The CMR is the proof of the international carriage contract and the first document asked for when there is loss, damage or delay. Tap a box on the form to see what goes in it, who fills it in and the most common mistake.
The form, box by box
Numbering of the classic IRU model, the same as the IRU driver checklist and most printed forms. The 2007 IRU model numbers the boxes differently: the correspondence is further down. If in doubt, go by the name printed in the box, not just the number.
Sender
Carrier / driver
Consignee
Sender and carrier
International consignment noteLettre de voiture internationale · CMR
Full name or company name of the party that contracts the carriage and hands over the goods, with address and country. The sender is liable for the information it enters on the CMR.
Example
Têxteis do Ave, Lda.
Rua da Fábrica, 120
4760-000 Vila Nova de Famalicão
Portugal
Watch out: Putting the name of the warehouse where you load instead of the customer who contracted the carriage. The loading place goes in box 4.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(b)
2Who fills it in: Sender
Consignee (name, address, country)
What to write
Name and full address of whoever will receive the goods. This is the person who signs box 24 and the only one the driver may deliver to, unless the sender gives new instructions.
Example
Moda Lyon SARL
14 rue de l’Industrie
69007 Lyon
France
Watch out: A consignee different from the unloading place, with no explanation. If the goods go to a logistics operator, the operator goes in box 3 and the consignee is still the buyer.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(e) and Art. 12
3Who fills it in: Sender
Place of delivery of the goods (place, country)
What to write
The address where the goods actually have to be unloaded. If it differs from box 2, write it out in full: this is the place that counts when deciding whether delivery was made in the right place. Also ask for the warehouse unloading hours, so you don’t arrive to find it closed.
Example
XPO platform, Zone Sud
Allée des Transporteurs, 3
69800 Saint-Priest, France
Watch out: Writing only “France” or only the city. A delivery to the wrong warehouse is the responsibility of whoever made it.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(d)
4Who fills it in: Sender
Place and date of taking over the goods (place, country, date)
What to write
Where and when the carrier takes over the goods. The date marks the start of the carrier’s liability and counts for the delivery and claim time limits. The IRU recommends noting the time of arrival at the dock and the time of departure: they are the proof for charging waiting time.
Example
Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal — 21/10/2026
Arrival 07:10 · departure 09:25
Watch out: Leaving the date blank or putting the date the CMR was prepared, when the load only leaves on a later day.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(d) and Art. 17
5Who fills it in: Sender
Documents attached
What to write
The list of documents travelling with the goods: invoice, delivery note, packing list, certificates, customs document, ADR transport document. Everything listed here has to travel with the truck.
Example
Invoice No 2026/1843, packing list, EUR.1 movement certificate
Watch out: Listing documents the driver did not receive. If a listed document is missing, cross it out or note it in box 18 before leaving.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(2)(g) and Art. 11
6Who fills it in: Sender
Marks and Nos
What to write
The marks and numbers written on the packages: order reference, pallet numbers, SSCC code. They prove that the package delivered is the one that was loaded.
Example
PO 55821 — pallets 1 to 22
Watch out: Leaving it blank when the packages are labelled. Without marks, a pallet swap is hard to prove.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(g)
7Who fills it in: Sender
Number of packages
What to write
How many packages there are: pallets, cartons, rolls, crates. This is the count the driver has to check at loading.
Example
22
Watch out: Writing a number the driver did not count. If the number does not match what is on the truck, correct it with the sender or write a reservation in box 18.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(g) and Art. 8
8Who fills it in: Sender
Method of packing
What to write
How the goods are packed: stretch-wrapped pallet, cardboard box, big bag, bulk, unpacked.
Example
EUR pallets 120×80, stretch-wrapped
Watch out: Forgetting this box. If the damage comes from poor packing by the sender, this is what helps relieve the carrier of liability.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(f) and Art. 17(4)
9Who fills it in: Sender
Nature of the goods
What to write
What the goods are, in plain words. For dangerous goods, the proper shipping name and the ADR details: UN number, class and packing group, on the dedicated line of the form.
Example
Cotton clothing
UN 1263 PAINT, 3, III, (D/E)
Watch out: Writing only “general cargo” or “as per invoice”. For dangerous goods, the CMR only serves as the ADR transport document if it has all the particulars in ADR 5.4.1.1.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(f) and Art. 22 · ADR, 5.4.1
10Who fills it in: Sender
Statistical number
What to write
Tariff or statistical code of the goods (Combined Nomenclature). Only needed when there are customs or statistical formalities.
Example
6109 10 00
Watch out: Nothing serious: within the EU it is often left blank.
11Who fills it in: Sender
Gross weight in kg
What to write
Total weight including packing, in kilograms. It is the basis for compensation in case of loss: the legal limit is calculated per kilogram of gross weight short.
Example
8,450 kg
Watch out: An estimated weight far below the real one. If the truck is weighed on the road, the overloading fine can fall on the carrier. If the weight cannot be checked, write that in box 18.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(h) and Art. 23
12Who fills it in: Sender
Volume in m³
What to write
The space taken up, in cubic metres. It matters mainly for light loads charged by volume.
Example
38 m³
13Who fills it in: Sender
Sender’s instructions (customs and other formalities)
What to write
What the driver has to do on the way or at delivery: customs clearance, carriage temperature, no transhipment, call before arrival, unloading hours.
Example
Temperature +2 °C to +4 °C. Notify consignee 2 h before arrival. No transhipment.
Watch out: Giving instructions only by phone. A temperature that is not written on the CMR is very hard to prove if the customer rejects the load.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(j) and 6(2)(a)
14Who fills it in: Sender
Instructions as to payment for carriage
What to write
Who pays for the carriage. “Carriage paid” (franco): the sender pays. “Carriage forward” (non franco): the consignee pays. Incoterms such as EXW or DAP are also used here.
Example
Carriage paid — DAP Lyon (Incoterms 2020)
Watch out: Ticking “carriage forward” without the consignee knowing. The consignee may refuse to pay the freight and the goods are left standing.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(i) and 6(2)(b)
15Who fills it in: Sender
Cash on delivery
What to write
Amount the driver has to collect from the consignee before delivering the goods (payment on delivery), with the currency.
Example
EUR 4,250.00
Watch out: Delivering without collecting when this box is filled in. The carrier then owes that amount to the sender, up to the cash on delivery amount.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(2)(c) and Art. 21
16Who fills it in: Carrier / driver
Carrier (name, address, country)
What to write
Name and address of the company doing the carriage. It is often pre-filled by the sender: check that it is your company and not the freight forwarder or whoever subcontracted the job.
Example
Transportes Exemplo, Lda.
Zona Industrial, Lote 7
3800-000 Aveiro, Portugal
Watch out: Leaving the freight forwarder’s name. The CMR is evidence of who the carrier is: with another name written there, the argument over who is liable starts badly.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(c)
17Who fills it in: Carrier / driver
Successive carriers (name, address, country)
What to write
If the load changes carrier part-way under the same CMR, the new carrier writes its name and address here, on the copy that travels with the goods, and gives the previous carrier a dated and signed receipt. By accepting the goods and the CMR, it becomes liable for the whole carriage.
Example
Trans Iberia S.L., Irún, Spain — from Irún, 22/10/2026
Watch out: Changing truck or company without noting it here. It becomes impossible to know where the loss happened.
CMR Convention, Arts. 34 and 35
18Who fills it in: Carrier / driver
Carrier’s reservations and observations
What to write
The most important box for the driver. Everything that does not check out at loading goes here: packages missing or extra, damaged packing, a load that could not be counted, a seal applied by the sender, weight not checked, temperature of the goods when loaded.
Example
Pallet No 7 wrap torn, 2 cartons dented.
Loaded and sealed by sender, seal No 448211 — contents not checked.
Watch out: Vague reservations such as “not checked” or “subject to count” are worthless: they have to say what and why. Without reservations, everything is presumed to have been in good condition and the number of packages correct. If you run out of space, continue on the back and write in the box that there are reservations on the back.
CMR Convention, Arts. 8 and 9
19Who fills it in: Sender and carrier
Special agreements
What to write
Special agreements between sender and carrier: agreed time limit for delivery, declared value of the goods, special interest in delivery, use of an open unsheeted vehicle, pallet exchange, who loads and unloads, ferry crossing.
Example
Delivery by 24/10/2026, 12:00. Declared value: EUR 60,000.
Loading by sender, unloading by consignee.
Watch out: Agreeing and not writing it down. With no time limit on the CMR, delay is measured against the time a diligent carrier would reasonably need, which is always open to argument. And the carrier is only protected for using an open vehicle if that was agreed and written on the CMR.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(2)(d) to (f), Art. 17(4)(a), Arts. 19, 24 and 26
20Who fills it in: Sender and carrier
To be paid by (sender, currency, consignee)
What to write
The breakdown of charges and who pays each one: carriage charges, deductions, supplementary charges, additional charges, miscellaneous and total, in columns for the sender and for the consignee.
Watch out: Leaving it blank when the consignee is going to pay part of the charges. If it is not written down, the consignee does not have to pay.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(i) and Art. 13(2)
21Who fills it in: Sender
Established in ... on ...
What to write
The place and date the CMR is issued. Usually the same as the place and date of loading.
Example
Established in Vila Nova de Famalicão on 21/10/2026
Watch out: A CMR with no date of issue: it is a compulsory particular under the Convention.
CMR Convention, Art. 6(1)(a)
22Who fills it in: Sender
Signature and stamp of the sender
What to write
Signature and stamp of whoever hands over the goods on behalf of the sender. By signing, the sender takes responsibility for the accuracy of what it wrote and for the reservations it accepted.
Watch out: Leaving the dock without this signature. A CMR with only the driver’s signature proves much less.
CMR Convention, Arts. 5 and 7
23Who fills it in: Carrier / driver
Signature and stamp of the carrier
What to write
The driver signs on behalf of the carrier when taking over the goods, after checking boxes 6 to 12 and writing any reservations in box 18. Many forms have space alongside for the tractor and trailer registration: fill it in, because in cabotage the registration is mandatory.
Example
Legible signature + company stamp
Tractor AA-00-BB · Trailer L-123456
Watch out: Signing before loading is finished or without checking. Signing without reservations means accepting that you received everything in good condition.
CMR Convention, Arts. 5, 8 and 9 · Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009, Art. 8(3)(g)
24Who fills it in: Consignee
Goods received (place, date, signature and stamp of the consignee)
What to write
The consignee confirms receipt with place, date, legible signature and stamp. The IRU recommends adding the time of arrival and the time of departure after unloading. If there is visible loss or damage, the consignee’s reservations are written here, at the time of delivery.
Example
Saint-Priest, 23/10/2026 · arrival 08:05, departure 09:40
J. Martin + stamp
Reservation: pallet 7, 2 cartons damaged
Watch out: Accepting just initials with no stamp, no name and no date. This box is what proves delivery and lets the freight be invoiced.
CMR Convention, Arts. 13 and 30
Is your form the 2007 IRU model?
In 2007 the IRU revised the form and changed the numbering. You can tell because box 8 is for the carrier’s reservations and box 20 comes pre-printed with the Convention clause. The content is the same; only the numbers change.
What goes in the box
Classic model
2007 IRU model
Sender
1
1
Consignee
2
2
Place of delivery
3
4
Place and date of taking over
4
3
Documents attached
5
9
Description of the goods (marks, packages, packing, nature, weight, volume)
6 to 12
10 to 15
Sender’s instructions
13
5
Carriage and charges: how much and who pays
14 and 20
17
Cash on delivery
15
19
Carrier
16
6
Successive carriers
17
7
Carrier’s reservations and observations
18
8
Special agreements
19
16
Other particulars: registration, TIR Carnet No
—
18
CMR Convention clause (pre-printed)
—
20
Place and date of issue
21
21
Signatures of the sender, the carrier and the consignee
22 to 24
22 to 24
At the bottom, the 2007 model also has a “non-contractual part” for the carrier’s use only (customs offices, kilometres), which creates no obligations.
What the CMR is and when it is mandatory
The CMR is the consignment note provided for in the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road, signed in Geneva in 1956. It applies to all carriage of goods by road for reward in which the place of taking over and the place of delivery are in two different countries, provided at least one of them is a party to the Convention. That includes the whole of Europe.
The CMR is evidence of the contract, of the conditions of carriage and of the carrier taking over the goods. If it is missing or badly filled in, the contract is still valid, but the one left without proof is almost always the carrier.
If the truck travels part of the way by ferry or by rail without the goods being unloaded, the CMR still applies to the whole carriage. Postal consignments, funeral consignments and furniture removals are excluded.
The copies: who keeps what
The Convention requires the CMR to be made out in three original copies, signed by the sender and the carrier, and all filled in the same way. The IRU model has a fourth copy, for administrative procedures.
Copy 1
Sender
Kept by the sender at loading. It is the proof that the goods were handed over to the carrier.
Copy 2
Consignee
Travels with the goods and stays with the consignee at delivery.
Copy 3
Carrier
Kept by the carrier, signed by the consignee in box 24. It is used to invoice the freight and to defend a claim.
In the IRU model, copy 1 is red, copy 2 blue, copy 3 green and copy 4 black. The Convention does not set colours and some printers use others: what counts is the number printed on each copy.
At loading, before signing
Count the packages and compare with box 7. If they won’t let you count, write that in box 18.
Check the apparent condition of the pallets and the packing: torn wrap, wet or dented cartons, broken pallets.
Check the marks and numbers on the packages against box 6.
Make sure the weight in box 11 fits what the truck can carry and the load distribution.
Reefer loads: record the set temperature and, if possible, the temperature of the goods.
If the sender applies a seal, note its number in box 18.
Check that you have received all the documents listed in box 5.
Check that the company in box 16 is yours and that the registration is correct.
Get the sender’s signature and stamp in box 22 before leaving.
At delivery, before leaving
Deliver to the consignee in box 2, at the place in box 3. A change of destination has to come from the sender, with copy 1 of the CMR and the new instruction written on it: speak to your company before unloading anywhere else.
If box 15 shows a cash on delivery amount, collect it before delivering.
In box 24, ask for a legible name, the date, the time, the signature and the stamp.
If there is visible loss or damage, the consignee’s reservation has to be written on the CMR at the time of delivery, not afterwards.
Note the time of arrival and the time of departure: they are the proof for charging waiting time.
Take photos of the signed CMR and of the load, if there is damage, and send them to your company straight away.
Take the carrier’s copy with you: without it, your company may struggle to invoice.
Reservations that hold up and reservations that don’t
The Convention requires the carrier to check the number of packages, their marks and numbers, and the apparent condition of the goods. If the carrier has no means of checking, or if something is not right, it has to enter reservations in box 18, with the grounds for them. A vague reservation protects no one.
Won’t hold up
Holds up
Not checked
Loaded by sender with driver kept off the dock. Number of packages not checked.
Subject to count
21 packages counted instead of the 22 stated in box 7.
Packing defective
Pallets 3 and 7 wrap torn; 4 cartons dented on pallet 7.
Weight not confirmed
Weight as declared by sender; no weighbridge on site to check it.
Sealed
Semi-trailer sealed by sender, seal No 448211. Contents not checked.
Reservations only bind the sender if the sender expressly accepts them on the CMR. So ask for them to be signed or initialled alongside. If the sender refuses, write “sender refused to sign the reservations” and tell your company before leaving.
The standard reservations in the IRU checklist
The IRU driver checklist proposes 14 numbered reservations, written in box 18 by their number. Always add the concrete detail: which pallet, how many cartons, which seal.
Vehicle
1. Open unsheeted vehicle, at the sender’s request.
Packing
2. Unpacked.
3. Defective packing.
4. Insufficient packing.
Quantity, marks and number of packages
5. Impossible to check because of: a) loading by the sender; b) weather conditions; c) large number of packages; d) sealed container.
Goods loaded
6. In apparent bad condition.
7. Damaged.
8. Wet.
9. Frozen.
10. Not protected against the weather, and carried so on the sender’s instructions.
Loading, stowage and unloading
11. Loading and stowage by the sender.
12. Loading and stowage by the driver, in weather unfavourable to the goods, at the sender’s request.
13. Unloading by the consignee.
14. Unloading by the driver, in weather unfavourable to the goods, at the consignee’s request.
Mistakes that cost money
Signing without checking
Without reservations, the goods and their packing are presumed to have been in good condition and the number of packages correct. A shortage found at destination becomes the carrier’s problem.
Box 24 with just initials
With no name, date and stamp, delivery is hard to prove. The customer can say they never received the goods and the freight goes unpaid.
Damage settled “by word of mouth”
Visible damage has to be reserved at the time of delivery. If it is not apparent, the consignee has 7 days, not counting Sundays and public holidays, to report it in writing. For delay, 21 days. After that, delivery is presumed to have been in order.
Instructions that were not written down
Temperature, time limit, no transhipment, booked delivery slot: what is not on the CMR (boxes 13 and 19) is hard to prove in a claim.
Wrong carrier in box 16
If the freight forwarder or another company is written there, that is who appears as the carrier. When the job is subcontracted, whoever does the carriage should appear as carrier or as successive carrier.
Correcting over the top without saying anything
A correction on the CMR should be made on all copies and initialled by whoever made it. A copy that differs from the others opens the door to disputes.
e-CMR, cabotage, Portugal and time limits
e-CMR
The 2008 Additional Protocol gives the electronic consignment note the same value as paper. Portugal has applied it since 25/12/2019, and Spain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania are also parties; Belgium is not yet. In practice, it is only used when both countries, the loading country and the delivery country, apply the protocol. From 9/7/2027 (eFTI Regulation), EU authorities have to accept transport data in electronic form; for companies, paper remains valid.
Cabotage
In cabotage, the driver has to show at the roadside the evidence of the incoming international carriage and of each cabotage operation. These are the CMR details: sender, carrier and consignee with their signatures, date of delivery, places, goods, packages, weight and the registration plates of the tractor and trailer. The driver can show them during the check, also in electronic form, and ask the company to send them before the check ends.
Carriage within Portugal
For domestic carriage in Portugal, the mandatory document is the Portuguese transport note, the guia de transporte (Decree-Law 239/2003). The IMT, Portugal’s transport authority, accepts the CMR form as the transport note, on paper or digital, as long as it also includes the carrier’s operating licence (alvará) or Community licence number and the reference fuel price. Note the differences: 8 days to claim for non-apparent damage and a limit of €10 per kilogram.
Time limits and caps
Actions against the carrier are time-barred after one year (three in case of wilful misconduct). In case of loss, compensation is capped at 8.33 SDR (the IMF’s special drawing rights) per kilogram of gross weight short, unless a value is declared on the CMR.
Information page with no legal value. Forms vary slightly between printers, and the contract may have its own clauses. In a dispute, the text of the Convention and what was written and signed on the CMR prevail.
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