Own-account vs hire-and-reward transport in the EU
Own-account transport carries a company's own goods with no licence; hire-and-reward transport, carrying paid goods, always requires an EU Community licence.
Logifie Team
Logistics Technology Experts
Own-account transport means a company carries its own goods, in its own vehicles, with its own staff, as a secondary business activity, and needs no Community licence. Hire-and-reward transport means being paid to carry someone else's goods, which always requires an operator's licence under Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009.
What counts as own-account transport under EU rules?
Own-account carriage means a company moves its own stock, in vehicles it owns or leases, driven by its own staff, where transport supports the business rather than being the business. A furniture retailer delivering its own sofas, or a food producer moving pallets between its own warehouses, both qualify. Under Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 , the test is that the carrier receives no payment for the carriage itself, and the goods belong to, or were sold, bought, hired, or manufactured by, the company doing the carrying. Once a business accepts payment to move goods that are not its own, the activity becomes hire-and-reward.
Do own-account operators need a Community licence?
No. Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 requires a Community licence only for undertakings that carry goods for hire or reward. Own-account operators sit outside that regime, but drivers must carry proof, such as delivery notes, showing the goods belong to the operator when crossing borders under Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 . Hire-and-reward carriers must hold a valid Community licence for every relevant vehicle before loading a single paid consignment. A business running a mixed model, some own deliveries, some paid work, can manage compliance with Logifie's TMS so licence status and vehicle documents stay linked to each job.
What happens if you carry goods for hire or reward without a licence?
Operating for hire or reward without a Community licence is an enforcement offence in every member state, typically resulting in roadside fines and vehicle immobilisation. Repeated breaches can affect the good repute test that Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 sets for operators, which can then block future licence applications. A business moving from occasional own-account deliveries into paid third-party carriage should apply for a licence before taking the first paying job, and can review the European Commission's road transport operator rules beforehand.
| Own-account transport | Hire-and-reward transport | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Own goods, secondary activity | Paid carriage, core business |
| Who owns the goods | The operator | A paying customer |
| Licence required | No Community licence | Community licence mandatory |
| Typical example | Retailer delivering own stock | Haulier moving a client's freight |
| Cabotage (carrying goods entirely within another EU country)/cross-trade rules apply? | Generally no | Yes, capped at three operations in seven days |
This still matters in 2026. Cabotage enforcement under Regulation (EU) 2020/1055 has tightened since 2022-02-21, and the three-operations-in-seven-days cap set by Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 , adopted in 2009, means own-account fleets crossing borders face closer scrutiny, though they still follow the same EU driving-time and safety rules as hired operators.
Frequently asked questions
Can a company mix own-account and hire-and-reward transport with the same vehicles?
Yes, one vehicle can carry own-account loads on one trip and paid loads on another. The operator needs a Community licence covering that vehicle for any hire-and-reward journey, and paperwork must show which regime applied to each movement.
Do own-account operators still have to follow cabotage rules in the EU?
Cabotage, as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009, applies to national carriage for hire or reward, so own-account movements generally sit outside its scope. Operators still need proof that the goods and vehicle meet the own-account conditions when crossing into another member state.
Does own-account transport need an EU driving licence category change?
No, the driving licence category depends only on the vehicle's weight and type, not on whether the carriage is own-account or hire-and-reward. A driver moving the company's own goods in an HGV needs the same category as a driver working for a paid haulier.
Is own-account transport exempt from the EU Mobility Package rules?
Own-account transport is exempt from the licensing and cabotage provisions built for hire-and-reward carriage, but not from general road safety, driving-time, and vehicle registration rules. International own-account fleets should still track compliance closely.
Businesses weighing an own-account fleet against a licensed carrier partner can request a freight quote to compare both approaches.
