CMR — Consignment Note (Carrier) Template
The carrier's copy of the road consignment note, evidencing the contract of carriage.
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Copy 3 — for the carrier (green) — Issued subject to the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR)
| 6 Marks and Nos | 7 No. of packages | 8 Method of packing | 9 Nature of the goods | 10 Statistical number | 11 Gross weight (KG) | 12 Volume (CBM) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
About this document
This is the carrier's copy of the CMR consignment note, the one the haulier retains. From the carrier's side the document does two jobs. It records the instructions being accepted, and through the reservations box it is the only opportunity to note that the goods did not look right when collected.
Reservations are the carrier's protection
Box 18 is where the carrier records anything wrong at collection. Damaged packaging, an unverifiable count, a load they could not inspect. Without a reservation, the Convention presumes the goods were received in apparent good order, and the carrier carries the burden of showing otherwise later. A reservation recorded at collection is worth far more than an assertion made after a claim.
Limits on carrier liability
The CMR Convention caps compensation for lost or damaged goods by weight, using a unit of account rather than a currency, unless a higher value was declared and a surcharge paid. Senders shipping high-value goods on an ordinary CMR are usually insured well below the value of the cargo, which is a conversation to have before loading rather than after a loss.
Checking what the sender declared
The carrier is expected to check the apparent condition of the goods and their packaging, and the accuracy of the number of packages and their marks where reasonably possible. Weight and contents generally are not verifiable at the roadside, which is why the sender remains liable for those. Noting what could not be checked is itself a reservation.
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Keep building your document set
- Commercial InvoiceGoods, values and payment details.
- Packing List — DetailedPackages, weights and dimensions.
- Certificate of OriginThe declared origin of your goods.
- Bill of LadingShipper, consignee and cargo details.
- Shipper's Letter of InstructionInstructions for your freight forwarder.
- Verified Gross Mass DeclarationThe verified weight of a packed container.
Questions
+What is box 18 for?
The carrier's reservations and observations. Anything noted there at collection limits the presumption that the goods were received in good order. That covers damaged cartons, unverified counts, and a sealed load that could not be inspected.
+How is CMR liability calculated?
By the gross weight of the goods lost or damaged, up to a limit per kilogram set by the Convention in special drawing rights, unless a higher value was declared in the note and the agreed surcharge paid.
+Is the carrier liable for delay?
The Convention provides for compensation for delay, generally capped at the carriage charges, and subject to notice being given within a set period. It is a different and narrower remedy than for loss or damage.
+Does the carrier have to check the weight?
Not usually, because it is rarely verifiable at collection. The sender remains liable for the accuracy of the weight declared, and a carrier who cannot check it should record that fact rather than accept it silently.
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