Who fills in the CMR consignment note?

In practice the carrier prepares it from the sender’s information, and both sign at collection. The consignee signs at delivery — after inspecting the vehicle.

What should I do if I find damage at delivery?

Note a precise reservation on the CMR before signing (apparent damage), or give written notice within 7 days (non-apparent damage, art. 30) — with photos and a precise description.

Does the CMR limit cover my car’s value?

For common damage — the vast majority of cases (rim, mirror, paint touch-up) — yes, by far: a repair never costs the price of the vehicle. For a high-value vehicle (for example above €100,000), ask for our ad valorem insurance: it is then covered at its declared value, up to €250,000.

What is ad valorem insurance?

“Ad valorem” means “according to value”: unlike the CMR liability, which is calculated by weight (8.33 SDR/kg), it covers the vehicle at its declared value. At Spedition HTL we offer it as an option — recommended above roughly €100,000 of vehicle value — up to €250,000 per vehicle.

Is the CMR mandatory across the EU?

Yes, for international road carriage of goods between signatory countries of the Convention — which covers the entire EU and far beyond.

CMR consignment note: what every client should check

8 July 2026 · 5 min readRegulation

Every international road transport in Europe relies on one document: the CMR consignment note, based on the 1956 Geneva Convention. In a dispute, what is written there prevails. Here is what a transport buyer — dealer, rental or trading company — should check before signing, and how quickly to react after delivery. This is general information: have specific cases reviewed by your legal counsel.

What exactly is the CMR?

The CMR Convention (Geneva, 1956) governs international road carriage of goods between signatory countries — including the entire EU. The consignment note documents the contract: sender, carrier, consignee, the goods and their condition at collection.

It travels with the vehicle and is signed twice: at collection and at delivery. At Spedition HTL, every collection includes a condition report with damage diagrams and photos.

What the CMR proves — and what it does not

Without a reservation noted at collection, the goods are presumed received in good condition. That is why the loading condition report is decisive: existing scratches or damage must be recorded in writing.

Conversely, a CMR signed without reservation at delivery makes later claims difficult. The golden rule for consignees: inspect the vehicle BEFORE signing.

Reservations: the deadlines to know

For apparent damage, reservations must be made at delivery, directly on the CMR. For non-apparent damage, the Convention (art. 30) allows 7 days for written notice.

A useful reservation is precise: location and nature of the damage, with a photo. A generic “subject to inspection” is usually not enough.

Compensation: the CMR limit and why insurance matters

The Convention caps the carrier’s liability at 8.33 SDR per kilo (art. 23). The good news: in almost all cases this limit is more than enough — typical transport damage is minor (rim, mirror, paint chip) and a repair never costs the price of the vehicle.

The limit only becomes a real topic in two situations: a high-value vehicle (for example above €100,000), or a client who wants full coverage no matter what. For those cases, Spedition HTL offers ad valorem insurance: the vehicle is then insured at its declared value, up to €250,000, independently of the weight-based calculation. Just ask for it when requesting your quote.

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