Consignment Note (Frachtbrief)

The consignment note — in German, Frachtbrief — is the core document of goods transport: it accompanies the shipment and documents who transports what, from whom, to whom. In Germany it is governed by § 408 of the Commercial Code (HGB) and serves as evidence of the transport contract and of the carrier's takeover of the goods.

What does a consignment note contain?

Typical contents under § 408 HGB:

• Place and date of issue
• Name and address of sender, carrier, and recipient
• Place and date of takeover, and the delivery location
• Customary description of the goods, packaging type, and for dangerous goods the prescribed classification
• Number, marks, and numbers of the packages
• Gross weight or otherwise stated quantity

It is issued in three originals: for the sender, the carrier, and to accompany the goods.

Consignment note vs. delivery note

The delivery note documents the shipment towards the recipient; the consignment note documents the transport order towards the carrier. For domestic courier and direct transports in Germany it is not mandatory — the transport contract is valid without it — but it creates evidentiary certainty in case of damage or loss. A fillable consignment note template as PDF and Word is available in our templates section — and to commission the transport itself in writing, use the free transport order template.

The CMR consignment note

Cross-border road transport in Europe is governed by the CMR convention, and the CMR consignment note is its standard document — practically indispensable for international transports. Its structure resembles the German Frachtbrief, while liability follows the CMR rules — the dedicated glossary entry covers all fields, deadlines, and liability caps.

eCMR and digital records

The electronic consignment note (eCMR) replaces paper with a digital record and is now permitted in Germany as well. In practice, it converges with digital proof of delivery: takeover, transport, and signed delivery are documented in one continuous digital flow instead of on three carbon copies.

Sources

• § 408 HGB – consignment note (German Commercial Code)
• CMR Convention (UNECE)