Arval is urging business drivers to ensure that they have a valid VE103B (or vehicle on hire) certificate if they plan to travel abroad in their car.

All EU countries require that a foreign driver travelling in a leased or rented company car carries a VE103B document with them.

A VE103B contains details of the vehicle taken from the V5, along with the name and address of the hirer and enables the authorities to verify that the person driving the vehicle has permission to do so.

The VE103B is the only legal substitute for the registration document (V5). Photocopies of the V5 or letters of authority are not accepted.

Drivers caught without the correct documentation face long delays which can be time consuming and costly.

The BVRLA highlights examples in Europe of drivers being stuck at border control for four days while the VE103B document is sent through to them. There are even examples as close to home as Dublin where drivers have encountered issues.

Tracey Scarr, fleet & CSR manager at Arval said:
"Whether it’s because they are not aware of the rules, or they decide to take the risk, there are drivers who travel abroad in a business vehicle without the correct VE103B documentation. It is essential that businesses understand their responsibilities and educate drivers to avoid significant disruption."

Every year the BVRLA issues between 120,000 and 150,000 vehicle on hire certificates to its members. However, there are still concerns that many drivers are travelling without this crucial documentation, putting them at risk.

Nora Leggett, head of member services at the BVRLA said: "Without a VE103B your customer and your vehicle are unprotected and vulnerable to a potentially major inconvenience."

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