An inactive licence is an asset that loses value through three channels:
- Administrative risk. The licence must continue to meet its requirements (insurance, registered vehicle, periodic renewal). An abandoned licence inevitably leads to a series of non-compliances and may eventually lapse — resulting in the total loss of the asset.
- Opportunity cost. Every month the licence lies idle represents unpaid rental income. At current market rates, leaving a licence worth €60,000 a year idle is equivalent to giving away around 20–30 per cent of its value in lost gross revenue.
- Discount on sale. Without recent activity, there is no track record to verify: the buyer will apply a defensive discount or demand a projection based on comparables (which is precisely why it exists — it is the projection certificate from VTC360).
If you’re not going to operate the property, there are two orderly ways out: let it to a verified operator and turn it into rental income, or sell it now with the best certificate your situation allows. What we never recommend is the third, unspoken option: leaving it in a drawer hoping it will appreciate in value on its own whilst the certificate remains valid. Start by valuing it and make your decision based on the figure you’re presented with.
LAST REVIEWED · Jul 19, 2026 — VTC360 guide: general criteria, not advice for your specific case.