CMR Online – Free CMR Document Generator & Templates
Table of contents
- What is a CMR document?
- What is the function of a CMR waybill?
- Who needs a CMR document and when is it required?
- Which countries are CMR member states?
- Regulations for the contracting parties by the CMR
- CMR Liability
- Components of the CMR consignment note
- How to fill out a CMR correctly
- e-CMR: the electronic consignment note
- Free CMR templates (PDF, Excel)
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CMR document? (CMR Consignment Note Explained)
CMR stands for "Convention relative au contrat de transport international de merchandises par route" ("Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road"). The CMR document (also called CMR consignment note or CMR waybill) is the standard international road transport document, required for shipments between CMR member countries. CMR documents are used throughout Europe and many countries in Asia and North Africa.
The CMR consignment note is essential for cross-border freight, covering shipment details, contractual terms, and liability during transit. Today, it is increasingly common to fill in the CMR online using CMR generators and export-ready templates in PDF or Excel.
What is the function of a CMR waybill?
A CMR consignment note (CMR document) fulfills three key functions for international freight transport:
- Information function
- Evidence (proof) function
- Receipt function
1. Information function:
The CMR consignment note serves as an information carrier about the nature and quantity of the freight for all involved parties (sender, carrier, recipient, forwarder).
2. Proof function:
A CMR consignment note documents that the goods are in good condition when handed over and that the quantity is correct.
3. Receipt function:
The CMR also serves as a receipt during the handover process, confirming transfer of goods.
Who needs a CMR document and when is it required?
The CMR document for transport is mandatory when at least one country of departure or destination is a CMR Convention member state. This document overrides national transport law and is required for almost all international shipments by road, except for postal goods, removal goods, corpses, and certain other exclusions.
The CMR waybill must be used whenever you transport goods by truck or lorry internationally (between CMR countries), regardless of whether part of the journey uses other means of transport (e.g., ferry).
Which countries are CMR member states?
Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom), Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco (excluding Western Sahara), North Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
The most recent accessions are Oman and Afghanistan (both 2020). The authoritative, always-current list of contracting parties is maintained by the UNECE.
Regulations for the contracting parties by the CMR document
Sender:
- Assignment of the international land transport to the carrier
- Payment of the carrier according to the agreed freight
- Safe packaging of the goods
- Timely provision of all important information regarding the goods (especially dangerous goods) and delivery of the required documents
- Right of disposal over the goods until delivery
- Obligation to load/unload is not expressly regulated within CMR
Carrier:
- Ensuring safe and timely transport to the agreed destination
- Prohibition to tranship the goods unless contractually agreed or by sender's instruction
Consignee:
- Right to delivery of the goods and a copy of the consignment note
- Payment of the agreed freight plus any additional transport charges
- Issue of a receipt to the carrier
CMR Liability
General information on liability:
Under CMR, the carrier has strict liability for the goods while in custody, even if there is no fault. The carrier is responsible for staff and subcontractor actions. Compensation is limited in most cases, except in cases of gross negligence or intent. Exemptions apply if damage is caused by the sender or certain events (see article 17, paragraph 4 of the CMR).
Liability for loss of or damage to goods
Compensation is limited to 8.33 units of account per kg gross weight, calculated at the value at the place and time of takeover. Higher liability is possible by declaring value (with a surcharge).
Liability for exceeding the delivery deadline
If late delivery causes proven damage, compensation is limited to the amount of the freight. Increased coverage is possible by value declaration.
Components of the CMR consignment note
- Sender
- Consignee
- Place of delivery of the goods
- Place and date of taking over of the goods
- Documents attached
- Marks and numbers
- Number of packages
- Method of packing
- Nature of goods
- Statistical number
- Gross weight in kg
- Volume in m³
- Sender's instructions
- Cash on delivery
- Instructions as to payment carriage
- Carrier
- Successive carriers
- Reservations and remarks by carriers
- To be paid by
- Special agreements
- Established in/on
- Signature and stamp of the sender
- Signature and stamp of the carrier
- Date of receipt as well as signature and stamp of the consignee
How to fill out a CMR consignment note correctly: the boxes that cost money
Most CMR disputes don't start on the road — they start in boxes that were left empty or signed without checking. The note is issued in at least three originals (sender, consignee, carrier). These are the fields that matter most in practice:
- Boxes 1–3 — sender, consignee, place of delivery: use full legal company names and complete addresses. Trading names and abbreviations make it harder to enforce a claim against the right legal entity later.
- Box 5 — documents attached: list every accompanying document (delivery note, dangerous-goods declaration, customs papers). A document that isn't listed is hard to prove as handed over.
- Boxes 6–11 — goods, packages, gross weight: precision counts here, because CMR compensation for loss or damage is calculated per kilogram of gross weight (see the liability section above). A wrong weight directly changes what a claim is worth.
- Box 18 — carrier's reservations: the driver's moment of truth. If the carrier takes over the goods without entering reservations, the CMR presumes the goods and packaging were in good condition at takeover (Art. 8 and 9 CMR) — and the burden of proof shifts against the carrier.
- Boxes 22–23 — signatures of sender and carrier: without both signatures, the note loses much of its value as evidence of the carriage contract.
- Box 24 — consignee's receipt: the most expensive box on the form. No dated signature from the consignee means no clean proof of delivery. Visible damage must be reserved here at delivery; damage that is not apparent must be notified in writing within 7 days (Art. 30 CMR).
One deadline every dispatcher should know: claims under the CMR are generally time-barred after one year (Art. 32 CMR) — so archive completed consignment notes in a way that lets you find them fast if a dispute comes up.
e-CMR: the electronic consignment note
Since 2008, an Additional Protocol to the CMR Convention has allowed the consignment note to be issued electronically. The protocol entered into force in 2011, and the principle is simple: a properly issued e-CMR has the same legal and evidential value as the paper note.
Adoption has reached critical mass: 39 of the 58 CMR states have ratified or acceded to the e-CMR Protocol (IRU, 2026) — including Germany (in force since April 2022), the United Kingdom, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland and, since 2024, Italy. The practical catch: an e-CMR only fully replaces paper if every country on the route has ratified the protocol, which is why many operators still run a hybrid setup with a paper backup. The direction of travel is clear, though — under the EU's eFTI Regulation, member-state authorities must accept electronic freight transport information from 2027.
For dispatchers, this means the consignment note stops being a separate document to type up: in a TMS like IMPARGO, the CMR is generated directly from the transport order data you already captured — in the Orders Module.
Free CMR templates (PDF, Excel) to fill online
Need to create a CMR document online?
Use the IMPARGO CMR generator to fill in your CMR waybill online for free. Export your completed CMR as PDF or Excel with one click!
CMR consignment note PDF and Excel:
All information without guarantee. Status: June 2026.
Looking for more digital transport tools?
- How to create a Transport Order PDF online
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- Create a Transport Offer PDF
What is a CMR document?
A CMR document is an international consignment note for road transport between CMR member states, detailing shipment and liability information.
Can I fill in a CMR online?
Yes. With IMPARGO's free CMR generator, you can fill, download, and manage your CMR waybills online as PDF or Excel.
Is the CMR form available in PDF and Excel?
Yes, you can download free CMR templates in PDF and Excel format above — in English, German, and Polish.
Is an e-CMR legally valid?
Yes. A properly issued e-CMR has the same legal value as the paper note — but only if every country on the route has ratified the e-CMR Protocol. 39 of the 58 CMR states have done so, so many operators still carry a paper backup.
Do I need a CMR for national transport?
The CMR is only mandatory for international transport between CMR member countries, but is often used as best practice.
