What is a CMR Consignment Note?

A CMR Consignment Note confirms that the haulage company has received the goods in full and that they have a commercial contract to ship to another destination from the supplier.

CMR delivery notes are used to document the details of a shipment, including the sender and recipient information, the type and quantity of goods being shipped, and any special instructions or requirements.

They also serve as a receipt for the goods being shipped, and can be used as proof of delivery.

What does a CMR Note look like?

What are the benefits of ‘CMR’ Delivery Notes?

The benefits of using a printed CMR International Consignment Delivery Note / Lettre de Voiture International for British haulage companies is that it's a mandatory 4-part, European-wide delivery note for heavy transport, containing a standard set of transport and liability conditions, replacing a company's terms and conditions when companies want to use a provider to transport goods internationally by road.

The CMR note confirms to whomever needs to see it, that the haulage business has received the goods and has a contract from the supplier to carry them on the lorry.

A CMR confirms that the carrier (i.e. the road haulage company) has received the goods and that a contract of carriage exists between the trader and the carrier.

Unlike a BoL Bill of Lading, a CMR is not a document of title nor a declaration, although some European states regard it as such.

It doesn’t necessarily give its holder and/or the carrier any rights of ownership or possession of the goods, although some insurance is included.

What Features do CMR Consignment Notes have?

If a haulage company wishes to transport goods via road throughout mainland Europe and even internationally, then the CMR Consignment Note is the standard road haulage contract that UK and Irish road hauliers should use.

Be aware that even if an articulated trailer or shipping container has been picked up at the docks via a UK-based articulated lorry the goods will still have travelled between two different countries, whether within the EU or not, so the haulage company picking up the trailer or shipping container will require a CMR Consignment Note.

For complete details of the CMR note you'd need to DOWNLOAD the 'United Nations Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road' PDF.

The standard CMR International Consignment Note / Lettre de Voiture International is a 4-part Quadruplicate NCR Pad, which means you've got three extra copies of the original which includes one for:

• the supplier of the goods
• for the recipient of the goods
• to accompany the haulage driver of the goods whilst they're being transported via road

When the goods to be carried have to be loaded onto different articulated lorries or picked up via shipping container, or are different kinds or divided into different lots, the supplier of the goods or the road haulage company carrying the goods has the right to require a separate CMR International Consignment Note / Lettre de Voiture International to be completed for each vehicle used in the transport of the goods, or for each kind of the goods being transported.

What does a CMR Note contain?

The CMR Delivery Note will always contain the following items:

✓Date of CMR Consignment Note and the place at which it is completed initially

✓Name and Address of the Sender or Supplier

✓Name and Address of the Haulage Company or Carrier of the goods

✓Place and road transport Date of the goods plus the delivery address

✓Name and Address of the Consignee

✓Description of the Goods and their nature and packing description including dangerous goods

✓Quantity of packages and any special labeling or numbering

✓Gross tare weight of the goods or quantity of Goods in normal language

✓Carriage Charges, Additional charges including any addition non-EU customs' duties and any other charges incurred from the original contract creation right up to the final time of the road haulage delivery to the destination

✓Instructions for Customs and any other formal requests

✓Statement on the CMR Consignment Note that the haulage is subject, notwithstanding any clause to the contrary, to the provision of this convention

Were applicable, the CMR International Consignment Note shall also contain the following particulars printed on the 4-pt quadruplicate CMR form:

✓Statement that any transshipment is not allowed

✓Any charges that the Supplier or sender undertakes to pay

✓Amount of COD (cash on delivery) charges

✓Declaration of the value of the goods and the amount that represents any special interest in the delivery

✓Sender's instructions to the road haulage carrier regarding the insurance held in respect to transporting the goods

✓Time limit agreed that the road haulage carrier agrees to have the shipment completed by

✓Complete list of documents handed to the road haulage carrier or drive

WHO ARE TRADE PRINTING UK?

Trade Printing UK has the largest range of FREE, professional templates for Carbonless Forms printed on NCR and available in the UK and Ireland — ready for use as NCR Sets, NCR Pads and NCR Books.

We use custom-printed versions of the CMR Consignment Note so you can include your company's full name and address in the relevant boxes on the form.

Our professional, CMR International Consignment Note Template shows the positioning of this information easily and Trade Printing UK's highly-professional design studio can create this for you. We would send you a PDF draft proof before sign-off and production so you can check your details first.

FREE DELIVERY*

*GB, N. Ireland, Republic of Ireland — 1 x 30kg box ONLY usually using DPD48 or DHL (2-day) service.

*SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS, ISLANDS & EUROPE WILL INCUR A SMALL SURCHARGE
 

Our printing prices are based on ONE free parcel weighing up to 30Kg going to ONE address.

Our print prices also include delivery to ONE address only.

1 day upgrade – England, Scotland*, Wales to include an additional surcharge Trade Printing UK currently offer FREE Delivery on print to the majority of the UK and Ireland (*excluding Isle of Man, Scottish Highlands, Channel Islands — surcharge applies), but if you're in a hurry, we can expedite shipping after production finishes with other upgrade options.
 

Scottish Highlands and Isle of Wight — can take around 3 days to deliver.

Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey — post Brexit  - can take around one week to export.

Western Europe — post Brexit  - can take around from 2 - 4 weeks to export and clear through Customs in your own country.

Split addresses available at extra cost. £POA
 

Actual shipping time of your print order will vary depending on where you are in the country and when you order. Working Day times are all Monday to Friday only as standard. These exclude weekends and public holidays (although sometimes our carrriers choose to elect a weekend day to deliver to non-commercial premises). See our Terms & Conditions for more details on our logistics policy.

If you'll have more than one parcel in your print order that needs to be expedited, we will advise you at time of order and charge you accordingly.

NOTE: Once parcels are collected by our carrier, responsibility for on-time delivery rests with the carrier as circumstances may occur beyond our control (i.e. office closed, weather, flight delays, access denied etc).

SPECIAL NOTE JANUARY 2023 — Royal Mail hacked — We are currently using Parcelforce for European orders as the Royal Mail cannot currently post outside the UK due to the Russian hackers infiltrating their Export systems.