International: Austria

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

Cross-Border Goods Transport Concession

Yes

Required where applicable (mover operates its own vehicles internationally). The GütbefG distinguishes a domestic concession, which covers only trips that start and end in Austria, from a cross-border concession, which also covers domestic work. A mover that operates its own vehicles on international moves needs the cross-border concession, granted by the provincial governor. The conditions are the same as for the domestic concession: good repute, financial standing, professional competence through a named transport manager, a genuine establishment in Austria, and off-street parking. The law includes a separate cross-border concession category for light commercial vehicles (vans), which EU rules have brought within operator licensing for international carriage since 21 May 2022.

EU Community Licence

Required where applicable (mover operates its own vehicles internationally). Under EU Regulation 1072/2009, international carriage of goods for hire or reward within the EU requires a Community Licence issued by the country where the carrier is established. In Austria it is issued by the provincial governor. It is issued for up to ten years and is renewable. The original stays with the company, a certified copy is issued for each vehicle at its disposal (owned or leased), and a certified copy must be kept in each vehicle. The licence is not transferable, and it must be returned if the trade licence ends or the concession is withdrawn.

Driver Attestation

Required where applicable. If the mover lawfully employs or uses a driver who is neither an EU national nor a long-term resident under EU law, it needs a driver attestation for that driver for international carriage. In Austria the provincial governor issues it. It is valid for up to five years, belongs to the company, and must be returned if the conditions for issuing it no longer apply.

Moves Within Other EU Countries (Cabotage)

Restricted. “Cabotage” means a domestic move carried out inside another country by a foreign carrier. An Austrian Community Licence holder may do this only temporarily: after delivering an incoming international load, up to three cabotage operations with the same vehicle within seven days, followed by a four-day pause before that vehicle can do cabotage again in the same country. The mover must be able to show evidence of the incoming international trip and of each cabotage operation.

Moves to or From Countries Outside the EU

Depends on the destination. For some non-EU countries, a road move also needs a permit under a bilateral agreement or a multilateral quota, such as the permits of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (CEMT, now part of the International Transport Forum). Under the GütbefG, Austrian operators qualify for these quota permits only if they hold a goods transport concession. Check the rules for the specific destination country before quoting.

Liability on International Moves

The CMR convention (the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road), which governs most international road freight, does not apply to the carriage of removal goods. Liability on an international household move therefore depends on the law that governs the contract and on its terms, rather than on a uniform international regime.

Insurance

The domestic compulsory motor insurance applies to vehicles the mover operates. As noted on the Austria page, no statutory requirement for removal firms to insure customers’ goods was identified; customers should ask what protection, if any, is offered.

OverviewOverview & Scope

A household goods mover operating only within Austria needs the domestic concession and other requirements on the Austria page. International road moves add a tier. The mover needs a cross-border concession rather than a domestic one, and an EU Community Licence, both issued by the provincial governor rather than the district authority. Each vehicle carries a certified copy of the Community Licence. Drivers from outside the EU need a driver attestation. Like the domestic concession, these licences attach to whichever company operates the vehicles: where a mover books an international move but hands the road leg to another carrier, the carrier’s own Community Licence covers the transport it performs, and the mover should use carriers that hold the licences that transport requires. A mover that also performs moves entirely inside another EU country is limited by the EU cabotage rules, and moves to some non-EU countries need permits under bilateral or multilateral arrangements. Because the CMR convention excludes removal goods, liability on international moves is set by the contract and its governing law.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Movers that carry goods across borders by road in their own vehicles must:

1. Hold a cross-border goods transport concession from the provincial governor, meeting and maintaining the good repute, financial standing, professional competence, establishment, and parking conditions.
2. Hold an EU Community Licence and keep a certified copy in every vehicle used for international carriage, renewing it before it expires.
3. Obtain a driver attestation for each driver from outside the EU who performs international carriage.
4. Observe the EU cabotage limits when carrying out moves inside another EU country, and keep evidence of the incoming international trip and each cabotage operation.
5. For non-EU destinations, obtain any bilateral or multilateral permit the route requires.

Movers that subcontract the road leg must:

6. Use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.

Because the CMR convention does not apply to removal goods, liability terms in international contracts matter; this is covered under “Liability on International Moves” above.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Company licensing

• Cross-border goods transport concession held from the provincial governorWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles internationally)Verified by DocumentRequired
• EU Community Licence held, with a certified copy in each vehicle used for international carriageWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles internationally)Verified by DocumentRequired

Subcontracted transport

• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

• Driver attestation held for each driver who is neither an EU national nor an EU long-term resident and performs international carriageWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles internationally with such drivers)Verified by DocumentRequired
• EU cabotage limits observed (up to three operations in seven days after an incoming international load, then a four-day pause), with evidence of the incoming trip and each cabotage operation keptWhere applicable (mover performs moves inside another EU country with its own vehicles)Verified by AffirmationRequired
• Bilateral or multilateral (for example CEMT) permit held for non-EU routes that require oneWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles on those routes)Verified by DocumentRequired