Pallet Exchange Note (Palettenschein)
The Palettenschein documents the exchange of load carriers such as Euro pallets and mesh boxes. How pallet exchange and pallet accounts work.
Editorial and specialist review: Max Valjan · Last updated: July 11, 2026
The Palettenschein (pallet exchange note or pallet receipt) documents the handover and pallet exchange of load carriers – above all Euro pallets and mesh boxes. It records how many pallets were handed over and returned, in what condition, and what pallet debt remains open.
Why a pallet note matters
A Euro pallet is worth well over ten euros – with daily deliveries, unresolved balances quickly add up to four-figure amounts per year. Without a receipt there is no way to prove later how many pallets were handed over, or in what condition. The pallet note is the counterpart of the delivery note for the packaging side: it is the basis for the pallet account on which suppliers, carriers, and recipients track their mutual balances.
Is there an exchange obligation?
No – and this is the most common misconception: an obligation to exchange pallets exists only if it was agreed, for example in the freight contract, in framework agreements, or via a clause in the transport order. Neither the German Commercial Code (HGB) nor the ADSp impose an exchange automatically. Two models are common:
- Simultaneous exchange: the recipient returns the same number of exchangeable empty pallets on delivery.
- Deferred exchange (pallet debt): the return happens later; the pallet note documents the open debt including a date.
Clarify before the tour what has been agreed – the driver cannot make up for a missing agreement at the ramp.
Which pallets are exchangeable?
Condition is what counts in an exchange. In practice, Euro pallets (EPAL) are roughly classified as A (like new, light-coloured, undamaged), B (used but fully functional – exchangeable), and C (damaged or in need of repair – not exchangeable). Broken boards, missing blocks, or heavy soiling make a pallet non-exchangeable; such deviations belong on the note with quantity and condition. A free pallet exchange note template with columns for type, quantity, condition, and difference is available in our templates section.