Road transport business licence: passenger transport, freight, terminals, vehicle hire and logistics in Laos: statutory documents, competent authority and legal basis

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Who can apply

Both Lao citizens and foreigners may apply; the documents differ.

Competent authority: Land transport is administered centrally through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Art. 73) at four levels: the ministry (Art. 74), provincial and municipal departments (Art. 75), district and town offices (Art. 76) and village administrations (Art. 77). For the business licence, controlled-list activities are filed with the investment office and issued after the sector committee reports to the minister (Agreement, Arts. 8 and 18), while activities off the list are filed with the central, provincial or district one-stop investment service office (Arts. 9 and 19)

At a glance

Statutory document list

Licence for a business on the controlled list, fifteen working days and ministerial direction

• Business licence application on the prescribed form (Licensing Agreement, Art. 11.1) (required)
• Copy of the applicant identity card, household book or passport (Art. 11.2) (required)
• Copy of the enterprise registration certificate (Art. 11.3), which Art. 10.1 also makes a condition of applying (required)
• The business, production or service plan (Art. 11.4); the article adds that the plan has its own separate form (required)
• Evidence of financial standing or a supporting document from a financial institution (Art. 11.5) (required)
• Two 3x4 photographs of the applicant (Art. 11.6) (required)
• Other necessary documents (Art. 11.7), which the article does not itemise, so ask at the counter (optional)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Licence for a business not on the controlled list, five working days at the provincial or district one-stop office

• Business licence application on the prescribed form (Licensing Agreement, Art. 11.1) (required)
• Copy of the applicant identity card, household book or passport (Art. 11.2) (required)
• Copy of the enterprise registration certificate (Art. 11.3), which Art. 10.1 also makes a condition of applying (required)
• The business, production or service plan (Art. 11.4); the article adds that the plan has its own separate form (required)
• Evidence of financial standing or a supporting document from a financial institution (Art. 11.5) (required)
• Two 3x4 photographs of the applicant (Art. 11.6) (required)
• Other necessary documents (Art. 11.7), which the article does not itemise, so ask at the counter (optional)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Renewing the business licence, with multiplied penalties for lateness

• The nine renewal items (Art. 15): the renewal application on the prescribed form; the original licence issued by the public works and transport sector; a copy of the enterprise registration; tax compliance evidence and the annual accounts; a copy of the identity card, household book or passport; an assessment of the past year of operation; two 3x4 photographs; for a foreign investor the foreign investment certificate for operating in Laos; and other necessary documents. A controlled-list renewal also requires checking the validity of the investment licence (required)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Changing the licence content

• The six items for a change (Art. 16): the change application on the prescribed form; the original licence; a copy of the enterprise registration already amended at the industry and commerce sector; a copy of the identity document; two 3x4 photographs; and other necessary documents (required)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Dissolving or ceasing the business

• The five items to dissolve or cease (Art. 17): the application on the prescribed form; the original licence; the cessation notice from the tax authority; the cessation notice from the industry and commerce authority; and other necessary documents. The third and fourth must be obtained from those authorities first (required)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Damaged or lost licence, notified in writing within thirty working days

• Written notice and application (Art. 20): if the licence is damaged or lost, the operator files with the central, provincial or district one-stop investment service within thirty working days and pays the prescribed fees (required)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Vehicle operating permit, carried with each vehicle

• Application for the vehicle operating permit (Land Transport Law, Art. 17): it certifies that each vehicle used for commercial or dedicated transport meets the type, scope and technical standards, and a new one is needed if any of those change. The article lists no attachments, and the vehicle must also meet the Art. 15 conditions (required)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Approval to transport dangerous goods such as chemicals, flammables and explosives

• Application to transport dangerous goods (Art. 38): chemicals, flammables and explosives need approval from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and other ministries concerned, with strict compliance with the dangerous goods rules. The article lists no attachments and which other ministries depends on the cargo (required)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Special transport approval for overweight or oversized loads

• The route survey (Art. 39): a special transport operator must survey the route first and apply to the ministry on that basis, so the survey precedes the application rather than following it (required)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Establishing a branch, representative or agent of a transport enterprise

• Branch establishment application (Art. 22): a domestic or foreign land transport enterprise setting up a branch, representative or agent applies under the Investment Promotion Law, so this runs on the investment track rather than this licence (required)
• Power of attorney, if someone files on your behalf (optional)

Statutory requirements

Common issues

• Check article numbers at the counter first: our library holds another agreement of the same name with forty-two articles whose Art. 42 replaces the 25 June 2025 version cited here. The documents and timescales match but the numbering is shifted by one
• Do not read only the Land Transport Law: the documents and timescales are all in the licensing Agreement

The full list has 8 items; work through them in the guided form — Open the guided form

Legal basis (Lao Official Gazette texts)

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for a Road transport business licence: passenger transport, freight, terminals, vehicle hire and logistics in Laos?

Both Lao citizens and foreigners may apply; the documents differ. Competent authority: Land transport is administered centrally through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Art. 73) at four levels: the ministry (Art. 74), provincial and municipal departments (Art. 75), district and town offices (Art. 76) and village administrations (Art. 77). For the business licence, controlled-list activities are filed with the investment office and issued after the sector committee reports to the minister (Agreement, Arts. 8 and 18), while activities off the list are filed with the central, provincial or district one-stop investment service office (Arts. 9 and 19).

What documents are required for a Road transport business licence: passenger transport, freight, terminals, vehicle hire and logistics in Laos?

14 statutory items: Business licence application on the prescribed form (Licensing Agreement, Art. 11.1); Copy of the applicant identity card, household book or passport (Art. 11.2); Copy of the enterprise registration certificate (Art. 11.3), which Art. 10.1 also makes a condition of applying; The business, production or service plan (Art. 11.4); the article adds that the plan has its own separate form; Evidence of financial standing or a supporting document from a financial institution (Art. 11.5); Two 3x4 photographs of the applicant (Art. 11.6); The nine renewal items (Art. 15): the renewal application on the prescribed form; the original licence issued by the public works and transport sector; a copy of the enterprise registration; tax compliance evidence and the annual accounts; a copy of the identity card, household book or passport; an assessment of the past year of operation; two 3x4 photographs; for a foreign investor the foreign investment certificate for operating in Laos; and other necessary documents. A controlled-list renewal also requires checking the validity of the investment licence; The six items for a change (Art. 16): the change application on the prescribed form; the original licence; a copy of the enterprise registration already amended at the industry and commerce sector; a copy of the identity document; two 3x4 photographs; and other necessary documents; The five items to dissolve or cease (Art. 17): the application on the prescribed form; the original licence; the cessation notice from the tax authority; the cessation notice from the industry and commerce authority; and other necessary documents. The third and fourth must be obtained from those authorities first; Written notice and application (Art. 20): if the licence is damaged or lost, the operator files with the central, provincial or district one-stop investment service within thirty working days and pays the prescribed fees; Application for the vehicle operating permit (Land Transport Law, Art. 17): it certifies that each vehicle used for commercial or dedicated transport meets the type, scope and technical standards, and a new one is needed if any of those change. The article lists no attachments, and the vehicle must also meet the Art. 15 conditions; Application to transport dangerous goods (Art. 38): chemicals, flammables and explosives need approval from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and other ministries concerned, with strict compliance with the dangerous goods rules. The article lists no attachments and which other ministries depends on the cargo; The route survey (Art. 39): a special transport operator must survey the route first and apply to the ministry on that basis, so the survey precedes the application rather than following it; Branch establishment application (Art. 22): a domestic or foreign land transport enterprise setting up a branch, representative or agent applies under the Investment Promotion Law, so this runs on the investment track rather than this licence. Competent authority: Land transport is administered centrally through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Art. 73) at four levels: the ministry (Art. 74), provincial and municipal departments (Art. 75), district and town offices (Art. 76) and village administrations (Art. 77). For the business licence, controlled-list activities are filed with the investment office and issued after the sector committee reports to the minister (Agreement, Arts. 8 and 18), while activities off the list are filed with the central, provincial or district one-stop investment service office (Arts. 9 and 19).

What is the legal basis for a Road transport business licence: passenger transport, freight, terminals, vehicle hire and logistics in Laos?

Based on land Transportation Law Article 13; land Transportation Law Article 15; land Transportation Law Article 16; land Transportation Law Article 17; land Transportation Law Article 22; land Transportation Law Article 38; land Transportation Law Article 39; land Transportation Law Article 60; land Transportation Law Article 63; land Transportation Law Article 73; land Transportation Law Article 74; land Transportation Law Article 75; land Transportation Law Article 76; land Transportation Law Article 86; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 2; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 4; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 5; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 6; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 7; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 8; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 9; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 10; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 11; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 12; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 13; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 15; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 16; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 17; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 18; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 19; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 20; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 21; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 22; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 38; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 39; Agreement on Business Operation Licenses in the Public Works and Transport Sector Article ມາດຕາ 41. The full texts are available in the LaoPaniti law library, sourced from the Lao Official Gazette.

Are there time limits or hard requirements for a Road transport business licence: passenger transport, freight, terminals, vehicle hire and logistics in Laos?

This licence rests on two layers: the Land Transport Law (revised, 2012) is the framework and sets out no documents or timescales, only that operating without approval is prohibited (Art. 60.1) with fines for unlicensed, out-of-scope or expired operation (Arts. 63.2 and 86.1). What can be followed is the Public Works and Transport Sector Business Licensing Agreement (2025), which carries the documents, timescales, renewal, change and suspension rules. A version note, and worth checking article numbers at the counter: our library holds another agreement of the same name with one more article, whose Art. 42 states that it replaces the agreement of 25 June 2025 No. 14807, which is the version cited here. That newer text is still unreviewed in our library and carries no promulgation date, so this page cites the reviewed 2025 version. Comparing them: the document lists match and the fifteen and five working day limits match, but the article numbers are shifted by one and the receiving-office wording is updated. Prepare the documents and expect the timescales, but confirm article numbers against the text the counter uses. First establish whether your activity is on the controlled list, because the office and the clock differ sharply (Arts. 5, 6, 8, 9, 18 and 19). Controlled activities are those posing risk to national security, order, custom, society or the environment: they are filed with the investment office, studied by the implementation committee with the departments concerned and reported to the minister for direction, taking fifteen working days. Activities off the list are open investment and the central, provincial or district one-stop office can issue within five working days. The public works and transport sector covers nine business types (Art. 7): roads, building construction, railways, land traffic, land transport, land vehicles, waterways, water supply and housing. Land transport, the fifth, is defined in Art. 2.5 to include passenger transport, terminals, ticketing, vehicle hire, freight transport and distribution, freight stations, distribution centres, warehousing, packing, loading and transport management, so the scope is wider than many expect. The vehicles themselves must qualify (Land Transport Law, Art. 15): they must belong to the transport enterprise, or to a vehicle hire enterprise if leased; they must be left-hand drive; and vehicles on interprovincial and international passenger routes have an age limit. Each vehicle also needs its own operating permit (Art. 17), renewed if the type, scope or technical standard changes. Suspension and revocation are specific (Arts. 38 and 39): a suspension notice runs three months, and once remedied the operator applies on the prescribed form for the one-stop office to check and certify within fifteen working days. Revocation follows serious harm to national stability or to the economy, society or environment; failure to remedy after suspension; or a court order to dissolve. An enterprise whose licence is revoked may not apply again for a licence in this sector. Cost: Art. 21 of the Agreement lists four chargeable acts, issuing the licence, renewing it, changing its content and reviewing technical documents, and Art. 22 refers the amounts to the presidential ordinance in force without stating them. In the 2021 ordinance the construction and transport section prices vehicle and route permits, which are not the same as the business licence on this page. Rely on the rate posted at the counter. The fifteen working days for controlled activities are itemised in Art. 18: two working days to send the file to the committee and the sectors concerned; five for them to study and answer in writing; five for the one-stop office to report to the minister; and three to issue once the minister agrees. A refusal is notified in writing within three working days, which gives you a basis for chasing progress. Late renewal is penalised in multiples (Arts. 12 and 13): more than six months late attracts double the fees and charges, and more than twelve months attracts quadruple and requires refiling the whole application, so a year of delay means starting over.

How much does a Road transport business licence: passenger transport, freight, terminals, vehicle hire and logistics cost in Laos and how long does it take?

Cost: Art. 21 of the Agreement lists four chargeable acts and Art. 22 leaves the amounts to the presidential ordinance in force. In the 2021 ordinance the construction and transport section prices vehicle and route permits, a different layer from the business licence, so do not transpose them. Late renewal carries fixed multiples: double the fees after six months and quadruple after twelve with a fresh application. Rely on the counter.. How long: The licensing timescales sit in the Agreement (Arts. 18 and 19): fifteen working days for controlled activities, broken down as two days to circulate, five to study and answer in writing, five to report to the minister and three to issue, with a refusal notified within three; and five working days for activities off the list. After a suspension is remedied the office checks and certifies within fifteen working days (Art. 38), and damage or loss must be reported within thirty (Art. 20). The Agreement does not fix the licence term in years, only the penalties for late renewal, so rely on the licence itself and the counter; the Land Transport Law likewise gives no periods for the vehicle, dangerous goods or special transport approvals..

Can LaoPaniti obtain the Road transport business licence: passenger transport, freight, terminals, vehicle hire and logistics for me?

LaoPaniti organises the document list, offers online form filling, document upload and pre-check hand-off by staff. It is not a government filing, does not represent acceptance or approval by any authority, and promises neither results nor expedited handling. Formal processing follows the current requirements of the Land transport is administered centrally through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Art. 73) at four levels: the ministry (Art. 74), provincial and municipal departments (Art. 75), district and town offices (Art. 76) and village administrations (Art. 77). For the business licence, controlled-list activities are filed with the investment office and issued after the sector committee reports to the minister (Agreement, Arts. 8 and 18), while activities off the list are filed with the central, provincial or district one-stop investment service office (Arts. 9 and 19).

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Other matters

Taxpayer identification number (TIN) · tax registration · Land title (land use certificate): registration / transfer / inheritance / mortgage / reissue · Business licence (enterprise registration certificate): new / change / reissue / dissolution · Business operating licence (sector licence) · Driving licence (civil vehicle) · Investment licence · Construction (building) permit: new build / extension / change of use / repair / rebuild / demolition · Environmental certificate · Environmental impact assessment of an investment project (IEE / detailed ESIA) · Social security registration (employer registering the unit and its workers / individual voluntary enrolment) · Certificate of Origin for exports (preferential origin: Confirmation of Product Originality + preferential Certificate of Origin / exporter self-certification) · Employment registration and foreign-worker permit (quota · entry approval · work permit · renewal) · Import-export licence and trader registration certificate · Mineral licences: field data collection, prospecting, exploration, feasibility study and mining · Tourism business licence: accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, guiding, travel agency and other categories · Electricity business licence: general electricity services, specific power generation, and transmission line concessions · Food registration certificate for industrial plants, family-scale workshops and imported food · Licence for a pharmaceutical or medical product business, and product registration · Sign permits: use, installation and the sign business licence · Insurance business licences: insurer, reinsurer, broker and agent · Printing and publishing: the printing permit and the licences for publishers, print shops and distributors · Internet service business licence: domestic, international and satellite · Postal service business licence: international, nationwide, provincial and postal financial or product services · Setting up and operating a wood-processing factory: sawmills, processing plants and furniture factories · Divorce registration and the divorce certificate, by agreement or by court judgment · Inheritance: opening a will, certifying estate documents and registering the transfer of property · Tourist visa T-B3: where to apply, how it may be extended, and when it is the wrong visa · Health checks and health certificates: who must be examined, and how often · Household book reissue / update · Birth certificate · Single / marital status certificate · Marriage registration · No-criminal-record certificate · Residence / address certificate · Kinship certificate · Land / house basic documents · Vehicle sale / transfer documents · Stay permit / residence permit card · Work visa / work permit pre-check