Tiếng Việt
中文Short answer: Logistics services are commercial activities whereby a trader organises one or more operations including receiving goods, transport, warehousing, customs procedures, etc. for a client (Article 233 of the Commercial Law 2005). This is a conditional business sector: Vietnamese traders only need to meet the general conditions, while foreign investors must also satisfy additional conditions on investment form and capital contribution ratios under Decree 163/2017/ND-CP.
Legal basis
- Articles 233–240 of the Commercial Law 2005 — logistics services;
- Decree 163/2017/ND-CP — conditions for logistics service business.
What do logistics services include?
Under Article 233 of the Commercial Law 2005, logistics services include: receiving goods, transport, warehousing, yard storage, customs procedures and other paperwork, client consultancy, packaging, marking and labelling, delivery, or other services relating to goods — performed as a package or by stage as agreed.
Related services
Business Licenses and Conditional Business Sectors
If your business is preparing an application, amendment, business line registration or licensing review, ANT Legal can help check the file and execution path.
General business conditions
- Being a trader lawfully established under Vietnamese law;
- Having adequate means, equipment and personnel suited to the type of service provided;
- Meeting sector-specific conditions for each operation (transport, warehousing, customs agency, etc.).
Conditions for foreign investors (Decree 163/2017)
- May only operate in the form of a joint venture with a Vietnamese partner in certain sub-sectors, with maximum capital contribution ratios under Vietnam’s international commitments;
- Specific conditions differ by sub-sector: road freight transport, inland waterway, railway, air freight, warehousing services, freight agency services, etc.;
- Foreign investors should review WTO commitments and sectoral laws before determining ownership ratios.
Basic rights and obligations
- Rights: receiving service remuneration; refusing unlawful requests from clients;
- Obligations: performing as agreed; preserving goods; purchasing insurance when requested; compensating for losses caused by their fault within statutory limits.
If you need to determine the appropriate approach for your specific situation, you should discuss it with a lawyer beforehand to have your file reviewed and a suitable solution advised.
For quick advice, you may contact a lawyer via 0966.475.966.
Related articles
- Traders providing logistics services
- What to note in logistics service contracts?
- Conditions for freight transport business
