To start courier work you need three things: a suitable van, the right insurance, and a valid driving licence. A car-sized or medium panel van under 3.5 tonnes covers most multi-drop work and can be driven on a standard UK car licence. Crucially, you also need hire-and-reward (courier) insurance — normal van insurance does not cover carrying goods for payment. Sort those out, register as self-employed, and you can be on the road.
Courier and last-mile delivery work has never been busier, and getting started is simpler than most people expect. There is no special qualification and no huge upfront cost. What matters is having the right kit and the right cover in place before your first job. This guide runs through each part in plain English, then shows how leasing a van fits in.
What do you need to start as a courier?
The list is shorter than you might think. Get these four things sorted and you are ready to take on work:
- A reliable van sized for the parcels you will carry
- Hire-and-reward and goods-in-transit insurance
- A full UK driving licence (Category B is enough)
- Registration as self-employed with HMRC
Many delivery networks and parcel firms will also ask for proof of your insurance and a quick vehicle check before they hand you a round, so it pays to have everything ready first.
What van do couriers use?
For multi-drop parcel work, a small or medium panel van is the sweet spot. Popular choices across the market include the Ford Transit Custom, Vauxhall Vivaro, Volkswagen Transporter and Peugeot Expert. They are easy to park on tight streets, kind on fuel, and their load space holds plenty of parcels for a full round.
Think about three things when you choose: load space (how much you can fit in the back), payload (the weight you are legally allowed to carry once the van itself is accounted for), and access (side and rear doors that make loading quick). If you are carrying bulkier items or pallets, a long-wheelbase van such as the standard Ford Transit gives you more room, though it costs more to fuel and is harder to thread through town. Browse the vans available to hire to get a feel for the sizes.
What insurance do I need?
This is the part people most often get wrong, so read it carefully. A standard van insurance policy does not cover you to carry goods in return for payment. To work as a courier you need hire-and-reward (courier) insurance, which is the class of cover the law requires when you deliver goods for money. Most couriers pair it with goods-in-transit insurance, which covers the parcels themselves if they are lost, stolen or damaged while you carry them.
Important: arranging courier insurance is the driver's own responsibility, and it is not included with a leased van. When you lease from DriveOn you provide your own fully comprehensive, hire-and-reward policy before you drive away. If you are unsure where to begin, tell us and we will point you in the right direction — but the policy is always in your name.
Driving for payment on the wrong class of insurance can leave you uninsured, so never assume a normal van policy will do. Get a quote for the correct cover before you accept any work.
What licence do I need?
For nearly all courier work, your ordinary UK car licence is enough. A standard Category B licence lets you drive any van up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, and that covers the small and medium panel vans used for the vast majority of multi-drop rounds. There is no separate courier qualification to pass.
The 3.5t figure is the weight of the van plus everything in it, not just the load. You only move into needing a heavier-vehicle entitlement, such as C1 or C, if you step up to a genuinely large truck above that threshold — which is rare for parcel and last-mile work. Keep an eye on your payload so a fully loaded van stays within the limit.
Can I lease a courier van with bad credit or as a sole trader?
Yes on both counts. You do not need a limited company or a VAT number to start — most new couriers begin as sole traders, which simply means registering as self-employed with HMRC. And because you are hiring the van from DriveOn rather than taking out finance, we consider all credit. We own the vehicles and run the checks ourselves, so the focus is on whether the monthly payment is affordable rather than on one credit score. Approval is never automatic, but a poor history alone does not rule you out.
Vans go out on fixed 6–24 month terms, with the £500 deposit credited to your first payment. If this is your first venture, our new-business van leasing page is worth a read, and if your income comes from self-employment, see self-employed car and van hire. When you are ready, take a look at courier van leasing to see what fits.