Transportation of goods for hire or reward, whether occasional or frequent, involves very specific regulations that not everyone is familiar with.
Occupational suitability for transporting goods for others, which is the authorization that allows those who own a personal vehicle to transport goods to other parties, has several requirements that must be met.
Let’s see how it works.
Carriage of goods for hire or reward: the regulations
In order to obtain the license in question, current regulations have stipulated that those who want this type of activity must be registered in the national register of freight haulers for hire or reward and have obtained an appropriate permit. The latter effectively empowers the hauler to carry out the activity throughout the country. In addition, if the company has multiple motor vehicles, permission is granted to each vehicle.
The permit is also valid if trailers and semi-trailers of the company itself or of other companies, consortia or cooperatives that are registered in the road haulers’ register and have obtained the appropriate permit are towed.
To apply for this type of authorization, a company or individual must apply to the DMV offices in their city.
The freight license: how it works
Let us now turn to see what requirements are necessary to obtain a third-party transport license. The first requirement concerns the weight that is carried by the individual vehicle:
- if the weight is less than 1.5 tons, in order to make the application for registration as a road hauler, you only need to prove that you meet the requirement of good standing;
- if the weight is more than 1.5 tons, in order to make an application for registration as a haulier, it is necessary to meet the requirements of financial standing and professional competence in addition to good standing.
According to the regulations stipulated in Art. 41 of Law no. 298 of 1974 in order to obtain a license to transport goods for hire or reward, one must possess:
- The correct Ateco code
- Registration in the national register of haulers for hire or reward
- A special permit issued by the DMV.
The permit is also valid if trailers and semi-trailers of the company itself or of other companies, consortia or cooperatives that are registered in the road haulers’ register and have obtained the appropriate permit are towed. To apply for these authorizations, a company must apply to the provincial offices of the Civil and Transportation DMV.
Insurance for the transportation of goods for third parties
Third-party cargo insurance is a policy that covers payment for loss or for material and direct damage to third-party goods, properly packaged, transported by the insured in a means of transportation by land, air, or sea.
This Transportation Insurance has two additional features:
- Protects goods from the time they leave the departure warehouse to the place and/or warehouse of arrival;
- It provides coverage only for direct material damage of goods, i.e., excluding all indirect damage (e.g., caused by loss of goods or delay in delivery) that may affect the smooth performance of work/transportation as well as in commercial terms, since it is difficult to quantify objectively.
Account Insurance also covers transits related to purchases and sales, as well as intercompany movements, transits to and from processors/subcontractors, either through vehicles owned by the Insured or with those used by him, his employees or representatives.
The renewal of the community license for the carriage of goods for hire or reward
As of May 21, 2022, companies planning to carry out international road haulage for hire or reward in the EU territory, even if they operate only with such vehicles, must hold an EU license.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport stresses that the application for the issuance of original community license should preferably be submitted by certified e-mail, with or without digital signature, through the official government pec address dg.ts-div4@pec.mit.gov.it.
Alternatively, the application for the issuance of the Community Third Party Carrier License can also be submitted through:
– Paper mail to the Department of Transport and Navigation – Directorate General for Road Transport of Persons and Goods, Logistics and Intermodality – Division 4, via Giuseppe Caraci 36, 00157, Rome;
– At the counter of the Directorate General for Road Transport of Persons and Goods, Logistics and Intermodality – Division 4, at the above address, on the opening days (Monday and Thursday, from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm;
– In a sealed envelope at the correspondence office located within the complex at G. Caraci Street no. 36, 00157 Rome, Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 13:00 hours.
