United Kingdom · Traffic Commissioner A&D · reading only
SN, SI, Restricted — reading licence-type codes/abbreviations on A&D
How to read SN, SI, and R (Restricted) licence-type codes next to application and licence references on published Traffic Commissioner Applications & Decisions entries. Literacy only — not advice on which licence type to seek; not O-licence application writing.
Goods-vehicle A&D entries usually print a licence type near the operator name and application or licence reference. For the full field map — operating centre, authorisation, transport manager, status, objection clock — see how to read an A&D entry. This page focuses on the type code or spelled-out wording only.
Where codes sit on the entry
On many editions the type appears immediately before or after the application or licence number — for example SN OF2093787 or a line opening with R followed by the operator name. Some traffic areas spell the type in full (Standard National, Standard International, Restricted) instead of a two-letter code. Layout varies; quote what that edition prints rather than assuming a single house style across areas.
The code or words sit in the same block as operating centre, authorisation, transport manager (if any), and status. Read them together — but do not let the type code override the section heading or status wording.
SN, SI, and R (Restricted) as printed
- SN — Standard National, as printed. Describes the kind of goods operator’s licence sought or held on that line.
- SI — Standard International, as printed. Same reading discipline: cite the code or words the edition uses.
- R — Restricted, as printed. Often appears as R or the word Restricted.
If the PDF only spells the type in words, cite the words. If it only shows a code, cite the code and expand it in plain English only where the publication’s own legend or consistent usage makes the meaning obvious on the same page. HaulageBrief does not invent a type that is not printed.
Code ≠ grant — read section heading and status words
A licence-type code tells you which kind of licence the line concerns as printed — not whether it has been granted, refused, or varied. An SN line under new applications with status “application received” is still an application received. Grants and refusals usually sit under decisions headings with outcome wording. See reading A&D status words.
Authorisation figures and operating-centre addresses on the same line follow the same rule: they describe what the edition prints for that item under that heading — not a completed outcome unless the status and section say so. For centre vs numbers wording, see authorisation vs operating centre on A&D.
Restricted lines often omit a transport-manager name
Restricted entries frequently print no transport-manager line. That pattern is a literacy cue about what the edition shows for that licence type — not TM CPC advice and not a statement about legal requirements. Standard national and standard international lines more often name a transport manager or print “to be appointed”. See transport manager named vs “to be appointed” on A&D.
Worked example · one live sample
East of England AD 5603 — GBRS HAULAGE LIMITED, OF2093787
SN application (Standard National as printed). Operating centre at Sunderland Hill, Ravensden. Authorisation sought: 16 vehicles and 20 trailers. Transport manager named as Stephen Page. Status in that edition: application received — the SN code describes the application type, not a grant.
Stay in the reading lane
- Do not treat this page as advice on which licence type to seek or hold.
- Do not treat SN, SI, or R as proof of grant without reading section heading and status.
- Do not treat it as O-licence application writing or variation drafting.
- Do not treat it as public-inquiry advocacy or licensing advice.
What a £79 HaulageBrief PDF is (and is not)
£79 one-off · one named UK A&D entry OR one named public-inquiry written decision · PDF in 24 hours. Reading / extract-and-organise only.
You paste the public GOV.UK URL of a named A&D edition (or a named public-inquiry written decision) and name the operator if the PDF lists several. We send a PDF in 24 hours that states the operator, licence or application number, and licence type as printed (SN, SI, R, or spelled-out wording); lists operating centre(s) and authorisation as published; names the transport manager if printed; states the status of the item; cites the published wording; and records the objection deadline if that edition still prints one. If the publication is thin, the PDF says so. If we cannot read a public document, we refund. We do not invent licence types, centres, vehicles, or outcomes.
What it is not
- Not licensing advice. We do not tell you whether to apply, object, or how to run the fleet.
- Not O-licence application writing. We do not prepare, lodge, or chase an application, variation, or newspaper notice — and we do not advise which licence type to seek.
- Not public-inquiry advocacy. We do not represent anyone before a Traffic Commissioner.
- Not TM CPC training, and not a substitute for reading the publication or instructing a transport consultant or solicitor.
See the East of England sample Order a £79 sourced reading
Questions
Does SN on an A&D line mean the licence is granted?
No. SN (Standard National) is a licence-type code as printed — it tells you which kind of goods operator’s licence is sought or held on that line, not whether it has been granted. Always read the section heading and status wording. See reading A&D status words.
What is the difference between SN, SI, and R on A&D?
As printed on the entry: SN usually means Standard National, SI Standard International, and R Restricted. This guide explains how to read those codes on the page — not which type your operation should hold. For legal requirements, see GOV.UK and instruct a transport consultant or solicitor if you need advice.
Will you advise which licence type to apply for?
No. We cite the licence-type code or spelled-out wording as printed. We do not advise whether to seek Standard National, Standard International, or Restricted.
Is this licensing advice?
No. This guide and the £79 PDF are sourced readings of public Traffic Commissioner publications. The Office of the Traffic Commissioner’s document remains the legal record. If you need advice, instruct a transport consultant or solicitor.
Who runs HaulageBrief?
Ellis Greensitt, sole trader, trading as HaulageBrief. English law. See terms and privacy. Email hello@haulagebrief.co.uk. No telephone.
Informational reading guide only. Sources: GOV.UK — Traffic Commissioner Goods Vehicle Applications and Decisions; HaulageBrief sample for East of England AD 5603, GBRS HAULAGE LIMITED OF2093787 (SN application as published). Public sector information reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Last reviewed Sep 2026. HaulageBrief is not the Office of the Traffic Commissioner and is not GOV.UK.