What is a CMR consignment note

The CMR consignment note and the CMR Convention

A CMR consignment note is the standard document for international road freight. It confirms the contract between the sender and the carrier. Its rules come from the CMR Convention, signed in Geneva on 19 May 1956. The note shows who sends, carries and receives the goods, and what the goods are.

When a CMR note is required

A CMR note is required when goods move by road for payment between two different countries. At least one of the two countries must be a party to the CMR Convention. The home country of the companies does not matter. What matters is the place of loading and the place of delivery in the contract.

Copies and signatures

Under Article 5 of the CMR Convention, the note has three original copies. The sender and the carrier sign them. The first copy stays with the sender. The second copy travels with the goods to the consignee. The carrier keeps the third copy. Signatures can be printed or replaced by stamps if national law allows it.

At delivery, the consignee signs and stamps the note, with the place, date and time. The sender or the carrier can ask for a separate note for each vehicle, or for each kind or lot of goods.

Particulars on the note and who provides them

Article 6 of the CMR Convention lists 11 particulars that every note must contain. The sender is responsible for most of them: the sender and consignee details, the places, the goods, the packages, the weight and the customs instructions. If the carrier writes these details at the sender’s request, the Convention presumes the carrier did so for the sender.

Where they apply, the note also shows seven more items. They are a ban on transshipment, the charges the sender pays, cash on delivery, a declared value or special interest, insurance instructions, the time limit and the documents given to the carrier.

• Date and place of the note
• Sender’s name and address
• Carrier’s name and address
• Loading place and date, and delivery place
• Consignee’s name and address
• Description of the goods and packing method. For dangerous goods, their recognised description.
• Number of packages, their marks and numbers
• Gross weight or other quantity
• Transport charges, such as freight, extra costs and customs duties
• Instructions for customs and other formalities
• A statement that the CMR Convention applies

Carrier reservations and claims

Under Article 8, the carrier checks the goods at loading. The carrier checks the number of packages, their marks and numbers, and the visible condition of the goods and packing. If something is wrong, the carrier writes reservations on the note with the reasons. A reservation binds the sender only if the sender agrees to it on the note.

Reservations matter in a claim. With no reservations, the goods are presumed to have looked in good condition at loading, with the package count as on the note. This helps the cargo owner prove that damage happened during transport. A reservation such as “wet cartons” removes this presumption for that point.

What a signed CMR proves for the sender

A CMR note signed by the consignee shows that the goods arrived, where and when. You can show it to your customer as proof of delivery. The note is also evidence of the contract and of the condition of the goods when the carrier received them.

Since 1 January 2020, EU VAT rules list a signed CMR note as evidence of transport for a VAT-free supply to another EU country. To use this rule, the seller needs two items of evidence that agree. Two parties that are independent of each other, of the seller and of the buyer must issue them. A CMR note plus a bank record of the payment for the transport can be enough. Ask your accountant which documents to keep.

With RNJ Transport, you get a copy of the signed CMR after delivery. Keep it with our invoice for the load.

Electronic CMR (e-CMR)

An e-CMR is a CMR consignment note made by electronic means. The Additional Protocol to the CMR Convention, adopted in Geneva in 2008, allows it. An e-CMR must contain the same particulars as a paper note. The parties sign it with a reliable electronic signature. When it meets these rules, it has the same value as paper.

Lithuania ratified the protocol. The UN records the ratification on 7 March 2011. The protocol entered into force on 5 June 2011. The parties must also agree how they issue, change and confirm delivery of the e-CMR. Check each country on the route first.

How to prepare a CMR note for your load

A correct CMR note starts with correct data from the sender. Use these five steps for every international load, from booking to delivery. Each step protects a right you have under the CMR Convention, or it helps you in a VAT check.

1. 1

   Send complete details

   Give the names and addresses of the sender and consignee, both places, the goods, the packages, the gross weight and the documents.

2. 2

   Check the note at loading

   Compare the package count, marks and weight with your load. Read any carrier reservations before you sign.

3. 3

   Sign and keep the first copy

   Sign or stamp the note. Keep the first copy, because you need it to change the delivery instructions during transport.

4. 4

   Ask the consignee to check the goods

   The consignee writes visible damage on the note before signing. For hidden damage, the consignee sends written reservations within 7 days, not counting Sundays and public holidays.

5. 5

   Keep the signed CMR

   File the signed CMR with the invoice. It is your proof of delivery and your evidence of transport for VAT.

CMR field checklist

Use this table to check a CMR note before the truck leaves. Box numbers differ between form versions, so the table lists the fields by name.