Use of official cars

University memo of 13 January 2015 on the use of the university’s official cars – updated May 2018 (please see the Danish page)

Use of the university’s official cars

In section 2.4.16 of the Budget Guidelines 2016, the Danish Ministry of Finance stipulated that official state cars may be used for official purposes only.

The university’s official cars may normally only be used by employees on official university business.

Passengers are allowed in the university’s official cars, if the trip has an official purpose and does not entail further expenses for the university.

Because the university’s official cars may only be used for official university business, no private errands are allowed during the trip. This also means that employees may not take one of the university’s official cars home with them the night before in order to save time when using the car the next day.

Using official cars exempt from taxes in connection with income-generating activities is not permitted. People not employed by Aarhus University are not allowed as passengers in the university’s official cars as this can be seen as distortive towards private transport companies.

However, upon application, the university can grant permission to students who need to use official cars either in connection with study-related activities, particularly for gathering material for theses, or if assisting research projects.

The heads of department/school may grant permission to the department’s/school’s students when:

• The department/school verifies that the student has a valid driving licence for the relevant category of car
• The department/school ensures to the greatest possible extent that the cars are used for official work-related driving; and that
• The department/school issues a written permit to the student and that the student, with his/her signature on a copy of the permit, confirms that he/she will use the car for official work-related driving only, before the trip commences.

The Danish state is self-insured, and no comprehensive motor insurance or third-party liability insurance is taken out for official cars when used in Denmark. In connection with driving abroad, third-party liability insurance and any other insurance may be taken out if required in the relevant country.

You can book an official car via your local faculty's Building Services website.

Speeding and parking tickets etc.

If you have been fined for speeding or for parking and other fines, you must pay the fine yourself. This applies also in the case that you have been fined in connection with job-related driving in your own car or in an official car. It is not possible to make an agreement with your immediate superior that the university will pay the fine.