EU Cabotage Rules — What Freight Forwarders Must Know
Cabotage is the right to carry domestic freight within a foreign country. The EU rules are precise — 3 operations, 7 days, then a mandatory 4-day cooling-off.
Max cabotage ops
3 operations
Time window
7 days
Cooling-off
4 days
EU Regulation
1072/2009
Cabotage Journey Planner
Select a scenario to understand what is permitted and what documents inspectors require
Operation 1
First domestic load after international delivery
Operation 2
Second domestic load (within same 7-day window)
Operation 3
Third and final domestic load
Cooling-off
4 calendar days — vehicle must leave host country
7-day cabotage window — operations 1–3 permitted, day 8 onwards requires departure
Proof required at inspection
CMR of international delivery, CMR of each cabotage operation, tachograph records, Community licence
How to stay compliant with EU cabotage rules
Cabotage compliance requires every operation to be documented correctly and your carrier to carry the right evidence.
Step 1
Step 1
Step 2
Step 2
Step 3
Step 3
Step 4
Step 4
Step 5
Step 5
Step 6
Step 6
EU cabotage rules at a glance
Based on EU Regulation 1072/2009 as amended by Regulation 2020/1055.
Max operations
3
Domestic ops after international
Time window
7 days
From date of international delivery
Cooling-off
4 days
Per vehicle, not per company
Max fine (Germany)
€30,000
Per violation, per vehicle
What inspectors check at roadside
Document package
Penalties for cabotage violations
Fines + bans
Bilateral exemptions
Always permitted
Frequently Asked Questions
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