The freight forwarder in France: The comprehensive guide for SME managers and CEOs

Introduction

Freight transport is a strategic issue for any SME. Behind the smooth delivery of your goods, safety and cost optimization, there is often a key figure: the freight forwarder. This professional, at the crossroads of law, logistics and international trade, can make the difference between operational success and logistical setbacks. How does his intervention work? What are the differences with the freight forwarder? What legal requirements? In this article, written by a practicing lawyer, you will find out everything a business owner needs to know about freight forwarders.

The freight forwarder: legal definition and missions

Legal definition and regulatory framework

The freight forwarder organizes, in his own name and under his responsibility, the shipment of goods for others. He acts as a mandatary but bears increased responsibility, freely choosing the carriers and actors necessary to carry out his mission.

Concrete example: an SME in the textile sector asks a commission agent to ensure the grouped shipment of its products to various European distributors. The freight forwarder chooses road carriers, completes the administrative procedures, and ensures the safety of the delivery.

Educational framework:
The Court of Cassation defines the transport commission as “an agreement by which the freight forwarder undertakes, on behalf of the client, to perform the acts necessary for the movement of goods, with the freedom to organize the transport freely, under its name and responsibility.”

Main Missions of the Freight Forwarder

• Organization of the Supply Chain : selection of the mode (road, sea, air), choice of subcontractors, coordination of operations.
• Management of administrative formalities : contracts, customs documents, insurance, regulatory compliance.
• Operational supervision : real-time monitoring, management of unforeseen events (delays, damages, disputes).
• Negotiation and Optimization : constant search for the best cost/quality/deadline ratio for the customer.
• Advice and personalization : adaptation to specific needs (fragile, bulky, dangerous goods, etc.).

Legal Status and Responsibility of the Freight Forwarder

Standard Contract and Liability

The Commissioner concludes, in principle, a Freight Commission Contract according to the Commercial Code. His responsibility is considered to be a result: he must obtain effective delivery, except in cases of force majeure.

Example of a clause:
“The commission agent seeks to organize, under his responsibility and in his own name, the transport of the goods, which will travel at the risk of the commission agent to the exclusion of force majeure or because of the principal.”

Legal Obligations and Limits

• Delivery in accordance with the order,
• Choice of competent partners (subcontractors, transporters),
• Inform and advise the customer about risks, insurance limits, customs procedures.

Conditions for access to the profession: diploma, training and capacity

What diploma or training to become a freight forwarder?

Recognized Degrees

To Exercise, You Must Have a Certificate of professional competence. This can be obtained in several ways:

• Bac+2 diploma (BTS Transport, DUT, Pro logistics licenses, etc.),
• Recognized specific certificates (EMTR, RUTL, ISTELI),
• Validation through significant professional experience (e.g. 5 years as a manager in the transport of goods).

Online or Face-to-Face Freight Forwarder Training

Courses exist, remotely or face-to-face, to prepare for the national exam — organized every year — or to improve skills in regulations, business management and logistics.

Example: a 210-hour training course spread over 30 days covers the entire framework, with audits, real-life situations and the revision of transport law.

The transport capacity certificate

Mandatory to be registered in the register of freight forwarders, it is issued after examination or in view of the diploma/experience. It allows you to exercise legally and to be referenced with DREAL.

Differences between freight forwarder and freight forwarder

The distinction is crucial to fully understand the roles:

• The commissionaire is a contractual intermediary. It acts on its own behalf, organizes the entire chain but without carrying out the transport itself.
• The Freight Forwarder Is an operational organizer, often taking charge of logistics, customs and freight management procedures, but without legally committing to global delivery.

Concrete example:
For the international shipment of machine tools, the freight forwarder negotiates contracts and guarantees arrival to the recipient, while the freight forwarder physically coordinates the successive steps (storage, customs, handling), sometimes on an ad hoc basis.

The Different Types of Freight Forwarders

Road Freight Forwarder

Majority in France, it mainly organizes the transport of national and European goods by road.

Air freight forwarder

In this sector, the commission agent has a strategic role: negotiating capacities with airlines, optimizing connections, advising on the compliance of shipments (safety, regulations, digitalization of flows).

Maritime and Inland Waterway Freight Forwarder

Less common than road transport, it distinguishes itself in the organization of long-distance and multimodal logistics chains (maritime, river, land).

Obligations, guarantees and insurances

• Professional liability insurance Mandatory to cover risks associated with delivery (loss, damage, delay...)
• Transparency requirements Towards the client on organizational choices, warranty or compensation limits
• Management of conflicts and transport disputes : recourse, compensation, subrogation.

The freight forwarder as a key partner in the development of SMEs

The use of a commission agent has multiple advantages for an SME:

• Optimization of costs through pooling and negotiation,
• Legal security for international transactions,
• Simplification of administrative procedures,
• Access to personalized advice for specific or sensitive transport.

Example: an industrial SME reduces its logistics costs by 15% by entrusting its regular shipments to a commission agent, while limiting its disputes related to delays.

FAQ — Your questions about the freight forwarder

What diploma to be a freight forwarder?

The job requires a certificate of professional capacity, accessible via a Bac+2 diploma (transport, logistics, trade, law, etc.) or proven experience in the sector. The national exam or diploma equivalency remain the main routes.

What is the salary of a freight forwarder?

The average salary in France for a freight forwarder is around €3,060 gross monthly (nearly €36,700 per year), with differences depending on region, experience and specialization (road, air). Salary can change quickly with experience and taking responsibility within a larger structure.

What is the difference between a freight forwarder and a freight forwarder?

The freight forwarder is committed to the successful completion of the transport, acts on his behalf and takes all contractual responsibility, while the freight forwarder is limited to the physical and administrative management of certain stages of transport, with no overall commitment to the result.

What is the role of a commissioner?

Its core business is the organization of freight transport, under its responsibility, by negotiating with the various stakeholders (carriers, forwarders) and by optimizing costs and deadlines according to the needs of the customer.

Transport capacity certificate: what is it for?

It conditions registration in the register of freight forwarders and allows you to legally exercise, take out professional insurance and, where applicable, to manage a logistics or transport commission company.

Air freight forwarder: specificities?

The air freight forwarder manages complex flows, negotiates with international carriers, ensures the compliance of shipments (air security, compliance with customs standards), and very often operates in digital and automated flows.

Online Freight Forwarder Training

Many centers offer distance courses, with digital course materials, virtual classes, case studies and training tests. This allows increased accessibility, including for profiles undergoing retraining.

Freight forwarder: which goods?

All types of goods can be trusted, but the commission agent often intervenes in high-value-added, perishable, dangerous or regulated flows requiring advanced expertise.

DREAL freight forwarder: what link and what procedures?

To work as a freight forwarder, it is imperative to obtain an official entry in the register kept by the DREAL (Regional Directorate for Environment, Development and Housing). This public body issues the certificate of professional competence after passing a specific exam or validating a recognized experience/diploma.
DREAL also verifies the financial, legal and technical capacity of the applicant and checks compliance with the rules during the activity. This registration is mandatory to be recognized as a freight forwarder and to be able to legally organize the transport of goods for others in France.

Regulatory framework

The profession of freight forwarder is regulated. It is therefore recommended to consult a lawyer in order to anticipate all legal, contractual and regulatory constraints, and to ensure the security of your logistics operations, both national and international.

Article written by Guillaume Leclerc, lawyer in commercial contracts and commercial litigation in Paris.