier in cases where:

1) the goods has been received in an undamaged road vehicle (container) with undamaged seals of the consignor, but piece goods - with undamaged protection signs, printed matter and consignor's seals;

2) the goods has not been kept safe due to natural circumstances independent of the carrier (corrosion, desiccation, natural putrefaction, goods damaged by various vermin and rodents, etc);

3) the goods has been carried accompanied by a representative of a consignor or consignee or by a forwarder;

4) the shortage in goods does not exceed standards with respect to natural losses.

(4) A carrier must compensate for losses incurred in relation to the performance of the obligations (failure to perform the obligations) of the carrier specified in the contract of carriage and laws and regulations, as well as pay a penalty if the parties have agreed upon such.

Section 27. Extent of a Carrier's Liability for Failure to Comply with Contractual Obligations

(1) A carrier shall compensate for losses incurred as a result of failure to comply with contractual obligations in the following amounts:

1) for loss of or a shortage in goods - the normal value of the goods lost or the shortage;

2) for spoilage or damage of the goods - the amount by which the value of the goods has decreased;

3) for loss of such goods which has been transferred for carriage with a previously declared value - in the amount of the declared value if the carrier fails to prove that the value has been less.

(2) When compensating for the established loss incurred in relation to the loss, shortage, spoilage or damage of the goods to be carried, a carrier shall also compensate the cost of carriage paid for the carriage of the lost, missing, spoiled or damaged goods if such cost is not included in the price of the goods, as well as compensate for the losses caused and the lost profits.

(3) Unless the contract provides otherwise, the value of goods shall be determined at the place and time of registration of the goods in compliance with the price in the commodity exchange or, if there is no such, in compliance with the relevant market price or, in case there is neither the commodity exchange price nor market price, in compliance with the normal value of the goods of the same type and quality.

(4) If there is disagreement between a carrier and a consignor, the value of goods shall be determined by an expert selected by the carrier and consignor (consignee).

Section 28. Liability of a Forwarder

A forwarder shall, in accordance with law or the contract, compensate a consignor for losses incurred due to the fault of the forwarder in relation to the failure to perform freight forwarding services or unlawful actions during the performance of such services.

Chapter III
Carriage of Passengers and Luggage

Section 29. Road Vehicles for Carriage of Passengers

(1) Carriage of passengers shall be performed by road vehicles (buses, cars, etc) intended for such a purpose.

(2) Taxi service shall be performed by a passenger car of category M1 in the ownership or holding of a carrier.

(3) [2 December 2004]

(4) Commercial passenger car service shall be performed by a passenger car of category M1 in the ownership or holding of a carrier.

(5) Taxi service and commercial passenger car service shall be provided with a road vehicle which corresponds to the following environmental protection requirements:

1) it has been registered for the first time before 31 December 2008 and the engine capacity thereof does not exceed 2000 cubic centimetres;

2) it is first registered after 1 January 2009 and its maximum carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in grams per kilometre according to the New European Drive Cycle method as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2007 on type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and Euro 6) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information (hereinafter - Regulation No 715/2007) do not exceed:

a) for a road vehicle with a capacity of up to seven seats - 140 grams;

b) for a road vehicle with a capacity of more than seven seats - 190 grams;

3) it is first registered after 31 December 2020 and its maximum carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in grams per kilometre according to the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure as defined in Annex I to Regulation No 715/2007 do not exceed:

a) for a road vehicle with a capacity of up to seven seats - 180 grams;

b) for a road vehicle with a capacity of more than seven seats - 240 grams.

(5¹) The requirements of Paragraph five of this Section shall not apply to a vehicle used in taxi service and commercial passenger car service which has been rebuilt by equipping it with a control system specifically intended for a person with disability.

(6) Taxi service shall be performed by a road vehicle that has received taxi licence plates in accordance with the procedures set out in the laws and regulations regarding the registration of vehicles. It shall be permitted to receive taxi licence plates or to exchange to registration plates of general use on the basis of a note made in the State Register of Vehicles and Drivers Thereof by a planning region or a local government of a State city.

(7) Taxi service shall be performed by a road vehicle that has been equipped with a taxi identifier, light control signal, taximeter, and information on the carrier, driver, and tariffs.

(8) Commercial passenger car service shall be performed by a road vehicle that has been equipped with information on the provider of a website or mobile application service, carrier, and driver.

(9) The Cabinet shall determine the requirements for the equipment referred to in Paragraphs seven and eight of this Section and location thereof.

[9 May 2002; 2 December 2004; 4 April 2007; 28 September 2017; 13 June 2019; 17 June 2020; 4 February 2021; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024 / The amendment regarding the new wording of Paragraphs two and four shall come into force concurrently with the relevant amendments to the law On Taxes and Fees which provide for the right of the State Revenue Service to apply a prohibition on the use of a road vehicle for carriage by taxi and passenger car for hire or reward and shall be included in the wording of the Law on the date of entry into force of the relevant amendments. Clause 1 of Paragraph five shall be in force until 31 December 2026. See Paragraphs 50 and 51 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 29.¹ Types of Regular Passenger Services

[14 June 2007 / See Transitional Provision]

Section 29.² Subsidising of Regular Passenger Services

[14 June 2007 / See Transitional Provision]

Section 30. Licensing of the Carriage of Passengers

(1) Carriage of passengers by bus may be performed if a carrier has received a special permit (licence) for the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward from the Road Transport Administration and meets the requirements of Article 3 of Regulation No 1071/2009 or has received a special permit (licence) for carriage within the administrative territory of the State city issued by the local government of the relevant State city.

(2) A special permit (licence) shall grant a carrier the right to perform carriage of passengers only by the road vehicles which are in the possession thereof or, in accordance with the procedures stipulated by the Cabinet, by the road vehicles which are in the possession of other persons.

(3) A carrier who performs carriage of passengers by bus in the territory of Latvia shall receive a licence card in relation to each road vehicle for a period not exceeding one year.

(3¹) A copy of the European Community licence issued by the Road Transport Administration for carriage by bus for hire or reward in the territory of the European Union shall also be valid for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward in the territory of Latvia.

(4) The special permit (licence) issued by the Road Transport Administration shall give a carrier the right to perform carriage of passengers by bus also in the administrative territories of State cities.

(5) The procedures for issuing, cancelling, and temporarily suspending special permits (licences) and licence cards in relation to road vehicles for the carriage of passengers by bus, professional competence certificates, permits for the international carriage of passengers, and also the procedures for organising and performing international carriage of passengers, and opening, changing, and closing routes shall be determined by the Cabinet.

(5¹) The provisions referred to in Paragraph five of this Section in relation to the issuing, cancellation, or temporary suspension of special permits (licences) and licence cards shall not be applied, if the relevant special permits (licences), in accordance with Paragraph one of this Section, and licence cards for the carriage of passengers by bus, in accordance with Paragraph three of this Section, are issued by a local government of a State city. The procedures by which special permits (licences) and licence cards shall be issued, cancelled, or temporarily suspended in relation to road vehicles for the carriage of passengers by bus in the borders of the administrative territory of a State city shall be determined by the local government of the relevant State city.

(5²) The local government of a State city shall, by 31 January of each year, inform the Road Transport Administration of the carriers holding a valid special permit (licence) issued by the local government of the State city on 31 December of the previous calendar year, indicating the name of the carrier, the registration number in the commercial register and the special permit (licence) number, and also the number of the valid licence cards.

(6) The State fee shall be paid for the issuance of the special permit (licence) for the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward, and the amount and payment procedures thereof shall be determined by the Cabinet.

(7) The Road Transport Administration shall issue the special permit (licence) and licence card, making an entry in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators and without drawing up a separate written decision. At the same time, information on the issuing of the special permit (licence) and licence card shall be published on the website of the Road Transport Administration and sent to the electronic mail address specified by the carrier in the application. The special permit (licence) shall be issued for ten years. The licence card shall be issued for a period of time up to 12 months. The special permit (licence) and the licence card shall become valid on the day when information on the issuing of the special permit (licence) and the licence card is published on the website of the Road Transport Administration.

(8) The special permit (licence) or the licence card may be cancelled:

1) if the carrier does not conform to the requirements of Article 3(1) of Regulation No 1071/2009;

2) if the infringements referred to in Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/403 of 18 March 2016 supplementing Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the classification of serious infringements of the Union rules, which may lead to the loss of good repute by the road transport operator, and amending Annex III to Directive 2006/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, have been established in respect of the carrier;

3) if the Road Transport Administration receives information from the controlling bodies that the carrier gravely violates the requirements of the laws and regulations of the Republic of Latvia, and also of international agreements binding upon Latvia in the field of road transport, public transport, and road traffic safety;

4) if the carrier has not had, for more than a year, a bus at its disposal to which the licence card or a copy of the European Community licence has been issued.

(9) The licence card shall be cancelled if the Road Transport Administration establishes or receives information from the controlling bodies that the carrier does not have legal grounds to use the road vehicle.

(10) A carrier shall, in accordance with the requirements of Article 4 of Regulation No 1071/2009, select a transport manager who manages transport operations in one or two undertakings in accordance with the conditions of Article 4(2)(c) of Regulation No 1071/2009.

(11) A carrier, the legal representatives thereof, and the transport manager must meet the requirements for good repute laid down in Article 6(1), third subparagraph, points (a) and (b) of Regulation No 1071/2009 and information on criminal record in specific areas recorded in the Punishment Register shall be taken into account in the assessment of conformity with these requirements.

(12) Each year, until 31 January, on the basis of a request from the Road Transport Administration, the State Revenue Service shall provide information on the number of persons employed by licensed passenger carrier companies as on 31 December of the previous calendar year.

[2 December 2004; 5 May 2005; 6 November 2008; 12 May 2011; 13 June 2019; 17 June 2020; 4 February 2021; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 30.¹ Requirements for the Professional Competence of Drivers Performing Carriage of Passengers

(1) Drivers who have the professional knowledge necessary for such carriage may carry passengers by bus or combinations thereof for the driving of which the driverʼs licence of D1, D1E, D, or DE category vehicles or an equivalent driverʼs licence is required. The professional knowledge obtained shall be certified by the entry "Code 95" in the driverʼs licence or in the driver qualification card.

(2) The drivers driving the following vehicles shall be exempt from the compliance with the requirement laid down in Paragraph one of this Section:

1) vehicles the maximum authorised speed of which does not exceed 45 kilometres per hour;

2) vehicles which are used or controlled by the national armed forces, civil protection service, fire-fighting service, forces for maintaining public order, and emergency medical service when the carriage is performed in relation to the tasks assigned to the abovementioned services;

3) vehicles for which driving tests are performed for the purposes of technical development, repair, or service, or drivers driving new or rebuilt vehicles which have not been put into service yet;

4) vehicles which are transported by maintenance staff, without any passengers, to or from a maintenance centre if such centre is located near the closest maintenance base which is used by the carrier provided that driving a vehicle is not the main activity of the driver thereof;

5) vehicles which are used in emergency situations or which are intended for the performance of rescue tasks;

6) vehicles which are used in a driving test or driving lessons, training any person who wishes to obtain the right to drive (including providing additional training with the employer) in the presence of a driver who has the necessary professional knowledge or in the presence of a driving instructor who has the right to train drivers to drive vehicles of the relevant categories if the abovementioned vehicles are not used for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward;

7) vehicles which are used for non-commercial carriage of passengers.

(2¹) A driverʼs licence for D or DE category vehicles with the entry "Code 95" that gives the right to carry passengers with the vehicles corresponding to this category only in the territory of Latvia shall be issued to a person who has obtained the professional knowledge necessary for the carriage of passengers and has reached 20 years of age.

(2²) A driverʼs licence and a driving qualification card for D1 or D1E category vehicles in which D or DE category is marked and which contains the entry "Code 95" that gives the right to provide regular passenger services in the routes of up to 50 kilometres with the vehicles corresponding to this category and to drive vehicles of this category without passengers in the territory of Latvia shall be issued to a person who has reached 18 years of age and who has obtained the professional knowledge necessary for the carriage of passengers.

(2³) The professional knowledge necessary for performing carriage of passengers may be obtained by the persons specified in Section 22, Paragraph one, Clause 1 of the Road Traffic Law.

(3) The knowledge necessary for drivers for the performance of carriage of passengers, and also the procedures for initial and periodic training shall be determined by the Cabinet.

[22 June 2006; 7 February 2013; 17 June 2020; 27 March 2024]

Section 31. Classification of Routes of Regular Passenger Services

[14 June 2007 / See Transitional Provision]

Section 32. Opening, Changing, and Closing Regular Routes

[14 June 2007 / See Transitional Provision]

Section 32.¹ Opening, Changing, and Closing International Routes

(1) International routes shall be opened, changed, and closed by the Road Transport Administration. International routes shall be opened and changed by issuing the relevant authorisations.

(2) A carrier shall publicly notify of changes in international routes not later than ten days before commencing carriage in the changed routes, but not later than ten days before sale of the relevant tickets is commenced.

[14 June 2007; 12 May 2011 / Amendment to Paragraph one regarding substitution of the words "Ministry of Transport" with the words "Road Transport Administration" shall come into force on 30 September 2011. See Paragraph 27 of the Transitional Provisions]

Section 33. En Route Passenger Service Points

(1) Routes shall be equipped with en route passenger service points.

(2) Stops shall be arranged, improved, and maintained by road owners.

(3) Location and number of bus stations shall be determined by the relevant local government. A bus station shall be arranged and maintained by its owner or possessor.

(3¹) Bus stations servicing journeys in subsidised routes of regional significance shall be classified into categories in accordance with the serviced administrative territory, exiting routes, and the number of passengers serviced.

(3²) The owner or possessor of a bus station shall submit for inspection to the Road Transport Administration information on a bus station service fee for servicing journeys in subsidised routes of regional significance which has been determined in accordance with the category of the bus station and the services to be provided mandatorily.

(4) [29 October 1998]

(5) The Cabinet shall determine:

1) the procedures for registering, suspending and cancelling the registration of bus stations servicing subsidised routes of regional significance, and also for supervising the operation of such bus stations;

2) the categories of bus stations servicing subsidised routes of regional significance and the services to be provided mandatorily;

2¹) the standard of the services to be provided mandatorily by bus stations servicing journeys in subsidised routes of regional significance;

3) the procedures by which the owner or possessor of a bus station submits to the Road Transport Administration information on a bus station service fee for servicing journeys in subsidised routes of regional significance;

4) the scope and deadlines for submitting information to agree upon the service fees of bus stations servicing journeys in subsidised routes of regional significance;

5) the criteria and circumstances when the Road Transport Administration shall not approve the fee for the bus station services for the owner or possessor of a bus station servicing journeys in subsidised routes of regional significance and shall request recalculation of the bus station service fee for servicing journeys in subsidised routes of regional significance;

6) the maximum amount of costs to be included in the service fee of bus stations servicing journeys in subsidised routes of regional significance.

(6) The Road Transport Administration shall register a bus station servicing subsidised routes of regional significance if the owner or possessor of such bus station has been registered in the commercial register and does not have any tax debts the total sum whereof exceeds the total outstanding debts specified in the law On Taxes and Fees starting from which tax administration ensures public access to the information. Registration of a bus station servicing subsidised routes of regional significance shall give the right to provide bus station services in conformity with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations.

(7) The Road Transport Administration shall suspend or cancel the registration of a bus station servicing subsidised routes of regional significance if a substantial infringement of the laws and regulations governing the field of carriage by road is discovered in the operation of the owner or possessor of a bus station servicing subsidised routes of regional significance.

[29 October 1998; 30 September 1999; 2 December 2004; 14 June 2007; 28 September 2017; 13 June 2019; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 34. Timetables of those Road Vehicles which Provide Regular Passenger Services

(1) Regular passenger services may be provided only according to an approved timetable. The timetables of those road vehicles which provide regular passenger services shall be coordinated with timetables of other modes of transport.

(2) The timetables for international routes shall be approved by the Road Transport Administration.

(3) Information in stops regarding the movement of buses in international routes shall be ensured by the carrier after agreement thereupon with the owner of the road.

[13 March 1997; 9 May 2002; 1 December 2005; 14 June 2007; 12 May 2011 / Amendment to Paragraph two regarding the replacement of the words "Ministry of Transport" with the words "Road Transport Administration" shall come into force on 30 September 2011. See Paragraph 27 of the Transitional Provisions]

Section 34.¹ Domestic Occasional Passenger Services and Domestic Special Regular Passenger Services

The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for the domestic occasional passenger services and domestic special regular passenger services and the procedures by which payment shall be made domestic occasional passenger services and domestic special regular passenger services within the territory of Latvia.

[23 April 2015]

Section 35. Taxi Service and Commercial Passenger Car Service

(1) A taxi service may be performed if the carrier has received a special permit (licence) and a licence card issued by a planning region or a local government of a State city (Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Rēzekne, Riga, or Ventspils) for each road vehicle.

(1¹) A special permit (licence) for the taxi service shall be issued by a planning region or a local government of a State city to the carrier who has been registered in the commercial register and does not have any tax debts the total sum of which exceeds the total outstanding debts specified in the law On Taxes and Fees starting from which the tax administration ensures public access to the information.

(1²) A planning region or a local government of a State city shall issue a special permit (licence) for the taxi service, publishing information on its website. At the same time the information on issuing the special permit (licence) shall be sent to the electronic mail address specified by the carrier in the application. The special permit (licence) for taxi service shall be issued for four years.

(1³) A licence card shall be issued to a road vehicle of a carrier on the basis of the special permit (licence) issued by a planning region or a local government of a State city for taxi service if a road vehicle:

1) conforms to the requirements set out in Section 29 of this Law with regard to the taxi service;

2) has been equipped with a taximeter that has been registered in the single database (register) of the State Revenue Service in use in the name of the carrier.

(1⁴) One licence card shall be issued to a road vehicle per one administrative territory as an integral part of the specific special permit (licence).

(1⁵) A planning region or a local government of a State city shall issue a licence card for the taxi service, making an entry in the State Register of Vehicles and Drivers Thereof and without using a secure electronic signature. Information on the issuance (cancellation) of a licence card shall be published using the e-services maintained and provided by the Road Traffic Safety Directorate. A licence card shall be issued for the period requested in the application of the carrier that does not exceed:

1) the validity period of the special permit (licence);

2) the deadline by which a road vehicle has been transferred in the holding of the carrier;

3) the deadline by which the permit to participate in road traffic granted to a taxi is valid;

4) the period for which the payment for the issuing of a licence card specified by a planning region or a local government of a State city has been made;

5) the period for which an advance payment of mandatory State social insurance contributions has been made.

(1⁶) A planning region and a local government of a State city may specify a fee for the issue of a licence card.

(1⁷) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which a planning region or a local government of a State city shall issue and cancel the licence card for the taxi service.

(2) The special permit (licence) issued by a planning region shall not give the right to perform the taxi service within the administrative territories of the State cities referred to in Paragraph one of this Section, and the special permits (licences) issued by local governments of these State cities shall not give the right to perform the taxi service within the rest of the territory of the relevant planning region. The special permit (licence) shall give the right to transport a passenger to any place outside the State city or the rest of the territory of the planning region for which the special permit (licence) has been obtained.

(3) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which a planning region or a local government of a State city shall issue and cancel the special permit (licence) and by which the taxi service shall be performed.

(3¹) A planning region and a local government of a State city may, by a reasoned decision, cancel the special permit (licence) for the taxi service if the carrier:

1) gravely infringes the transport obligations set out in laws and regulations or the procedures by which the taxi service is performed, or poses a threat to the safety of passengers;

2) submits an application for the cancelation of the special permit (licence) for taxi service. The decision to cancel the special permit (licence) shall be taken by a planning region or a local government of a State city within 30 days from the date the information is received on compliance with the tax obligations of the carrier or enforcement of administrative sanctions imposed for the infringements of the provisions governing the field of taxi service.

(3²) If the special permit (licence) for taxi service is cancelled, the licence card shall also cease to be valid.

(3³) A planning region and a local government of a State city may cancel the licence card issued to a road vehicle if the carrier submits an application for the cancelation of the licence card for the taxi service. The decision to cancel the licence card shall be taken by a planning region or a local government of a State city within 30 days from the date the information is received on the fulfilment of the tax obligations of the carrier or enforcement of administrative sanctions imposed for the infringements of the provisions governing the field of the taxi service.

(3⁴) A planning region or a local government of a State city shall cancel the special permit (licence) for taxi service if the carrier has not, for more than three months, had a passenger car available for which a licence card has been issued for the taxi service.

(4) [13 June 2019 / See Paragraph 39 of Transitional Provisions]

(5) Commercial passenger car service may be performed if the carrier has received the special permit (licence) issued by the Road Transport Administration for commercial passenger car service and a licence card for each road vehicle.

(5¹) The Road Transport Administration shall issue the special permit (licence) for commercial passenger car service to the carrier who has been registered in the commercial register and does not have any tax debts the total sum whereof exceeds the total outstanding debts specified in the law On Taxes and Fees from which tax administration ensures public access to the information.

(5²) The Road Transport Administration shall issue the special permit (licence) for commercial passenger car service, making an entry in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators and without drawing up a separate written decision. At the same time, information on the issuing of the special permit (licence) shall be published on the website of the Road Transport Administration and sent to the electronic mail address specified by the carrier in the application. The special permit (licence) for commercial passenger car service shall be issued for four years. The special permit (licence) shall become valid on the day when information on the issuing of the special permit (licence) is published on the website of the Road Transport Administration.

(5³) A licence card shall be issued to a road vehicle of the carrier on the basis of the special permit (licence) for commercial passenger car service issued by the Road Transport Administration if the road vehicle conforms to the requirements set out in Section 29 of this Law with regard to the commercial passenger car service.

(5⁴) The Road Transport Administration shall issue the licence card for commercial passenger car service, making an entry in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators and without drawing up a separate written decision. At the same time, information on the issuing of the licence card shall be published on the website of the Road Transport Administration and sent to the electronic mail address specified by the carrier in the application. The licence card shall become valid on the day when information on the issuing of the licence card is published on the website of the Road Transport Administration.

(5⁵) The licence card shall be issued for the period requested in the application of the carrier that does not exceed:

1) the validity period of the special permit (licence);

2) the deadline by which a road vehicle has been transferred in the holding of the carrier;

3) the deadline by which a permit to participate in road traffic granted to a road vehicle is valid;

4) the period for which the payment for the issuing of a licence card has been made;

5) the period for which an advance payment of mandatory State social insurance contributions has been made.

(5⁶) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which the Road Transport Administration issues and cancels the licence card for commercial passenger car service.

(6) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which the Road Transport Administration issues and cancels the special permit (licence) and by which the commercial passenger car service is performed.

(6¹) The Road Transport Administration may cancel the special permit (licence) for commercial passenger car service if the carrier:

1) gravely infringes the transport obligations set out in laws and regulations or the procedures by which the commercial passenger car service is performed, or poses a threat to the safety of passengers;

2) submits an application for the cancelation of the special permit (licence) for commercial passenger car service. The decision on the cancelation of the special permit (licence) shall be taken by the Road Transport Administration within 30 days from the date of the receipt of information on the fulfilment of the tax obligations of the carrier or enforcement of administrative sanctions imposed for the infringements of the provisions governing the field of commercial passenger car service.

(6²) If the special permit (licence) for commercial passenger car service is cancelled, the licence card shall also cease to be valid.

(6³) The Road Transport Administration shall cancel the licence card issued for a road vehicle if the carrier submits an application for the cancellation of the licence card or the Road Transport Administration establishes that the carrier is not the owner or holder of the road vehicle.

(6⁴) The Road Transport Administration shall cancel the special permit (licence) for commercial passenger car service if the carrier has not, for more than three months, had a passenger car available for which a licence card has been issued for commercial passenger car service.

(7) [13 June 2019]

(8) A person, whose length of service as a driver of vehicles corresponding to a driverʼs licence of Category B vehicles is at least three years and who has been registered in the Register of Taxi Drivers maintained by the Road Transport Administration, has the right to drive a vehicle for taxi service or commercial passenger car service. The Cabinet shall lay down the procedures for establishing and using the Register of Taxi Drivers, the extent of the information to be included therein, the requirements for drivers who perform taxi service and commercial passenger car service and the procedures for registering thereof, as well as the procedures for issuing information, the cases when drivers are removed from the register, and the procedures for their removal.

(9) A State fee shall be paid for the issuance of the special permit (licence) for taxi service or commercial passenger car service, and the amount and payment procedures thereof shall be determined by the Cabinet.

(10) The Road Transport Administration shall provide information to the Road Traffic Safety Directorate on road vehicles to which licence cards for commercial passenger car service have been issued or cancelled. Information on the issuance (cancellation) of a licence card shall be published using the e-services maintained and provided by the Road Traffic Safety Directorate.

[28 September 2017; 26 October 2017; 13 June 2019; 17 June 2020; 4 February 2021; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 35.¹ Taxi Service in Territories Intended for Public Purposes of Transport Infrastructure Objects (Bus Station, Railway Station, Airport, Port) of International Significance

(1) There shall be restricted access in the territory intended for public purposes at the transport infrastructure object (bus station, railway station, airport, port) (hereinafter - the object) for the provision of taxi services if:

1) international carriage of passengers is performed at the object;

2) public transport services are not available to passengers during the working hours of the object that exceed general working hours;

3) publicly accessible territory of the object is a territory that is separated from a carriageway where it is necessary to organise the traffic flow and ensure the taxi service offer according to demand.

(2) The Cabinet shall determine access restrictions to the territory intended for public purposes at the object.

(3) Taxi services in the territory with restricted access intended for public purposes at the object can be performed by the carrier or a union of carriers formed on the basis of a contract (hereinafter - the union) which ensures:

1) service offer during the entire working hours of the object (24 hours);

2) servicing of persons with disabilities;

3) road vehicles:

a) with a capacity of up to five seats;

b) with a capacity from six up to nine seats;

c) that are not older than five years, counting from the first registration of the road vehicle;

d) whose body colour and visual identity conform to the trademark or design registered by the carrier or union;

e) that have been equipped for transportation of passengers (children) whose height does not exceed 150 centimetres;

4) a journey from the object in accordance with a single tariff for hiring, per one kilometre, and per one minute specified by the carrier or union;

5) settlement with a passenger of a payment for a journey from the object using the document confirming a pre-payment issued by an electronic device or equipment for the registration of taxes and other payments registered in the single database (register) of the State Revenue Service that has been purchased at a fixed trading place (or online), registering the transaction in the taximeter.

(4) The conformity of the carrier or a member of the union with the requirements of Paragraph three of this Section shall be assessed by a planning region or local governments of the State cities referred to in Section 35, Paragraph one of this Law when issuing a licence card with a special note. This licence card shall concurrently give the right to perform the taxi service within the administrative territory of a planning region or State city where the special permit (licence) has been issued.

(4¹) It is prohibited for a driver itself or through other persons to offer a transport service for a journey from the object unless a licence card with a special note has been issued in accordance with the procedures laid down in Paragraph four of this Section in respect of the road vehicle with which it has entered the territory of the object.

(5) Access to the territory of the object intended for public purposes and compliance with the provisions of Paragraph 4.¹ of this Section shall be controlled by the owner or possessor of the object.

(6) A planning region and a local government of a State city may cancel the licence card referred to in Paragraph four of this Section which has been issued to a road vehicle if violations of the requirements of Paragraph three of this Section have been established.

(7) The Cabinet shall determine:

1) the procedures by which the licence card referred to in Paragraph four of this Section is issued and cancelled;

2) the procedures by which the taxi service is organised and controlled in the territory with restricted access intended for public purposes at the object, and the procedures by which the exchange of information related to the abovementioned service is performed.

[13 June 2019; 4 February 2021; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 35.² Website and Mobile Application Services

(1) Website or mobile application services may be provided and the carrier and driver may use these services in the Republic of Latvia if the provider of a website or mobile application service has been registered in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators maintained by the Road Transport Administration. The Road Transport Administration shall register the provider of a website or mobile application service if the latter conforms to the following requirements:

1) it has been registered in a European Union Member State in accordance with the requirements of the national laws and regulations of the country of registration of the merchant;

2) it does not have any debts of taxes, duties, and other mandatory payments determined by the State the total sum whereof exceeds the total outstanding debts specified in the law On Taxes and Fees from which tax administration ensures public access to the information;

3) it has fulfilled all written commitments submitted to the Consumer Rights Protection Centre in relation to the elimination of the discovered infringements and all decisions of the Consumer Rights Protection Centre imposed thereon;

4) it ensures processing and storage of information in accordance with the procedures laid down in Paragraph six of this Section;

5) the website or mobile application used by it ensures the following:

a) information on the offered service of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward, tariffs, surcharge for additional services, carrier, driver, and road vehicle and also the possibility to request a road vehicle suitable for a person with disabilities;

b) the possibility to request and confirm the service of carriage for hire or reward online;

c) with regard to the commercial passenger car service - the possibility to calculate a fare and settle the payment online by making non-cash payments and also to send to the passenger an electronic invoice and information on the received service of carriage for hire or reward at the end of the journey to the electronic mail address of the passenger registered on the website or mobile application.

(2) Registration shall be cancelled if substantial violations of the laws and regulations governing this commercial activity are found in the operations of the provider of a website or mobile application service, and also if the provider of a website or mobile application service unreasonably denies access to the taxi service or commercial passenger car service.

(3) The functioning of a website or mobile application shall be blocked if website or mobile application services are offered without registration.

(4) The provider of a website or mobile application service shall be prohibited from registering on the website or mobile application and offering a carrier, driver, and road vehicle that does not conform to the requirements laid down in Section 35, Paragraphs one, five, and eight of this Law.

(5) The provider of a website or mobile application service shall be prohibited from unreasonably denying access to the service of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward and also from deleting or correcting information on the services of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward that have been accepted, refused, and provided on the website or mobile application in the territory of Latvia, and on drivers and road vehicles.

(6) The provider of a website or mobile application service shall provide information to the State Revenue Service in relation to the services of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward that are offered, refused by the carrier and performed on the website or mobile application in the territory of Latvia, and on drivers and road vehicles. This information shall be processed by the provider of a website or mobile application service and stored in a European Union Member State or a member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for at least five years.

(7) The Cabinet shall determine:

1) the procedures for the registration of the provider of a website or mobile application service, cancelation of such registration, and blocking of a website or mobile application;

2) the functionality of a website or mobile application and the information to be specified therein;

3) the procedures for supervising the operation of the provider of a website or mobile application service;

4) the procedures by which the provider of a website or mobile application service provides information to the State Revenue Service and the volume of such information.

[13 June 2019 / Section shall come into force on 1 September 2019. See Paragraph 39 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 36. Contract for the Carriage of Passengers and Luggage

According to the contract for the carriage of passengers by a road vehicle, a carrier shall undertake to transport a passenger to the relevant stop (place) for a relevant charge and, if the passenger has put luggage in the hold - to deliver it to the relevant stop and to give it to the person entitled to receive the luggage, but the passenger shall undertake to pay for the journey and carriage of the luggage, unless otherwise provided for in laws and regulations.

[13 March 1997]

Section 37. Form of Carriage of Passengers Contract

(1) The existence of a contract for regular passenger services shall be certified by a ticket or another travel document; the registration of luggage for carriage shall be certified by a luggage ticket.

(2) A contract for on-demand carriage of passengers shall be concluded in writing based on a form specified by a carrier.

(3) A passenger shall order the taxi service by verbal agreement or using electronic communications services (inter alia, online via a website or mobile application). Fulfilment of the service contract shall be attested by a document confirming the transaction (receipt) registered by a taximeter.

(4) [14 June 2007]

(5) A passenger shall order the commercial passenger car service online via a website or mobile application. Fulfilment of the service contract shall be attested by an electronic invoice which is sent to the passenger at the end of the journey to the electronic mail address thereof registered on the website or mobile application and which complies with the requirements concerning source documents laid down in the laws and regulations governing the field of accounting and taxes and contain information on the service received and service provider.

[13 March 1997; 29 October 1998; 9 May 2002; 14 June 2007; 13 December 2007; 12 May 2011; 13 June 2019 / The new wording of Paragraph three and Paragraph five shall come into force on 1 September 2019. See Paragraph 39 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 38. Samples of Tickets and Other Travel Documents and Mandatory Information

[14 June 2007 / See Transitional Provision]

Section 38.¹ Ticket Samples and Mandatory Information in Regular International Passenger Services

(1) Mandatory ticket information in regular international passenger services between Latvia and countries which are not European Union Member States shall be determined by the Cabinet.

(2) The carrier which provides regular international passenger services between Latvia and countries which are not European Union Member States shall submit the relevant ticket samples for agreement thereupon to the Road Transport Administration.

(3) The mandatory ticket information in regular international passenger services between European Union Member States shall be determined by Council Regulation (EEC) No 684/92 of 16 March 1992 on common rules for the international carriage of passengers by coach and bus.

[13 December 2007; 12 May 2011 / Amendment to Paragraph two regarding substitution of the words "Ministry of Transport" with the words "Road Transport Administration" shall come into force on 30 September 2011. See Paragraph 27 of the Transitional Provisions]

Section 39. Fare (Tariffs)

(1) [14 June 2007]

(2) [14 June 2007]

(3) A fare (tariffs) for regular passenger services in international routes shall be determined by a carrier in accordance with international agreements and in cooperation with a partner undertaking of the other party.

(4) [14 June 2007]

(5) [28 September 2017 / See Paragraph 32 of Transitional Provisions]

(5¹) A fare for the taxi service or commercial passenger car service shall be the total amount of money for a journey and it is comprised of the hiring fee and the fee for the distance or duration of a journey or the hiring fee and the fee for the distance and duration of a journey as a total. Surcharge shall not be included in the fare for services provided separately from the carriage of passengers for hire or reward or additional costs to complete the service.

(5²) In relation to the taxi service:

1) the carrier shall determine the applicable tariff for hiring, per one kilometre, and per one minute in the calculation of the fare;

2) when preparing a price list, discounts or increased fee may be applied to tariffs, not exceeding 50 per cent of the tariff. Tariffs with included discounts or increased fees and description thereof shall be specified in the price list;

3) tariffs referred to in Section 35.¹, Paragraph three, Clause 4 of this Law and information on surcharge shall be indicated separately in the price list;

4) the carrier shall inform of the tariffs and price list (if such has been prepared) when submitting the application for the receipt of a special permit (licence) or during the validity period of a special permit (licence) in the event of any changes in the tariffs or price list;

5) the carrier shall indicate the tariffs on the body of a road vehicle, the price list shall be placed on the front panel of a road vehicle and also on a website or mobile application.

(5³) The Cabinet shall determine the information to be specified in the notification and price list of the taxi service and the requirements in respect of the placement of information on tariffs on a road vehicle and in the interior thereof.

(5⁴) In relation to the commercial passenger car service:

1) a fare shall be calculated in accordance with the tariffs for hiring, per one kilometre, and per one minute specified by the provider of a website or mobile application service;

2) tariffs and surcharge shall be specified by the provider of a website or mobile application service on a website or mobile application.

(6) A fare in occasional passenger services shall be determined upon mutual agreement between a carrier and the commissioning party.

(7) For taxi services from a transport infrastructure object of international significance (bus station, railway station, airport, port), the Cabinet shall determine the maximum fare (tariff), the maximum surcharge, and the fare and operating zones for journeys which are settled with a document confirming the pre-payment referred to in Section 35.¹, Paragraph three, Clause 5 of this Law and purchased at a fixed trading venue (or online).

[13 March 1997; 23 November 2000; 9 May 2002; 5 May 2005; 4 April 2007; 14 June 2007; 28 September 2017; 13 June 2019; 27 March 2024]

Section 40. Obligations and Liability of a Carrier, Driver, and Provider of a Website or Mobile Application Service

(1) A carrier has the obligation to ensure a passenger a place indicated in the ticket in a road vehicle used for regular passenger services, as well as a safe journey and safe-keeping and delivery of the transferred luggage to the place of destination.

(2) A carrier must compensate a passenger the value of the ticket in accordance with the procedures and in the amount referred to in the passenger carriage regulations in the cases provided for in Section 43, Paragraph three of this Law.

(3) A carrier has the obligation to compensate direct losses (excluding lost profits) incurred if the arrival or departure of a road vehicle used for regular passenger services (in accordance with the requirements of laws and regulations) does not correspond to the timetable, as well as if a journey in an international route for which a passenger has obtained a ticket has been cancelled.

(4) If luggage is damaged or lost, a carrier must draw up a relevant deed regarding it and compensate a passenger for losses.

(5) If luggage for which a carrier has paid the relevant compensation is found afterwards, a passenger has the right to request the issue of such luggage, provided that he or she reimburses the received compensation (taking into account the state of the found luggage).

(6) A carrier shall be liable for the losses caused in the course of carriage if a passenger has died, has become crippled, or has had some other health impairment or damage to his or her property has been caused and the carrier fails to prove that the loss has been incurred due to force majeure, with the intention of the victim himself or herself, or due to the gross negligence of the victim. A carrier shall be liable for the losses caused during embarkation or disembarkation of passengers and loading or unloading of luggage if the carrier is found to be at fault.

(7) When performing carriage of passengers to which Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 applies, the obligations and liability of the carrier in relation to the rights of bus passengers shall be additionally determined by the abovementioned Regulation.

(8) In applying Regulation (EU) No 181/2011, the maximum sum of compensation in relation to death of or bodily harm to a passenger or losing or damage to luggage on a case-by-case basis shall be no less than the sum indicated in Article 7(2) of Regulation (EU) No 181/2011.

(9) In the provision of taxi service or commercial passenger car service, accepting a request from a person with disabilities, the carrier or the provider of a website or mobile application service shall, upon request of the abovementioned person, ensure a road vehicle which is suitable for the transportation of persons with disabilities and a carrier who is able to provide such service to the relevant persons.

(10) In the provision of taxi service or commercial passenger car service, a driver shall, upon request of an official of an authorised control body, have the obligation to submit for inspection the documents necessary for the performance of such carriage and to ensure the possibility to read the total indicators of a taximeter or information on the carriage service registered on a website or mobile application.

(11) In relation to the taxi service:

1) before the journey, a driver has the obligation to inform the passenger of the tariff applied in the calculation of a fare and surcharge according to a price list;

2) a driver shall be prohibited from the provision of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward, if a taximeter has not been switched on, if it does not correspond to the metrological requirements laid down in laws and regulations or if compliance with the procedures for the use of a taximeter set out in the laws and regulations regarding the use of electronic devices and equipment for the registration of taxes and other payments is not ensured;

3) a driver shall be prohibited from accepting other passengers in a taxi if the passengers in the taxi object to it and he or she shall be also prohibited from inviting and assembling the range of passengers through the mediation of other persons (who shall not participate in the journey), indicating the direction or destination of the journey;

4) a driver, when settling accounts with a passenger in accordance with the fare registered by the taximeter or total fare comprised of the fare and surcharge specified in the price list, has the obligation to issue a document attesting the transaction registered by the taximeter (receipt).

(12) A carrier has the obligation to ensure the possibility to settle non-cash payments in taxis.

(13) In relation to the commercial passenger car service:

1) in order to calculate the fare, a driver shall use a website or mobile application whose program ensures the possibility of requesting, confirming and refusing a carriage service, calculating the fare and settling non-cash payments online;

2) a driver is prohibited from the provision of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward, if a website or mobile application does not work online;

3) a driver is prohibited from receiving a payment for the service of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward in cash;

4) a driver is prohibited from accepting a passenger by using other means for requesting the service of carriage for hire or reward.

(14) The provider of a website or mobile application service and the carrier who provides the service of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward by using a website or mobile application are jointly and severally liable for ensuring the service of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward.

[13 March 1997; 14 June 2007; 7 February 2013; 13 June 2019 / The new wording of the title of this Section and also Paragraphs nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen shall come into force on 1 September 2019. See Paragraph 39 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 41. Liability of a Passenger for the Violation of Carriage Regulations and Causing of Losses

(1) A passenger must comply with the passenger carriage regulations.

(2) A passenger shall be liable, in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations, for violating carriage regulations and for causing losses to a carrier.

(3) A passenger shall pay a fine for travelling without a ticket in the amount specified in laws and regulations. Payment of the fine shall not release the passenger from the fare.

(4) If a passenger carries things the carriage of which is prohibited in the relevant road vehicle, he or she must pay a fine in the amount specified in laws and regulations.

Section 42. Rights of a Carrier

(1) A carrier has the right not to pick up into a road vehicle, remove therefrom, as well as to transfer to the police a passenger who violates the carriage regulations or fails to comply with the public order.

(2) A carrier has the right to refuse to carry luggage which does not comply with the carriage regulations.

Section 43. Rights of a Passenger

(1) A passenger has the right to use a road vehicle of a carrier for travelling in accordance with a contract (ticket) or other document attesting to the right to travel and to use the services related to carriage.

(2) A passenger has the right to carry luggage with him or her if the sizes and characteristics thereof comply with the carriage regulations.

(3) A passenger has the right to refuse to travel and to return the previously bought ticket in accordance with the procedures laid down in the passenger carriage regulations.

(4) A passenger has the right to request compensation from a carrier for the direct losses in accordance with Section 40, Paragraph three of this Law.

(5) When performing carriage of passengers to which Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 applies, the rights of bus passengers shall be additionally determined by the abovementioned Regulation.

(6) A passenger has the right to terminate a service contract and to refuse to pay for the service of the carriage of passengers for hire or reward if the driver violates Section 40, Paragraph eleven, Clause 2 or Paragraph thirteen, Clause 2 of this Law.

[7 February 2013; 13 June 2019]

Chapter IV
Claims, Requirements, and Mandatory Insurance

Section 44. Procedures for Submission of Claims

(1) A consignor (consignee, passenger) must submit a claim prior to bringing an action against a carrier in relation to a breach of the contract of carriage:

1) for the carriage of goods - to the carrier or forwarder who has accepted the goods for carriage (in accordance with Section 2236 of the Civil Law);

2) for the carriage of passengers and luggage - to the carrier who performs such carriage.

(2) An application for a claim must be accompanied by documents certifying it.

(3) A claim submitted for loss, shortage, spoilage or damage of goods, in addition to the abovementioned documents, must be accompanied by such documents which certify the amount and value of the sent goods, as well as a copy of the original of the consignment note, unless otherwise provided by the contract.

Section 45. Terms for Submission and Examination of Claims

(1) Claims may be submitted to the carrier within a period of six months.

(2) The running of the abovementioned time limit shall begin:

1) from the day of issuance of the goods or luggage (or the day on which it was to be issued) - if the claims are submitted in relation to the compensation for loss, shortage, spoilage, damage or late delivery of the goods or luggage to be carried together with passengers;

2) four months following the registration of goods for carriage - if claims are submitted for the compensation of the value of the lost goods in the direct mixed traffic;

3) from the day on which the event which is the basis for the submission of the claim has taken place - in all other cases.

(3) A carrier must examine a claim and notify the submitter thereof of the recognition or rejection of the claim within the following terms from the day of receipt of the claim:

1) within a month - if the claim is submitted in relation to carriage in direct traffic;

2) within three months - if the claim is submitted in relation to carriage in direct mixed traffic.

(4) If a carrier rejects a claim in whole or in part, it shall send to the submitter its reasoned decision together with the documents attached to the claim.

(5) If a carrier accepts a claim in whole (for the whole amount), the documents attached to the claim shall not be returned.

(6) When performing carriage of passengers to which Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 applies, the terms for bringing and examining a claim shall be determined in accordance with Article 27 of the abovementioned Regulation.

[7 February 2013]

Section 46. Bringing an Action in Court

(1) Consignors, consignees, and passengers may bring an action in court against a carrier only if the carrier refuses to accept claims in whole or in part or if a reply has not been received from the carrier within the time period specified in Section 45, Paragraph three of this Law.

(2) The abovementioned action may be brought in court according to the location of the carrier within three years after receipt of the reply or after expiration of the time period intended for the reply.

(3) Carriers may bring an action against consignors, consignees or passengers in court within three years from the day on which the infringement of right took place which was the basis for the bringing of the action.

Section 47. Subrogation Action of Carrier

(1) A carrier who has paid compensation for losses has the right to bring a subrogation action against other carriers who have participated in the carriage. Liability among carriers shall be divided as follows:

1) if loss has been caused due to the fault of one carrier, it shall be liable for the compensation thereof, irrespective of whether the compensation has been paid by itself or by another carrier;

2) if loss has been caused due to the fault of two or several carriers, each of them shall pay a sum in proportion to the part of their liability;

3) if this part cannot be determined, each carrier shall be liable in proportion with the part of the payment for carriage due thereto;

4) if the carrier who is liable for the loss cannot be determined, the amount to be compensated shall be divided among all carriers proportionally, in the amount specified in Clause 3 of this Section.

Section 48. Mandatory Insurance Related to Carriage by Road Vehicles

(1) Natural persons and legal persons performing carriage by road in the territory of Latvia shall insure the civil liability for the loss caused in a road traffic accident.

(2) Owners of goods who transfer dangerous goods for carriage in the territory of Latvia shall insure their civil liability for losses which may be caused to a carrier, third persons and property thereof, as well as to the environment in relation to the carriage.

(3) Natural persons and legal persons performing international carriage by road shall insure their civil liability for the potential losses in relation to the carriage, in compliance with the provisions of international agreements.

[13 March 1997 / See Transitional Provision]

Chapter V
Peculiarities of Certain Types of Carriage

[9 May 2002]

Section 49. Speed Limiters in the Carriage of Passengers and Goods

(1) [2 December 2004]

(2) The requirements for the equipping of certain categories of vehicles with speed limiters and the procedures for the use of such devices shall be determined by the Cabinet.

[2 December 2004]

Section 50. Combined Transport Operations

(1) Tax (duty) reliefs shall be applied to carriers whose heavy goods vehicles are involved in combined transport operations in compliance with tax laws.

(2) In the cases provided for in international agreements, the combined international transport operations shall not require the authorisation provided for in Section 6 of this Law.

(3) The procedures for performing combined transport operations for hire or reward, combined own-account carriage or combined transport operations by a hired vehicle, as well as the requirements for the accompanying document of goods of the combined transport operations shall be determined by the Cabinet.

Section 51. Own-account Carriage

(1) It is allowed to perform own-account carriage of passengers by bus or own-account carriage of goods by a goods road vehicle of total permissible mass, including trailers, exceeding six tonnes if the performer of own-account carriage has received a certificate for own-account carriage. A certificate for own-account carriage is a document or entry in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators, attesting that the performer of own-account carriage may perform own-account carriage of the type specified in the document or entry. The certificate for own-account carriage shall not be required if the domestic own-account carriage of passengers by bus, domestic or international own-account carriage of goods by a goods vehicle the total permissible mass of which, including trailers, exceeds six tonnes is performed by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior, institutions subordinate to them, and also the National Armed Forces to ensure the performance of their functions.

(2) The Road Transport Administration issues the certificate for own-account carriage for domestic own-account carriage of passengers and goods, making an entry in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators managed thereby and without drawing up a separate written decision. At the same time, the information on the issuing of the certificate for own-account carriage is published on the website of the Road Transport Administration and sent to the electronic mail address specified by the performer of own-account carriage in the application. The certificate for own-account carriage shall become valid on the day when information on the issue of the certificate is published on the website of the Road Transport Administration. The certificate for own-account carriage for international own-account carriage of passengers and international own-carriage of goods shall be issued by the Road Transport Administration in paper form, entering the information on the issuing of the certificate in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators. The certificate for own-account carriage shall be issued for a period of one up to 60 months.

(3) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for the own-account carriage of passengers or goods, the procedures by which the certificate for own-account carriage of passengers or goods is issued and cancelled, the procedures by which the issuing of the certificate for own-account carriage of passengers or goods is refused, and also the procedures for publishing information on valid certificates.

[13 June 2019; 17 June 2020]

Section 52. Cabotage

Cabotage in the territory of Latvia is prohibited by a road vehicle registered in such country which is not a European Union Member State, except for the cases where they are performed in compliance with the international agreements ratified by the Saeima and an authorisation has been issued by the Road Transport Administration for each relevant carriage.

[12 May 2011]

Chapter V.¹
Posting of a Driver of a Vehicle in the International Carriage by Road

[10 March 2022]

Section 52.¹ Posting of a Driver of a Vehicle

(1) Within the meaning of this Law, posting of a driver of a vehicle is a situation where a carrier registered in another European Union Member State which provides the service of international carriage by road posts its employee, i.e. the driver of the vehicle, to Latvia or a carrier registered in Latvia which provides the service of international carriage by road posts its employee, i.e. the driver of the vehicle, to another European Union Member State in order to drive a vehicle at the disposal of the carrier and to perform other activities related to the relevant service of carriage by road on behalf of the carrier.

(1¹) When determining the conditions for the provision of transport service, the consignor, forwarder, contractor, and sub-contractor shall comply with the conditions for the posting of a driver of a vehicle set out in this Chapter.

(2) A driver of a vehicle involved in the performance of cabotage operations as defined in Regulation No 1072/2009 and Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 on common rules for access to the international market for coach and bus services, and amending Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 (hereinafter - Regulation No 1073/2009) shall be subject to the requirements for the posting of a driver of a vehicle.

(3) The period of posting of a driver of a vehicle shall be considered to be ending when the driver leaves the country where such international carriage by road subject to the application of conditions for the posting of a driver was performed. That abovementioned period of posting shall not be cumulated with previous periods of posting in the context of such international carriage which is performed by the driver of the same vehicle or driver of another vehicle whom he or she replaces.

(4) The conditions for the posting of a driver of a vehicle laid down in this Chapter may be applied to a country other than a European Union Member State if it is provided for in an international treaty binding upon the Republic of Latvia.

(5) The provisions of the Labour Law shall apply to posting of a driver of a vehicle, insofar as it is not restricted by the provisions of this Law.

[10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 52.² Exceptions for Posting of a Driver of a Vehicle to Latvia

(1) The conditions for posting of a driver of a vehicle laid down in this Chapter shall not apply to Latvia if the driver of the vehicle performs:

1) carriage of goods or passengers in transit through the territory of Latvia without loading or unloading the goods or picking up or setting down passengers;

2) a bilateral international occasional or regular passenger service during which the following occurs on the bus:

a) passengers are being picked up in a European Union Member State where the carrier that posted the driver of the vehicle is established and are set down in Latvia;

b) passengers are being picked up in Latvia and are set down in a European Union Member State where the carrier that posted the driver of the vehicle is established;

c) passengers are being picked up and set down in a European Union Member State where the carrier that posted the driver of the vehicle is established, for the purpose of carrying out local excursions in Latvia in accordance with Regulation No 1073/2009;

3) a bilateral transport operation referred to in Clause 2 of this Paragraph during which passengers are being picked up by a bus once or set down from a bus once in the European Union Member States or third countries that the driver of the vehicle crosses, provided that the driver of the vehicle does not offer passenger transport services between two locations within the country crossed. The same shall apply to the return journey;

4) a bilateral transport operation in respect of goods under a transport contract from a European Union Member State where the carrier that posted the driver of the vehicle is established, as defined in Article 2(8) of Regulation No 1071/2009, to Latvia or from Latvia to a European Union Member State where the carrier is established;

5) a bilateral transport operation in respect of goods as defined in Clause 4 of this Paragraph:

a) during which one activity of loading or unloading is additionally performed in the Member States or third countries that the driver of the vehicle crosses, provided that the goods are not loaded and unloaded in the same country;

b) from the European Union Member State where the carrier that posted the driver of the vehicle to Latvia is established, without any additional activity of loading or unloading, and on the return journey, during a bilateral transport operation, not more than two additional activities of loading or unloading are performed, provided that the goods are not loaded and unloaded in the same country;

6) the initial or final road leg of a combined transport operation as defined in Section 1, Clause 15 of this Law, if the road leg on its own consists of bilateral transport operations, as defined in Clause 4 of this Paragraph.

(2) The exemptions indicated in Paragraph one, Clauses 3 and 5 of this Section in respect of additional picking up or setting down of passengers or additional loading or unloading of goods shall apply only until the day from which smart tachographs conforming to the requirement in respect of recording border crossings and additional activities referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 February 2014 on tachographs in road transport, repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport and amending Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport (hereinafter - Regulation (EU) No 165/2014) are required to be fitted in the vehicles registered in a Member State for the first time in accordance with the fourth subparagraph of Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014. From that day, the exemptions specified in Paragraph one, Clauses 3 and 5 of this Section in respect of additional picking up or setting down of passengers or additional loading or unloading of goods shall apply only to drivers using vehicles fitted with smart tachographs as defined in Articles 8, 9, and 10 of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014.

[10 March 2022]

Section 52.³ Obligations of a Carrier when Posting a Driver of a Vehicle to Perform a Transport Operation in Latvia

A carrier registered in another European Union Member State, when posting a driver of a vehicle to Latvia, has the obligation to:

1) submit a posting declaration until the start of the period of posting using a multilingual standard form of the public interface functioning in accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2179 of 9 December 2021 on the functionalities of the public interface connected to the Internal Market Information System for posting drivers in the road transport sector and connected to the IMI System;

2) ensure that the driver of the vehicle has a posting declaration at his or her disposal in paper or electronic form;

3) through the IMI System, update the posting declaration without delay in the event of any changes in the content thereof.

[10 March 2022]

Section 52.⁴ Obligations of a Carrier Registered in Latvia when Posting a Driver of a Vehicle to Perform a Transport Operation in Another European Union Member State

A carrier registered in Latvia shall, when posting a driver of a vehicle to perform a transport operation in another European Union Member State, comply with the conditions of posting laid down in the relevant European Union Member State and shall fulfil the following obligations:

1) before the start of the period of posting, send a posting declaration to the relevant European Union Member State using a multilingual standard form of the public interface of the IMI System;

2) ensure that the driver of the vehicle has a posting declaration at his or her disposal in paper or electronic form;

3) through the IMI System, update the posting declaration without delay in the event of any changes in the content thereof;

4) submit the requested documents and information through the IMI System within eight weeks after the competent authority of the European Union Member State to which the driver of the vehicle has been posted has sent the request in accordance with Section 52.⁶ and Section 52.⁷, Paragraph two of this Law.

[10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 52.⁵ Posting Declaration of a Driver of a Vehicle

The following information shall be included in the posting declaration of a driver of a vehicle referred to in Sections 52.³ and 52.⁴ of this Law:

1) the name of the carrier, indicating the number of the valid European Community licence that has been issued to the carrier, provided that such number is available;

2) the contact details of the transport manager or other person in the country of establishment for the purpose of communication, and also for sending and receiving documents and notifications;

3) the given name and surname of the driver of the vehicle, the address of the declared place of residence, the number of the driver's licence thereof;

4) the start date of the driver's employment contract;

5) the envisaged start and end date of the posting;

6) the registration numbers of all vehicles at the disposal of the carrier which are intended to be used for the transport service during the period of posting;

7) information as to whether the carriage by road service is the carriage of goods, carriage of passengers, international carriage, or cabotage.

[10 March 2022]

Section 52.⁶ Obligations of a Driver

The driver posted for the performance of a transport operation in Latvia has the obligation to keep and make available, where requested at a roadside check:

1) the posting declaration submitted in paper or electronic form through the IMI System;

2) evidence of the transport operations taking place in Latvia, such as an electronic consignment note (e-CMR) or evidence referred to in Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009;

3) the tachograph records and in particular the country symbols of the Member States in which the driver was present when performing international road transport operations or cabotage operations, in accordance with registration and record-keeping requirements laid down in Regulation No 561/2006 and Regulation (EU) No 165/2014.

[10 March 2022]

Section 52.⁷ Competent Authorities

(1) In order to ensure the functioning of the driver posting system and cooperation with foreign competent authorities, the following authorities shall have access to the IMI System:

1) the State Police;

2) the State Border Guard;

3) the State Labour Inspectorate;

4) the Road Transport Administration.

(2) The State Police shall verify the fulfilment of the obligations of the carrier referred to in Section 52.³ of this Law or of the driver of the vehicle referred to in Section 52.⁶ of this Law by performing control of carriage by road. If a carrier registered in another European Union Member State has not fulfilled the obligations referred to in Section 52.³ of this Law, the State Police shall, on the basis of the violation of the rules for posting a driver recorded during the control, request it, within eight weeks of sending the request, to submit for evaluation, through the IMI System, copies of the documents referred to in Section 52.⁶, Clauses 2 and 3 of this Law, and also documentation relating to remuneration of the posted driver for the period of posting, the contract of employment or an equivalent document confirming employment relationship, time sheets recording the hours worked, and proof of payments.

(3) If a carrier registered in Latvia has not submitted the documents requested by a European Union Member State within the term and in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 52.⁴, Clause 4 of this Law, the State Labour Inspectorate shall send a request to the relevant carrier to submit them to the competent authority of the relevant country within 25 working days of the request for mutual assistance through the IMI System.

(4) The information and documentation referred to in Section 52.⁶, Clauses 2 and 3 of this Law shall be processed by the authority at the disposal of which they are, if necessary, involving other responsible authorities.

(5) The Road Transport Administration shall provide on its website information in Latvian and English on the conditions for posting a driver in Latvia and shall collect information on the conditions for posting a driver in other European Union Member States.

[10 March 2022]

Chapter VI
Administrative Liability in the Field of Carriage by Road and Competence in the Imposition of Sanctions

[17 June 2020 / See Paragraph 46 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 53. Violation of the Regulations for the Documents Necessary for the Carriage of Goods by Road

(1) For the international carriage of goods for hire or reward without a European Community authorisation or without a certified copy of a European Community authorisation, a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(2) For the carriage of goods for hire or reward if the carrier is not able to present a European Community authorisation or the driver of the vehicle - a certified copy of a European Community authorisation, a fine of six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver, but a fine from twenty-eight to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(3) For the international carriage of goods for hire or reward without a driver attestation, a fine from six to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(4) For the international carriage of goods for hire or reward if a driver attestation or certified copies of a driver attestation cannot be presented, a fine of six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine of twenty-eight units of fine - on the carrier.

(5) For the international carriage of goods without an authorisation for the international carriage of goods, a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(6) For the carriage of goods for hire or reward without a special permit (licence), a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle or the carrier.

(7) For the carriage of goods for hire or reward without a licence card, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(8) For the own-account carriage of goods without a certificate for own-account carriage, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

[17 June 2020; 27 March 2024]

Section 54. Violation of the Regulations for the Carriage of Goods

(1) For exceeding the laden weight or the authorised actual mass of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 12 tonnes by five to 10 per cent (excluding), a fine from fourteen to thirty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and fourteen to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(2) For exceeding the laden weight or the authorised actual mass of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 12 tonnes by 10 to 20 per cent (excluding), a fine from thirty-six to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from two hundred and eighty to four hundred and sixty units of fine - on the carrier.

(3) For exceeding the laden weight or the authorised actual mass of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 12 tonnes by 20 per cent or more, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from four hundred and sixty to one thousand one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(4) For exceeding the load distribution on axles specified by the manufacturer of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 12 tonnes by five to 10 per cent (excluding), a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine - on the carrier.

(5) For exceeding the load distribution on axles specified by the manufacturer of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 12 tonnes by 10 to 20 per cent (excluding), a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(6) For exceeding the load distribution on axles specified by the manufacturer of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 12 tonnes by 20 per cent or more, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(7) For exceeding the laden weight of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 3.5 tonnes but does not exceed 12 tonnes by five to 15 per cent (excluding), a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine - on the carrier.

(8) For exceeding the laden weight of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 3.5 tonnes but does not exceed 12 tonnes by 15 to 25 per cent (excluding), a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(9) For exceeding the laden weight of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 3.5 tonnes but does not exceed 12 tonnes by 25 per cent or more, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(10) For exceeding the load distribution on axles or axle load specified by the manufacturer of a vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 3.5 tonnes but does not exceed 12 tonnes by five to 15 per cent (excluding), a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine - on the carrier.

(11) For exceeding the load distribution on axles or axle load specified by the manufacturer of a vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 3.5 tonnes but does not exceed 12 tonnes by 15 to 25 per cent (excluding), a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(12) For exceeding the load distribution on axles or axle load specified by the manufacturer of a vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which exceeds 3.5 tonnes but does not exceed 12 tonnes by 25 per cent or more, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(13) For violating the regulations regarding placement and securing of goods, and also for transporting goods by a vehicle which is not specifically intended for this purpose and is not registered accordingly, a fine of eleven units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle.

(14) For violating the regulations that provide for the marking of goods protruding outside the vehicle dimensions during the light hours of the day, a warning or a fine of three units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle.

(15) For violating the regulations that provide for the marking of goods protruding outside the vehicle dimensions during the dark hours of the day or under conditions of poor visibility, a fine of six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle.

(16) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the laden weight or the authorised actual mass of the vehicle (vehicle combination) by up to five per cent or exceeding the determined load distribution on axles or axle load, single-axle shaft load or the sum of shaft axle load by up to five per cent, a fine from six to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, a fine from fourteen to fifty-six units of fine - on the carrier, a fine from eight to twenty-eight units of fine - on the consignor who is a natural person, and a fine from fourteen to fifty-six units of fine - on the consignor who is a legal person.

(17) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined acceptable axle load, single-axle shaft load, or the sum of shaft axle load of a vehicle by five to 10 per cent (excluding), a fine from fourteen to thirty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, a fine from one hundred and fourteen to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier, or a fine from twenty-eight to seventy units of fine - on the consignor who is a natural person, and a fine from one hundred and fourteen to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the consignor who is a legal person.

(18) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined acceptable axle load, single-axle shaft load, or the sum of shaft axle load of a vehicle by 10 to 20 per cent (excluding), a fine from thirty-six to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, a fine from two hundred and eighty to four hundred and sixty units of fine - on the carrier, or a fine from seventy to one hundred and fourteen units of fine - on the consignor who is a natural person and a fine from two hundred and eighty to four hundred and sixty units of fine - on the consignor who is a legal person.

(19) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined acceptable axle load, single-axle shaft load, or the sum of shaft axle load of a vehicle by 20 per cent or more, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, a fine from four hundred and sixty to one thousand one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier, or a fine from one hundred and fourteen to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the consignor who is a natural person, and a fine from four hundred and sixty to one thousand one hundred and forty units of fine - on the consignor who is a legal person.

(20) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined length of a vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by up to two per cent (excluding), a fine from four to eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine - on the carrier.

(21) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined length of a vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by two to 20 per cent (excluding), a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine - on the carrier.

(22) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined length of a vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by 20 per cent or more, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(23) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the authorised width of a vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by up to 2.65 metres (excluding), a fine from four to eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine - on the carrier.

(24) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined width of a vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by 2.65 to 3.10 metres (excluding), a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine - on the carrier.

(25) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined width of a vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by 3.10 metres or more, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(26) For violating the regulations regarding the use of a special permit (licence) or a European Community authorisation, a fine from fifty-six to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(27) For the carriage of goods for hire or reward by violating the regulations regarding the use of a licence card or copy of a European Community authorisation, a fine from six to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(28) For the international carriage of goods for hire or reward by violating the regulations regarding the use of an authorisation for the international carriage of goods, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(29) For violating the regulations governing cabotage carriage of goods by road, a fine of fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier, but a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine - on the consignor, forwarder, contractor, or sub-contractor who is a natural or legal person.

(29¹) For violating the requirements laid down in Article 8(2a) of Regulation No 1072/2009 concerning cabotage carried out with the same vehicle or, if it is a coupled vehicle, with a motor vehicle of the same vehicle within four days after the end of the last cabotage in the territory of Latvia, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(29²) For the failure to provide clear evidence, as provided for in Article 8(3) of Regulation No 1072/2009, of the preceding international carriage or of each successive cabotage, or of all carriages performed if the vehicle is in the territory of Latvia within four days prior to the international carriage, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(30) For the carriage for hire or reward with a vehicle of another person without the documents specified in laws and regulations which confirm lease obligations or employment relationship, a fine from six to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to seventy units of fine - on the carrier.

(31) For the own-account carriage of goods by violating the regulations regarding the own-account carriage, a fine from six to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(32) For the failure to comply with the prohibition to participate in road traffic which has been imposed upon establishing a violation during the control of carriage by road, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(33) For exceeding the laden weight of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which does not exceed 3.5 tonnes by five to 15 per cent (excluding), a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine - on the carrier.

(34) For exceeding the laden weight of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which does not exceed 3.5 tonnes by 15 to 25 per cent (excluding), a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(35) For exceeding the laden weight of the vehicle (vehicle combination) the laden weight of which does not exceed 3.5 tonnes by 25 per cent or more, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(36) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined height of the vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by up to two per cent (excluding), a fine from four to eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine - on the carrier.

(37) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined height of the vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by two to 25 per cent (excluding), a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(38) For performing carriage by road by exceeding the determined height of the vehicle (vehicle combination) with or without goods by 25 per cent or more, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred forty units of fine - on the carrier.

[17 June 2020; 10 March 2022; 27 March 2024]

Section 55. Violation of the Regulations for the Documents Necessary for the Carriage of Passengers by Road

(1) For the international carriage of passengers for hire or reward without a European Community authorisation or a certified copy of a European Community permit, a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(2) For the carriage of passengers for hire or reward if the carrier is not able to present a European Community authorisation or the driver of the vehicle is not able to present a certified copy of a European Community authorisation, a fine of six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(3) For the provision of international passenger services for hire or reward without an authorisation for regular international passenger services by buses, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(4) For the provision of international passenger services for hire or reward if an authorisation for regular international passenger services by bus cannot be presented, a fine of six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(5) For the international carriage of passengers for hire or reward if stops in a Member State do not correspond to the issued authorisation, a fine of six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(6) For the international carriage of passengers for hire or reward without the intended journey form, a fine from twenty-eight to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(7) For the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward without a special permit (licence), for continuing the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward after the suspension of operation, cancellation or expiry of the special permit (licence), a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle or the carrier.

(8) For the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward without a licence card, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(9) For the provision of regular passenger services for hire or reward without an attestation, a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(10) For the own-account carriage of passengers without a certificate for own-account carriage, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

[17 June 2020; 27 March 2024]

Section 56. Violation of the Regulations for the Carriage of Passengers

(1) For violating the regulations regarding the use of a special permit (licence) or a European Community permit, a fine from fifty-six to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(2) For the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward by violating the regulations for the use of a licence card or copy of a European Community authorisation which are included in the laws and regulations regarding the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward, a fine from six to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(3) For the international carriage of passengers by violating the regulations contained in the laws and regulations regarding the international carriage of passengers, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eights units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle.

(4) For the provision of occasional or special regular passenger services for hire or reward by exceeding the regulations regarding the occasional or special regular passenger services, a fine from six to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(5) For the own-account carriage of passengers by violating the regulations regarding the own-account carriage, a fine from six to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(6) For violating the regulations governing cabotage carriage of passengers by road, a fine of fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(7) For the absence of cabotage control documents referred to in Article 17 of Regulation No 1073/2009 on board the vehicle or the failure to produce them at the time of a roadside check, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

[17 June 2020; 27 March 2024]

Section 57. Violation of the Regulations in Respect of Taxi Service and Commercial Passenger Car Service

(1) For performing taxi service and commercial passenger car service if the driver has not been registered with the Register of Taxi Drivers, a fine from ten to one hundred and thirty units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from seventy to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(2) For violating the regulations regarding the performance of taxi service and commercial passenger car service, failure to comply with the prohibition or failure to provide with the equipment which corresponds to specific requirements, a warning or a fine from ten to one hundred and thirty units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from seventy to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(3) For using an unregistered website or mobile application service to provide carriage by road service, a fine from ten to one hundred and thirty units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from seventy to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

[17 June 2020 / See Paragraph 46 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 57.¹ Violation of the Regulations for the Provision of Website and Mobile Application Services

For offering a non-compliant carrier, driver, or road vehicle on a website or mobile application, a fine from seventy to two hundred and eighty units of fine shall be imposed on the provider of a website or mobile application service.

[27 March 2024]

Section 58. Violation of the Regulations in Respect of the Use of a Tachograph and Speed Limitation Device, and of the Regulations in Respect of the Registration of Work and Rest Time

(1) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle by using a tachograph which does not have a certificate of conformity in respect of the type, a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(2) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle by using a tachograph which has not been tested by an approved workshop, a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(2¹) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle using a tachograph which has not undergone the primary or periodic examinations or calibration, or sealing, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(3) For driving a vehicle equipped with a digital tachograph by using more than one personalised driver card, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(4) For driving a vehicle equipped with a digital tachograph by using a driver card which has not been issued to this driver, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(5) For driving a vehicle equipped with a digital tachograph by using a driver card which has been obtained on the basis of false declarations or forged documents, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(6) For driving a vehicle equipped with a digital tachograph without a driver card or by using a driver card which is defective or which has expired, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(7) For failure to inform the competent authority within seven days of defects in a driver card, errors in the operation of the card or loss thereof, a warning or a fine of three units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle.

(8) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle that has not been equipped with a digital tachograph in accordance with the requirements of laws and regulations, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(9) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle the tachograph of which malfunctions, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(10) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle by misusing a tachograph, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(11) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle that has a manipulation device which may be used or which is used to falsify tachograph data or printout information, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(12) For falsifying, concealing, destroying data recorded on a record sheet (tachograph sheet), stored on a tachograph or driver card or printout from a tachograph, or for any manipulation of the record sheet (tachograph sheet), tachograph or driver card which may result in falsification or destruction of data or printout information, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(13) For the failure to comply with the regulations regarding registration of work and rest time of the driver of the vehicle and recording and storage of documents within an undertaking, a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(14) For the failure to comply with the regulations regarding storage of registered and stored data within an undertaking, a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(15) For using an incorrect record sheet (tachograph sheet) or driver card which has manifested itself as follows:

1) failure to enter (record) data manually in the cases specified in laws and regulations, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier;

2) misuse of a record sheet (tachograph sheet) or driver card if several drivers of the vehicle are involved in the carriage by road, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier;

3) failure to enter the necessary information on a record sheet, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier;

4) failure to show on a record sheet or in tachograph records the symbols of the countries in which the driver of the vehicle started and finished his or her daily working period, a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier;

5) failure to show the symbols of the countries which were crossed by the driver of the vehicle during the daily working period on a record sheet or in tachograph records, a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier;

6) misuse of the mark "ferry/train" on a record sheet or in tachograph records or failure to use it, a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier;

7) [27 March 2024];

8) [27 March 2024];

9) [27 March 2024].

(16) For unauthorised removal of a record sheet (tachograph sheet) or driver card:

1) if it does not affect recording of the relevant data, a warning or a fine of three units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle;

2) if it affects recording of the relevant data, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(17) For using a record sheet (tachograph sheet) for a period longer than intended:

1) if the data recorded thereon are legible, a warning or a fine of three units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle;

2) if the data recorded thereon are illegible (data are lost), a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(18) For using a dirty or defective record sheet (tachograph sheet) if the data recorded thereon are illegible, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(19) For using several record sheets (tachograph sheets) over a period of twenty-four hours without due cause, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(20) For deviation of the time recorded on a record sheet (tachograph sheet) from the official time of a country of the registration of vehicle, a fine from eight to fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine - on the carrier.

(21) For using a record sheet (tachograph sheet) the type of which does not correspond to a tachograph or for failure to place a driver card in the correct opening of the tachograph if there are several drivers, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(22) For failure to use or for misusing a shift mechanism of a tachograph, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(23) For failure to provide the driver of the vehicle with the documents and record sheets (tachograph sheets) confirming work and rest time of the driver specified and laws and regulations, a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(24) For insufficient amount of paper to print information in a digital tachograph, a warning or a fine of three units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a warning or a fine of eight units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(25) For failure to demonstrate data regarding a relevant day and previous 28 days, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(26) [27 March 2024]

(27) For failure to demonstrate data entered manually and a printout regarding a relevant day and previous 28 days, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(28) For completing a report on work time of the driver of the vehicle in a calendar week in an incorrect or incomplete manner, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(29) For performing carriage by road by using a tachograph which has not been repaired by an approved workshop, a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(30) For performing carriage by road if the driver of the vehicle fails to indicate all the required information regarding periods which are not recorded while the tachograph is unserviceable or malfunctioning, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(31) For violating the regulations regarding use of a driver's work and rest time record sheet (tachograph sheet), tachograph or driver card which has been established during the control of an undertaking, a fine from twenty-eight to two hundred and eighty units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(32) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle that has not been equipped with a speed limitation device in compliance with the requirements of laws and regulations, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(33) For performing carriage by road if the speed limitation device does not correspond to the specified technical requirements, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

(34) For performing carriage by road if the speed limitation device has not been installed by an approved workshop, a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(35) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle that has a manipulation device which may be used or which is used to falsify data of the speed limitation device or printout information, a fine from fifty-six to one hundred and fourteen units of fine shall be imposed on the driver, but a fine from one hundred and forty to two hundred and eighty units of fine - on the carrier.

(36) For performing carriage by road with a vehicle the speed limitation device of which has not undergone the primary or periodic examinations, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine - on the carrier.

(37) For performing carriage by road if the speed limitation device is defective and the defect has not been corrected in accordance with the specified procedures, a fine from twenty-eight to fifty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle, but a fine from eighty-six to one hundred and forty units of fine - on the carrier.

[17 June 2020; 27 March 2024 / Amendment to Paragraphs twenty-five and twenty-seven regarding the replacement of the number and word "28 days" with the number and word "56 days" shall come into force on 31 December 2024 and shall be included in the wording of the Law as of 31 December 2024. See Paragraph 52 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 58.¹ Violation of the Rules for Posting a Driver of a Vehicle

(1) For the incomplete filing of a posting declaration on the posting of a driver of a vehicle to Latvia in the public interface linked to the IMI System, a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(2) For the failure to send a posting declaration on the posting of a driver of a vehicle to Latvia via the public interface linked to the IMI System before the start of the posting period, a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(3) For the failure to update the information contained in the posting declaration on the posting of a driver of a vehicle to Latvia in the public interface linked to the IMI System, a fine from fourteen to forty-two units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(4) For the failure to present a valid posting declaration on the posting of a driver of a vehicle to Latvia, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the driver of the vehicle.

(5) For the failure to issue a valid posting declaration on the posting of a driver of a vehicle to Latvia to the driver of the vehicle, a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

(6) For imposing such conditions for the provision of a transport service which result in the violation of the rules governing the posting of a driver of a vehicle where the occurrence of such consequences is known or, considering the relevant circumstances, should have been known, a fine from fourteen to twenty-eight units of fine shall be imposed on the consignor, forwarder, contractor, or sub-contractor.

(7) For the failure to provide, within the time limits laid down in this Law, the documents requested by the competent authority of a European Union Member State or the information relating to the posting of a driver through the IMI System, a fine from forty-two to eighty-six units of fine shall be imposed on the carrier.

[27 March 2024]

Section 59. Payment of the Fine Imposed in an Administrative Offence Case

It is prohibited to issue a driver's licence to a person who is avoiding the payment of the fine specified in this Law, to conduct the roadworthiness test of a vehicle owned (held, possessed) by the person, and to perform registration activities in the State Register of Vehicles and Drivers Thereof or the Information System of Tractor-type Machinery and Drivers Thereof, except for the writing-off of the vehicle and temporary suspension of the vehicle registration by handing over the number plates.

[27 March 2024]

Section 60. Competence in the Imposition of Sanctions

(1) [27 March 2024]

(2) The State Border Guard shall conduct the administrative offence proceedings regarding the offences referred to in Section 55, Paragraphs three, four, and six of this Law if the abovementioned offences have been established by border guards upon implementing control (supervision) measures specified in laws and regulations.

(3) The transport control service of a local government shall conduct the administrative offence proceedings regarding the offences referred to in Section 53 (except for the offences provided for in Paragraphs five and six thereof), Section 54, Section 55, Paragraphs one, two, eight, nine, and ten, Sections 56, 57, 57.¹, and 58 of this Law.

(4) The municipal police shall conduct the administrative offence proceedings regarding the offences referred to in Sections 57 and 57.¹ of this Law if the relevant local government has not established a transport control service of a local government. An administrative commission or panel of a local government shall examine an administrative offence case.

(5) The State Police shall conduct the administrative offence proceedings regarding the offences referred to in Sections 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 57.¹, 58, and Section 58.¹, Paragraphs one, two, three, five, and six of this Law.

(6) The administrative offence proceedings for the offence referred to in Section 58.¹, Paragraph seven of this Law shall be conducted by the State Labour Inspectorate.

[17 June 2020; 27 March 2024]

Transitional Provisions

1. With the coming into force of this Law, Cabinet Regulation No. 41, Regarding Carriage by Road Transport, issued in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 81 of the Constitution (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas un Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 1994, No. 4), is repealed.

2. Section 29, Paragraph five of this Law shall come into force on 1 July 1996.

3. Provisions of Section 48 of this Law shall come into force concurrently with the laws regulating the relevant type of insurance.

[13 March 1997]

4. [13 March 1997]

5. The provisions of Section 6, Paragraph one and Section 30, Paragraph one of this Law shall come into force:

1) on 1 October 2001 - in relation to merchants who, after the coming into force of this Law, receive the special permits (licences) of the Ministry of Transport for international carriage for the first time;

2) on 1 October 2002 - in relation to merchants who perform carriage within the borders of the State.

[10 May 2001]

6. Special permits (licences) of the Ministry of Transport or republic city council (district council) issued before the time limit referred to in Paragraph 5 of the Transitional Provisions shall remain valid without the requirement to obtain the certificate of vocational qualification until the expiry of the special permit (licence), except for the case when another transport manager (administrator) is hired by an undertaking.

[10 May 2001]

7. Section 12, Paragraph six of this Law shall come into force on 1 January 2002.

[10 May 2001]

8. [4 April 2007]

9. Until the day when the relevant Cabinet regulations come into force, but not longer than by 1 April 2005, the following Cabinet regulations shall be applicable, insofar as they are not in contradiction with this Law:

1) Cabinet Regulation No. 320 of 19 September 2000, Procedures for the Issuing of Permits for International Carriage of Goods by Road;

2) Cabinet Regulation No. 547 of 23 December 2002, Procedures for the Issuing of Certificates of Vocational Competence of Carriage of Passengers and Goods by Road;

3) Cabinet Regulation No. 464 of 19 August 2003, Procedures for the Organisation and Performance of International Carriage of Passengers by Busses, Opening, Changing, and Closing of Routes and Issue of Permits Specified in International Agreements;

4) Ministry of Transport Regulation No. 23 of 13 July 1999, Procedures for Registration of Bus Stations and List of Mandatory Services;

5) Ministry of Transport Regulation No. 45 of 28 December 1999, Regulations on Mandatory Requisites of Bus Tickets and Other Travel Documents.

[2 December 2004]

10. [1 December 2005]

11. Amendments to Section 1, Clause 5, Section 6, Paragraph one, and Section 30, Paragraph one of this Law regarding deletion of the word "(administrator)" (in respective case) shall come into force concurrently with the relevant amendments to the law On the Regulated Professions and the Recognition of Professional Qualifications.

[5 May 2005]

12. [28 September 2017]

13. [28 September 2017]

14. The Cabinet shall, by 1 July 2007, issue the regulations referred to in Section 5.¹, Paragraph two of this Law regarding approval of the price list of such services which are provided by the Road Transport Administration in fulfilling the State administration tasks delegated thereto. Until the day of the coming into force of the relevant regulations, but not later than by 1 July 2007, Cabinet Regulation No. 1039 of 19 December 2006, Regulations Regarding the Price List of Paid Services Provided by the State Limited Liability Company "Road Transport Administration", shall be applicable, insofar as it is not in contradiction with this Law.

[4 April 2007]

15. Section 5.², Paragraph three of this Law shall come into force on 1 July 2007. The Cabinet shall, by 1 July 2007, issue the regulations referred to in Section 5.², Paragraph three of this Law.

[4 April 2007]

16. [28 September 2017]

17. [28 September 2017]

18. Section 39, Paragraph 5.¹ of this Law shall come into force on 1 August 2007. The Cabinet shall, by 1 August 2007, determine the procedures referred to in Section 39, Paragraph 5.¹ of this Law by which the fee (tariffs) specified by the carrier for the services of the carriage of passengers and luggage by a taxi is indicated on the outside on the taxi bodywork.

[4 April 2007]

19. The amendments to this Law regarding deletion of Sections 29.¹, 29.², 31, and 32, Section 37, Paragraph four and Section 38 and regarding supplementation of this Law with Section 1, Clause 29.¹ and Section 32.¹, as well as regarding the new wording of Section 34, Paragraphs two and three shall come into force on 1 January 2008.

[14 June 2007; 13 December 2007]

20. The Cabinet shall, by 31 December 2007, issue the regulations referred to in Section 33, Paragraph five of this Law governing the procedures for registering bus stations and the services to be mandatorily provided in bus stations. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant regulations, but not later than by 31 December 2007, Cabinet Regulation No. 665 of 6 September 2005, Procedures for the Registration of Bus Stations, shall be applicable, insofar as it is not in contradiction with this Law.

[14 June 2007]

21. [13 December 2007]

22. The amendment to Section 5.¹, Paragraph one of this Law regarding the supplementation thereof with Clause 8 shall come into force on 1 March 2008. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant norm, the Cabinet shall issue Cabinet regulations corresponding thereto.

[13 December 2007]

23. Until the day when the regulations referred to in Section 35, Paragraph six and Section 37, Paragraph three of this Law shall come into force regarding the procedures by which the carriage of passengers by taxis shall be performed, but not later than by 1 June 2008, Cabinet Regulation No. 814 of 27 November 2007, Regulations Regarding the Carriage of Passengers by Taxis, shall be applicable, insofar as it is not in contradiction with this Law.

[13 December 2007]

24. The Cabinet shall, by 1 April 2008, issue the regulations referred to in Section 38.¹ of this Law regarding mandatory ticket information in regular international passenger services between Latvia and the countries which are not European Union Member States. Until the day of coming into force of such regulations, the relevant ticket information shall be determined by the carrier.

[13 December 2007]

25. A special permit (licence) issued by the district council for the carriage of passengers by bus in the former district territory shall be valid until expiry of its term of validity, but not longer than by 31 December 2011.

[6 November 2008]

26. A special permit (licence) issued by the district council for the carriage of passengers by taxis in the former district territory shall be valid until expiry of its term of validity, but not longer than by 31 December 2011.

[6 November 2008]

27. Amendments to Section 32.¹, Paragraph one, Section 34, Paragraph two, and Section 38.¹, Paragraph two of this Law regarding substitution of the words "Ministry of Transport" with the words "Road Transport Administration" shall come into force on 30 September 2011. The authorisations issued by 30 September 2011 for the regular international passenger services shall be valid until expiry of the term of validity indicated therein.

[12 May 2011]

28. Section 35, Paragraph seven of this Law shall come into force on 1 September 2011. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant norm, the Cabinet shall issue regulations corresponding thereto.

[12 May 2011]

29. The amendment to this Law regarding the new wording of the second sentence of Section 37, Paragraph three shall come into force on 1 February 2012.

[12 May 2011]

30. The Cabinet shall, by 1 November 2011, issue the regulations referred to in Section 6, Paragraph five and Section 30, Paragraph six of this Law governing the amount of the State fee for the issuance of a special permit (licence) for the carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicles for hire or reward and the State fee for the issuance of a special permit (licence) for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward, and the payment procedures. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant regulations, but not later than by 1 November 2011, the Cabinet Regulation No. 826 of 1 November 2005, Regulations Regarding the State Fee for the Issuance of a Special Permit (Licence) for the Performance of Carriage by Road Transport for Hire or Reward, shall be applicable, insofar as it is not in contradiction with this Law.

[12 May 2011]

31. On the basis of Article 2(4) of the Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport and amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004, by 28 February 2017 exemption from the application of the abovementioned Regulation is determined, until 28 February 2021, in Latvia in relation to domestic regular passenger services by bus, except for Articles 4(2), 9, 10(1), 16(1)(b), 16(2), 17(1) and (2), 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 thereof.

[7 February 2013; 28 September 2017]

32. The amendments to this Law regarding supplementation of Section 1 with Clause 26.¹ and 26.², supplementation of Section 5.¹, Paragraph one with Clause 11, supplementation of Section 5.⁴ with Clauses 7 and 8, new wording of Section 29, Paragraph two and supplementation thereof with Paragraph four, new wording of Section 35, and deletion of Section 39, Paragraph five shall come into force on 1 March 2018. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant amendments, the Cabinet shall issue regulations corresponding thereto referred to in Section 35 (wording that comes into force on 1 March 2018), Paragraphs three, six, eight, and nine.

[28 September 2017]

33. The special permit (licence) for the carriage of passengers by a taxi within the territory of a local government which has been issued by 28 February 2018 shall be valid in the territory of the relevant local government until the date of expiry thereof, but not later than by 30 April 2018, and a licence card issued to a vehicle of the carrier by 30 April 2018 shall be valid in the territory of the relevant local government not later than by 31 May 2018.

[28 September 2017]

34. The persons who drive a vehicle while performing the taxi service shall, by 31 May 2018, ensure compliance of the operation thereof with the requirements referred to in Section 35, Paragraph eight of this Law (wording that comes into force on 1 March 2018).

[28 September 2017]

35. The persons who perform commercial passenger car service shall, by 31 May 2018, ensure compliance of the operation thereof with the requirements referred to in Section 35 of this Law (wording that comes into force on 1 March 2018).

[28 September 2017]

36. The Cabinet shall, by 30 June 2018, issue the regulations referred to in Section 33, Paragraph five of this Law. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant Cabinet regulations, but not later than by 31 December 2018, the Cabinet Regulation No. 846 of 11 December 2007, Regulations Regarding the Procedures for Registering Bus Stations, Services to be Provided Mandatorily in Bus Stations, and the Procedures by which Buses Enter the Territory of a Bus Station and Stay Therein, shall be applicable, insofar as it is not in contradiction with this Law.

[28 September 2017]

37. Section 5.¹, Paragraph one, Clauses 12 and 13, and Section 33, Paragraph six of this Law shall come into force on 1 January 2019.

[28 September 2017]

38. Section 29, Paragraph five of this Law shall be applicable from 1 January 2020.

[13 June 2019]

39. Amendments to this Law regarding the supplementation of Section 1 with Clauses 32.¹ and 32.², supplementation of this Law with Section 4.², new wording of Section 29, Paragraphs two and four and supplementation of Section with Paragraphs six, seven, eight, and nine, new wording of Section 35, Paragraph one, supplementation of Section with Paragraphs 1.¹, 1.², 1.³, 1.⁴, 1.⁵, 1.⁶, and 1.⁷, new wording of Paragraph three, supplementation of Section with Paragraphs 3.¹, 3.², and 3.³, deletion of Paragraph four, new wording of Paragraph five, supplementation of Section with Paragraphs 5.¹, 5.², 5.³, 5.⁴, 5.⁵, and 5.⁶, new wording of Paragraph six and supplementation of Section with Paragraphs 6.¹, 6.², and 6.³, supplementation of this Law with Sections 35.¹ and 35.², new wording of Section 37, Paragraph three and supplementation of Section with Paragraph five, new wording of Section 39, Paragraph 5.¹ and supplementation of Section with Paragraphs 5.², 5.³, and 5.⁴, new wording of the title of Section 40 and supplementation of Section with Paragraphs nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen shall come into force on 1 September 2019.

[13 June 2019]

40. The Cabinet shall, by 31 August 2019, issue the regulations referred to in Section 4.², Paragraph three, Section 29, Paragraph nine, Section 35, Paragraph 1.⁷, Paragraph three, Paragraph 5.⁶, and Paragraph six, Section 35.¹, Paragraphs two and seven, Section 35.², Paragraph seven, and Section 39, Paragraph 5.³ of this Law. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant Cabinet regulations, but not later than by 31 August 2019, Cabinet Regulation No. 147 of 6 March 2018, Procedures for Performing the Commercial Passenger Car Service, and Cabinet Regulation No. 148 of 6 March 2018, Requirements for the Receipt of a Special Permit (Licence) in a Planning Region and a Republic City and the Procedures for Performing the Taxi Service, shall be applicable, insofar as they are not in contradiction with this Law.

[13 June 2019]

41. The Cabinet shall, by 30 November 2019, issue the regulations referred to in Section 33, Paragraph five, Clauses 1 and 3 of this Law.

[13 June 2019]

42. By 31 October 2019, persons who provide website or mobile application services shall ensure compliance of their operation with the requirements referred to in Section 35.², Paragraph one of this Law.

[13 June 2019]

43. The Cabinet shall, by 30 November 2019, issue the regulations referred to in Section 51, Paragraph three of this Law. Until the day of coming into force of the relevant Cabinet regulations, but not later than by 30 November 2019, Cabinet Regulation No. 327 of 20 April 2004, Procedures for the Performance of Own-account Passenger and Freight Transport Operations, shall be applicable, insofar as it is not in contradiction with this Law.

[13 June 2019]

44. [27 March 2024]

45. [27 March 2024]

46. Chapter VI of this Law shall come into force concurrently with the Law on Administrative Liability.

[17 June 2020]

47. A special permit (licence) and a licence card for the taxi service which has been issued by a local government of Valmiera City or local government of Jēkabpils City before 30 June 2021 shall be valid until expiry thereof for the provision of taxi services in the relevant planning region.

[4 February 2021]

48. Amendments to this Law regarding the new wording of Paragraph three of Section 6 shall come into force on 21 May 2022. Licence cards for the international carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicles the total permissible laden weight of which does not exceed 3.5 tonnes shall be valid until 20 May 2022. Licence cards for the carriage of passengers by bus for hire or reward in the territory of Latvia and for the carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicles for hire or reward in the territory of Latvia issued until 14 March 2022 shall be valid until their expiry date.

[10 March 2022]

49. Special permits (licences) issued by the Road Transport Administration until 14 March 2022 for the carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicles and for the carriage of passengers by buses for hire or reward shall be valid until their expiry for the relevant type of carriage both in the territory of Latvia and internationally. The name of the entry of the issued licence in the Informative Database of Road Transport Operators shall be automatically changed to the name of the relevant mode of transport in accordance with the provisions of Section 6, Paragraph one and Section 30, Paragraph one of this Law. Special permits (licences) issued for the carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicles and for the carriage of passengers by buses for hire or reward in the territory of Latvia shall be assigned a new number until their expiry date.

[10 March 2022]

50. Amendments to this Law regarding the new wording of Paragraphs two and four of Section 29 shall come into force concurrently with the relevant amendments to the law On Taxes and Fees which provide for the right of the State Revenue Service to apply a prohibition on the use of a road vehicle for carriage by taxi and car for hire or reward.

[27 March 2024 / The abovementioned amendments shall be included in the wording of the Law on the day of coming into force of the relevant amendments to the law On Taxes and Fees]

51. Section 29, Paragraph five, Clause 1 of this Law shall be in force until 31 December 2026.

[27 March 2024]

52. The amendments to Section 58, Paragraphs twenty-five and twenty-seven of this Law shall come into force on 31 December 2024.

[27 March 2024 / The abovementioned amendments shall be included in the wording of the Law as of 31 December 2024]

53. The Cabinet shall, by 31 December 2024, issue the regulations referred to in Section 33, Clauses 2.¹, 4, 5, and 6 of this Law.

[27 March 2024]

Informative Reference to the European Union Directive

[4 April 2007; 15 June 2017; 17 June 2020; 10 March 2022]

This Law contains legal norms arising from:

1) Directive 2003/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2003 on the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers, amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 and Council Directive 91/439/EEC and repealing Council Directive 76/914/EEC;

2) Directive 2006/1/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2006 on the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road;

3) Directive (EU) 2015/719 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 amending Council Directive 96/53/EC laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic;

4) Directive (EU) 2018/645 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 April 2018 amending Directive 2003/59/EC on the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers and Directive 2006/126/EC on driving licences;

5) Directive (EU) 2020/1057of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2020 laying down specific rules with respect to Directive 96/71/EC and Directive 2014/67/EU for posting drivers in the road transport sector and amending Directive 2006/22/EC as regards enforcement requirements and Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012.

This Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 23 August 1995.

President G. Ulmanis

Rīga, 12 September 1995

¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2024 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)