CMR Consignment Note

The CMR consignment note is the standard document for cross-border road transport. It is based on the 1956 CMR Convention, which applies in almost every European country, and documents the carriage contract between sender, carrier, and recipient. Download a blank CMR template as PDF here – and learn box by box how to complete it. For the legal background on scope and liability under CMR, see the glossary entry CMR consignment note.

When do I need a CMR consignment note?

Whenever goods travel by truck or van across a border between two CMR contracting states, the CMR Convention applies automatically – whether or not a consignment note was issued. Strictly speaking the document is not a validity requirement, but in practice it is indispensable: it serves as evidence of the contract, the condition of the goods at takeover, and the delivery. For purely domestic German transports, the simpler national consignment note is sufficient.

The copies: who keeps which one?

A CMR consignment note is issued in at least three originals:

Copy	Customary color	Kept by
1st original	Red	Sender
2nd original	Blue	Recipient (travels with the goods)
3rd original	Green	Carrier
Further copies	Black	Customs, statistics, internal filing

Field-by-field guide

The boxes of the CMR note are numbered identically across Europe. The key ones:

Box	Content	Completed by
1	Sender with full address	Sender
2	Recipient with full address	Sender
3	Place of delivery (city, country)	Sender
4	Place and date of takeover	Sender
5	Attached documents (e.g. delivery note, invoice)	Sender
6–9	Marks, number of packages, packaging, description of goods	Sender
10–12	Statistical number, gross weight, volume	Sender
13	Sender's instructions (e.g. customs handling)	Sender
14	Freight payment instruction (paid/collect)	Sender
16/17	Carrier and successive carriers	Carrier
18	Carrier's reservations and remarks	Carrier
21	Place and date of issue	Sender
22	Signature/stamp of the sender	Sender
23	Signature/stamp of the carrier	Carrier
24	Recipient's acknowledgment of receipt with date	Recipient

Important: box 24 is the heart of the document – only with the recipient's date, signature, and stamp is delivery proven. Reservations (e.g. damaged packaging) must be recorded in writing in boxes 18 or 24; otherwise the goods count as taken over in good condition.

CMR without the paper chase

Lost CMR originals mean liability disputes and late payments – many shippers only pay against the signed consignment note. A digital proof of delivery solves this: signature, photos, and GPS timestamps are captured at handover and instantly available to everyone involved, while the paper copy is still in the vehicle.

Frequently asked questions

Is the CMR consignment note mandatory? The CMR Convention applies to cross-border transports even without the document. As evidence, however, it is the de-facto standard expected by customs, insurers, and shippers.

Who is liable for incorrect entries? The sender is liable for damage resulting from inaccurate or incomplete entries in the boxes they must complete (Art. 7 CMR).

Does CMR apply within Germany? No. Domestic transports are governed by the German Commercial Code (HGB) – a simple consignment note or delivery note is sufficient there.

What is the e-CMR? The additional protocol to the CMR Convention permits electronic consignment notes. More and more EU states have ratified it – the legal basis for fully digital freight documents.