Rental vehicles freight transport

EEA Regulation on the Hire of Vehicles for the Transport of Goods

In the European Economic Area, it is permissible to hire vehicles used for cross-border transport. However, the driver must be an employee of the hiring transport company

This regulation applies exclusively to the commercial transport of goods between EEA member states, using vehicles hired from a transport company of a member state. This regulation does not apply to the transport of goods within a member state (the cabotage).

When transporting goods with a hired vehicle, the hire contract or a certified extract of this contract and the employment contract of the driver(s) or a certified extract of this contract, or equivalent documents, must be carried.

Inland transport by hired vehicles, customs legislation

If rented vehicles from another EEA state are used for transport in Liechtenstein or Switzerland, customs clearance of the vehicles is required beforehand. Rented vehicles that are available to a Liechtenstein company must be registered in Liechtenstein

Hired trailers or semi-trailers that are only used in cross-border transport (not in domestic transport Liechtenstein / Switzerland) do not have to be cleared through customs and do not have to be registered in Liechtenstein.

License requirement

A license is issued in the name of the transport company that has the vehicles. In the case of rental vehicles, application for the license and license copies for the vehicles is the responsibility of the renter. Transferring the license (e.g., from the lessor) to a third party is prohibited.