What belongs on a CMR consignment note?
A practical guide to CMR particulars, signed copies, carrier reservations and delivery deadlines—and what the shipper should check after loading.
nocargo 6 min read
A CMR consignment note records the carriage details and provides evidence of what the carrier received. For the shipper, the important checks are the required particulars, the signed copies, any carrier reservations at loading, and the reservations and deadlines that matter at delivery.
What the CMR note and its three copies are for
Under Article 4, the contract of carriage is confirmed by a consignment note. A missing, irregular or lost note does not affect the existence or validity of that contract. That does not make the document unimportant: Article 9 makes it prima facie evidence of the contract, its conditions and the carrier’s receipt of the goods.
Article 5 requires three original copies, signed by the sender and carrier. The first goes to the sender, the second accompanies the goods, and the third is retained by the carrier. Treat the sender’s copy as a document to retain, not simply as paperwork to hand to the driver.
The sender or carrier may also require a separate note for each vehicle, each kind of goods or each lot. When preparing the paperwork, check whether the note covers the goods being handed over. These requirements appear in Articles 4 and 5 of the CMR Convention.
What belongs on the CMR: the required particulars
Article 6(1) sets out the required particulars. Check the information itself rather than relying only on the layout of the form: the question is whether the note contains the required details.
| Required particular | What to enter or check |
|---|---|
| Date and place of making out | Where and when the consignment note is made out. |
| Sender | The sender’s name and address. |
| Carrier | The carrier’s name and address. |
| Taking over and delivery | The place and date of taking over the goods, and the place designated for delivery. |
| Consignee | The consignee’s name and address. |
| Goods and packing | The description of the goods and method of packing; for dangerous goods, their generally recognised description. |
| Packages and identification | The number of packages, their marks and numbers. |
| Weight or quantity | The gross weight or quantity. |
| Charges | The charges relating to carriage. |
| Formalities | Instructions for customs and other formalities. |
| Convention statement | A statement that the carriage is subject to the CMR Convention. |
Use this as a preparation checklist before loading. In particular, distinguish the sender, carrier and consignee, and distinguish the place of taking over from the place designated for delivery. The full list is in Article 6 of the Convention.
At loading: read the carrier’s reservations
Article 8 requires the carrier, when taking over the goods, to check the number of packages, their marks and numbers, and the apparent condition of the goods and packaging. Carrier reservations must be entered with their grounds.
For the shipper, this is a reason to read the completed note rather than checking only that it has been signed. If a reservation appears, check what it describes and the grounds given. Under Article 8, those reservations do not bind the sender unless the sender has expressly agreed to them in the note.
Article 9 explains why this matters after loading. Without specific carrier reservations, the goods and packaging are presumed to have appeared in good condition, and the package count and marks are presumed to match the note. That is a presumption about apparent condition and the recorded package details, not a reason to describe the document as an unconditional guarantee.
At delivery: record reservations within the right deadline
Delivery reservations are separate from the carrier’s reservations at taking over. Article 30 distinguishes apparent loss or damage, non-apparent loss or damage, and delay. Keep those distinctions clear when arranging the delivery follow-up.
Apparent loss or damage: reservations must be made at delivery. The practical checkpoint is therefore the delivery itself, not a later review of the shipment file.
Non-apparent loss or damage: reservations must be made in writing within seven days of delivery, excluding Sundays and public holidays.
Delay: no compensation is payable unless a written reservation is sent within 21 days from when the goods were placed at the consignee’s disposal.
Do not treat all delivery problems as having the same reporting window. When a problem is reported, identify which category it concerns and check the corresponding requirement in Article 30.
Keep delivery deadlines separate from limitation
Article 32 sets a limitation period for actions of one year, or three years for wilful misconduct. This is a separate issue from the delivery reservation requirements in Article 30.
Do not use the longer limitation period as a reason to postpone recording a delivery problem. Keep the consignment note, any reservations and the delivery record together so that the shipment can be reviewed against the relevant requirements.
Country rules
This guide covers the CMR Convention requirements above. National guides are available on the country versions of the blog.
Keep the CMR connected to the shipment order
A practical workflow is to keep booking, documents and delivery follow-up connected. In nocargo, shippers add the carriers they already work with. A price request goes by email to the address the shipper enters; carriers answer through a private link or by replying to the email, without creating an account.
nocargo reads the email reply onto the order. Shippers can compare offers, book in one click, and print the CMR and labels from the order, with tracking through to proof of delivery. The email and private-link workflow keeps carrier responses connected to that process.
Printing the note is still a checkpoint, not the end of the task: review its particulars, signatures and reservations. nocargo is software, not a freight exchange or broker, and takes no margin on freight. See plans and pricing for the available options.
Frequently asked questions
Does a missing CMR note invalidate the carriage contract?
No. Under Article 4, absence, irregularity or loss of the consignment note does not affect the existence or validity of the carriage contract.
Who keeps the three original CMR copies?
Article 5 provides for three originals signed by the sender and carrier: the first goes to the sender, the second accompanies the goods, and the third stays with the carrier.
How long is there to report concealed damage?
Article 30 requires written reservations for non-apparent loss or damage within seven days of delivery, excluding Sundays and public holidays. Apparent loss or damage must be reserved at delivery.