CMR waybill  is nothing more than a goods and transport waybill, which is mandatory to be filled out in the process of international transportation. In essence, this invoice is a guarantor of the fact that the contract for the carriage of goods was indeed concluded.

What is indicated in this document?

As for CMR filling, from the document you can find out who is the sender and recipient of the cargo, its place of origin, method of transportation and route, description, weight, place and cost of delivery.

It is worth noting that the CMR waybill contains the same information as the bill of lading. But there is one fundamental difference between them: CMR, unlike a bill of lading, is not a commodity distribution document

Who should fill out the CMR?

As a rule, the sender of the cargo must fill out this document, based on the instructions and requirements set forth by the freight forwarding company. It is worth noting that the sender of the cargo bears the same responsibility for the correct filling of the CMR document

It is important to remember that the waybill is filled out in three originals (at least) and signed by both the carrier and the sender.

The third copy is kept by the carrier. As for the second copy, it must accompany the cargo

It is also worth noting that the CMR invoice should be filled out exclusively with a ballpoint pen. The use of office equipment is also allowed (you can download a sample CMR invoice from the link at the beginning of the article

A little history: the convention was signed in 1956, on May 19, in Switzerland (Geneva). After signing the document, it was ratified in most European countries, after which a standard sample of the CMR waybill was developed. The columns in the documents are duplicated in three languages, and this fact guarantees that the waybill is recognized and valid throughout Europe.

CMR sample

Free CMR Download

  • Column 1:  Sender. The full name of the consignor must be entered in this column. If the cargo is sent at the request of another company, it is necessary to supplement the record with the name of the sender of the cargo with the mark “on behalf” or “by order”.
  • Column 2:  Recipient. In this column, you must specify the consignee’s full name and legal/postal address. If the cargo is sent to the address of the customs broker, the mark “for the company …” must be made.
  • Box 3:  Place of unloading. In this column, the delivery address is entered after customs clearance is completed.
  • Column 4:  Date and place of loading. In this column, you must specify the country, date and city of download.
  • Column 5:  Attached documents. It is mandatory to list other documents attached to the CMR invoice. It can be TIR Carnet, invoice, etc.).
  • Columns 6, 7, 8, 9:  These columns indicate the type of packaging, the name of the cargo and the number of seats. It is worth noting that the data recorded in these columns must exactly correspond to the information specified in the packing list and invoice.

If you are dealing with a list of names, you can specify the combined name, but be sure to mark the “decryption in the invoice” column

It is also necessary to remember that with a large number of cargo names, it is highly desirable to indicate the decoding of the weight, and for all codes of TN ZED

If we talk about container transportation, then the number of transport seats in the CMR waybill must exactly correspond to the information specified in the bill of lading (sea)

  • Column 10:  In this column it is necessary to write down all codes of TN ZED for each group of transported goods.
  • Column 11:  Gross weight. The gross weight stated in the invoice is recorded in this column. If you are dealing with sea container transportation, this column should contain the information specified in the bill of lading (sea).
  • Box 12:  Most often, it is filled out only when groupage is transported. In other cases, it is not necessary to fill in the column.
  • Column 13:  Indication of the sender. It is necessary to write down the details of the customs terminal to which the cargo will be delivered for the purpose of customs clearance.
  • Column 14:  Return. If you are dealing with container transportation, then this column is mandatory to fill. It is necessary to write the address of the depot where the container must be returned after the customs clearance and unloading process.
  • Column 15:  Terms of payment. In the column, it is necessary to indicate the terms of delivery of the cargo according to INCOTERM.
  • Column 16:  Carrier. In this column, the details of the company (the owner of the customs carrier or TIR Carnet) are indicated.
  • Column 17:  Next carrier. The column is filled in only in the event that transshipment from one transport to another is planned. As a rule, the details of the forwarder who controls the transportation are indicated.
  • Column 18:  Remarks and caveats. In this column, you need to indicate any clarifications of the carrier about the cargo being transported.
  • Box 20:  “Agree with the owner…” and the name, surname, signature, date – who and when issued this car.
  • Column 22:  Arrival under load. Here it is necessary to write down the exact date and time of arrival of the transport under load.
    It is important: column 22 should contain the four-cornered stamp of the customs office and the name, surname, signature, date – who and when issued this car.
    Transportation with a CMR issued in this way is treated by Russian employees according to the last agreement as appropriate for carrying out with a bilateral permit. In case of non-filling or incorrect filling of 20 and 22, we will be charged a fine of 11,000 EUR. Therefore, always check the documents responsibly.
  • Column 24:  Arrival for unloading. Similar to the previous column, only the data on arrival for unloading are indicated.

CMR waybill  is an international document that is drawn up in the process of cargo transportation through Europe. This document contains information about the type of cargo, its recipient and sender. When the carrier crosses the border, appropriate marks are added to the waybill. It is important to remember that a lot depends on the correctness of filling out the CMR invoice, so to avoid difficulties it is better to approach the process carefully.

Rules for filling out the CMR. How is the CMR filled out correctly? A sample of the completed CMR. Download the CMR form