Starting a transport company requires completing specific formalities. When registering a business in CEIDG, the Polish Central Register and Information on Business, it is necessary to select the appropriate PKD codes, which define the type of business activity. Which codes apply to road transport? The answer depends largely on the type of services the company plans to provide.

PKD and road transport codes

Choosing the right PKD codes is highly important for tax settlements, the proper completion of company registration formalities, submitting documents to public offices, applying for grants and defining the scope of business obligations. Assigning the correct codes is an essential step when registering a business. This classification is used to specify the scope of services that the new company will provide.

Which codes define road transport? PKD codes for the transport industry depend on what will be transported: goods or passengers. It also matters whether the company’s activity will include additional services, such as warehousing. A new entrepreneur must indicate the main PKD code related to the dominant business activity, as well as additional codes covering supplementary services.

PKD codes for freight transport

In the TSL industry, the most common type of activity is freight transport. That is why the most frequently selected PKD code is 49.41.Z, which applies to road freight transport carried out using tractor units with semi-trailers, vans over 3.5 tonnes and other vehicles. It is the basic code chosen by carriers engaged in domestic and international transport, both full truckload and groupage.

Although PKD 49.41.Z is the main business activity code for most transport companies, many of them also add supplementary codes. Which ones? It depends on the services they provide. If the company’s offer also includes warehousing services, code 52.10.B should be assigned. In turn, the activity of freight forwarding companies, which organise transport and manage transport operations, is defined by code 52.29.C.

PKD for international and domestic transport

Should the PKD code be different for domestic transport than for international freight transport? This question is often asked by carriers planning to start a business. The answer is no. PKD 49.41.Z applies in both cases.

The differences appear at the level of formal requirements, such as the Community licence, permits and obligations related to the posting of drivers.

When is code 49.41.Z not the right choice? When the company transports people rather than goods. In that case, PKD 49.39.Z applies to employee transport or other types of passenger transport, while 49.31.Z applies to regular passenger transport as part of urban public transport.

If a transport company also handles parcel and courier deliveries, code 53.20.Z must be added. Code 77.12.Z, on the other hand, applies to the rental and leasing of trucks used for freight transport.

Transport services and PKD codes in detail

PKD codes should reflect the actual scope of business activity, so they should be selected carefully. These data are used by tax offices, ZUS and Statistics Poland. Choosing the right codes allows a company to operate in line with applicable regulations.

As you can see, a different code should be selected when the company’s main activity is road transport, and another when it is freight forwarding. The correct PKD code can be determined by analysing the type of services provided. Additional codes should then be included to cover the carrier’s full offer.

It is also worth remembering that PKD codes must be updated if the company changes its profile or expands its activity. Otherwise, new services should not formally be provided. When registering a new company, apart from the main business activity code, it is also possible to include codes related to planned future development. This way, introducing new services later may not require updating previously submitted documents.

PKD for transport services up to 3.5 tonnes and beyond

Do you have doubts about choosing the right PKD code? In most cases, the best choice is 49.41.Z, which applies to road freight transport. It is worth supplementing it with codes covering freight forwarding, warehousing or vehicle rental services. Correctly matching PKD codes during business registration means fewer formal problems in the future.

Starting a transport company involves formalities that cannot be avoided. However, to reduce their number in the future, many carriers decide to cooperate with a freight forwarding company such as Express Heroes. For them, this means no need to find freight orders independently or handle all the related documentation on their own.

As a result, the owner of a transport company can fully focus on business development instead of organising routes, negotiating rates or completing transport documents.