NACE 77.1 – Renting and Leasing of Motor Vehicles | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 77.1 covers the renting and leasing of motor vehicles without a driver — including cars, light vans and light commercial vehicles. In the public sector, this group is particularly relevant for government vehicles, fleet management and vehicle pool solutions.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 77.1 cover?

NACE 77.1 (Renting and leasing of motor vehicles) classifies companies that make motor vehicles available without a driver on a short- or long-term basis — a service area with growing demand in public procurement.

Group 77.1 within Section N (administrative and support service activities) and Division 77 (rental and leasing activities) is divided into two classes:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 77.1 are federal ministries, regional authorities, municipalities, public undertakings and EU institutions that put their fleets out to tender or shape them flexibly via framework agreements.

Public Tenders: NACE 77.1 in Practice

Motor vehicle rental for public authorities is among the regularly tendered services — from short-term hire arrangements to multi-year full-service leasing contracts covering entire fleets.

Typical types of contract

• Vehicle pool provision: Framework agreements for call-off rental contracts for business trips and field deployments
• Full-service leasing: Long-term vehicle provision including maintenance, insurance, tyre changes and breakdown assistance for public-authority fleets
• Electric and hybrid vehicles: Procurement of low-emission service vehicles to meet municipal climate protection targets
• Special-purpose vans: Rental of vehicles for specific deployments (e.g. light vans for transporting officials and election workers)
• Vehicle framework agreements: Central framework agreements for multiple authorities (e.g. via central purchasing bodies such as BeschA, BBG)

Thresholds and procedure types

Motor vehicle rental services are subject to the EU threshold of EUR 221,000 (central government contracting authorities) or EUR 443,000 (other public contracting authorities) under the current threshold regulation. Below these values, national procurement procedures (e.g. restricted procedure, direct award) are permissible.

Relevant CPV Codes for NACE 77.1

Tenders are assigned to NACE Group 77.1 via CPV codes, which are mandatory in every EU-wide contract notice.

Current tenders with these CPV codes are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is NACE 77.1 relevant to in procurement law?

Public Contracting Authorities

Public authorities at all levels — from federal ministries to municipalities — depend on mobility solutions. In Germany, the central procurement body (Beschaffungsamt of the BMI) regularly tenders vehicle framework agreements. In Austria, the Federal Procurement Agency (BBG) coordinates central vehicle contracts. EU institutions (European Commission, European Parliament) award their own fleet contracts with significant volumes.

Companies and Bidders

Vehicle rental and leasing companies wishing to participate in public tenders under NACE 77.1 typically need:

• Authorisation: Trade authorisation as a motor vehicle rental business
• Fleet size: Evidence of sufficient vehicle capacity for the contract volume
• Maintenance and service network: Nationwide workshop coverage and breakdown assistance
• Environmental requirements: Compliance with emission standards (e.g. Euro 6, electric vehicle quotas under the "Clean Vehicles" Directive 2019/1161/EU)
• Insurance evidence: Sufficient third-party and comprehensive cover for government vehicles

NACE 77.1 in Context: Section N and Division 77

NACE 77.1 is part of Division 77 (rental and leasing activities) within Section N (administrative and support service activities).

• NACE N – Administrative and support service activities: Parent section
• NACE 77 – Rental and leasing activities: Division covering all rental activities
• NACE 77.2 – Renting and leasing of personal and household goods: Office equipment, event technology
• NACE 77.3 – Renting and leasing of other machinery, equipment and tangible goods: Construction machinery, site equipment
• NACE 77.4 – Leasing of intellectual property and similar products: Software licences, patents

Frequently Asked Questions on NACE 77.1 and Public Tenders

Which companies fall under NACE 77.1?
All companies whose economic focus is the short- or long-term provision of motor vehicles without a driver — i.e. classic vehicle rental firms, leasing companies and fleet management service providers.

Does the "Clean Vehicles" Directive apply to all vehicle rental awards?
Directive 2019/1161/EU sets minimum quotas for clean vehicles in public procurement. Above certain thresholds, contracting authorities must give preference to electric and low-emission vehicles — this also applies to long-term leasing contracts.

Can small vehicle rental companies participate in EU-wide tenders?
Yes, via bidding consortia or as subcontractors to larger providers. Many contracting authorities also split large framework agreements into regional lots to involve SMEs.

What is the difference between rental and leasing in public tenders?
Short-term rental awards (call-off contracts) and long-term full-service leasing are structured differently under procurement law, but are subject to the same EU procurement rules once the thresholds are exceeded.

Last updated: January 2026
All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.