# How to get courier contracts in the UK > A practical, honest guide to getting courier contracts in the UK: the real routes to delivery work, what you need to start, and how flexible van hire fits… Source: https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/how-to-get-courier-contracts-in-the-uk --- # How to get courier contracts in the UK Updated October 2026 · 8 min read **There are three main routes to courier contracts in the UK: joining a delivery network as an owner-driver or subcontractor (Amazon, DPD, Evri, Yodel, DHL), picking up jobs through courier exchanges and load boards, and winning local or direct business work. To start you need a suitable van, the right insurance, a right to work, and a smartphone.** ## What is a courier contract? A courier contract is an agreement to carry and deliver goods for a customer, usually as a self-employed driver. In practice a "contract" can mean very different things. It might be an ongoing arrangement to run a fixed parcel round every day for a delivery network, a rolling agreement to cover routes for a haulier as a subcontractor, or a series of one-off jobs you accept through an exchange. Most courier work in the UK is done by **owner-drivers** (people who supply their own van and time) working either directly for a network, for a larger subcontractor, or for a mix of clients they find themselves. Very little of it involves a guaranteed number of hours or a guaranteed income, so it pays to understand exactly what any agreement promises before you commit money to a van. ## Where to find courier contracts in the UK There are more routes into courier work than most people realise. The main ones are: - **Amazon**, either *Amazon Flex*, where you use an app to block-book delivery shifts as an individual, or by driving for an *Amazon DSP* (Delivery Service Partner), a company Amazon contracts to run daily routes and which takes on drivers itself. - **The big parcel networks**, DPD, Evri, Yodel and DHL all use self-employed owner-drivers or subcontractors to run local rounds. You typically apply to a regional depot, and the work is usually multi-drop (many parcels, many stops in a set area). - **Courier exchanges and load boards**, platforms such as Courier Exchange let you bid on or accept individual jobs and return loads posted by other members. This suits same-day and ad-hoc work rather than a fixed daily round, and usually expects some experience and the right insurance in place. - **Local and direct business work**, pharmacies, print shops, parts suppliers, florists and small manufacturers often need regular deliveries. Winning this work directly (rather than through a network) can pay better per job, but you have to find and keep the clients yourself. - **Multi-drop vs same-day/express**, multi-drop means high volumes of small parcels at a fixed rate per stop; same-day and express means fewer, more urgent jobs, often longer distance, usually paid per mile or per job. They suit different vans, working patterns and temperaments, so it is worth being honest about which fits you. None of these routes guarantees a set income, and rates, volumes and terms vary a lot between depots, regions and times of year. Treat any figures you are quoted as a starting point for your own checks, not a promise. ## What you need to start You do not need a special licence to drive most delivery vans on a standard UK car licence, but you do need a few things in place before anyone will let you carry their goods: - **A suitable van**, the right size and age for the work. Networks often set a minimum standard (for example a clean, reliable van under a certain age), so check the specification before you buy or hire. - **The right insurance**, you will usually need *hire and reward* (courier) insurance, which covers carrying goods for payment, plus *goods-in-transit* cover for the items themselves. Ordinary van insurance is not enough for paid delivery work. - **A business setup**, most couriers work as a sole trader or through a limited company. Either way you will need to register with HMRC and keep records for tax; some networks require you to invoice as a limited company. - **Right to work in the UK** and usually proof of identity and address. - **A smartphone**, nearly all networks and exchanges run through an app for scanning, navigation and proof of delivery. - [documents you need to hire a van](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/documents-you-need-to-hire-a-van) - [how to become a self-employed courier](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/how-to-become-a-self-employed-courier) - [best vans for courier and delivery work](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/best-vans-for-courier-and-delivery-work) - [van sizes explained](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/van-sizes-explained) - [vans](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/vans) - [courier van hire](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/hire/courier-van-hire) - [Amazon delivery van hire](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/hire/amazon-delivery-van-hire) - [multi-drop delivery van hire](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/hire/multi-drop-delivery-van-hire) - [apply for a quote](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/apply) - [Get a courier van, free quote →](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/apply?niche=courier-van-hire) - [Courier van hire](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/hire/courier-van-hire) - [Amazon delivery van hire](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/hire/amazon-delivery-van-hire) - [Multi-drop delivery van hire](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/hire/multi-drop-delivery-van-hire) - [Best vans for courier and delivery work](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/best-vans-for-courier-and-delivery-work) - [How to become a self-employed courier](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/how-to-become-a-self-employed-courier) - [Van hire for DPD, Evri & Amazon drivers](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/van-hire-for-dpd-evri-and-amazon-drivers) - [Cost of running a van as a courier](https://fasttrackleasing.co.uk/guides/cost-of-running-a-van-as-a-courier)