How to fill in an ADR transport document
An ADR transport document must show the UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group, and sender/consignee details under ADR 5.4.1.
Logifie Team
Logistics Technology Experts
An ADR transport document must show the UN number prefixed "UN," the proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group, total quantity, and sender and consignee details, plus a signed declaration that the goods meet ADR rules. The sender prepares it, and both sender and carrier keep a copy on file.
What information must appear on an ADR transport document?
These fields come from ADR 2025, the current biennial revision, in force since 2025-01-01 through the end of 2026 ( UNECE, ADR 2025 ), Chapter 5.4. Every ADR-classed consignment moving on an EU road under Directive 2008/68/EC needs a document carrying them, typically in this order.
| Required field | What goes here |
|---|---|
| UN number | Four-digit code prefixed "UN," for example UN1203 for petrol |
| Proper shipping name | The official ADR name, plus the technical name in brackets where the entry requires one |
| Hazard class and packing group | Class 1 to 9, plus packing group I, II, or III where the class uses one |
| Total quantity and sender/consignee | Net or gross mass or volume per UN number, plus full sender and consignee addresses |
A missing UN number or an unsigned declaration is the single most common reason a load gets held at a warehouse gate or a roadside check.
Who is responsible for preparing the ADR transport document?
The sender, known as the consignor under ADR, drafts and signs the document before the goods reach the carrier. The driver checks that the document matches the load and the placarding before departure; if the paperwork is wrong, ADR places refusal-to-load responsibility on the carrier too, not just the sender. A dangerous goods safety adviser typically reviews the wording against the current ADR training and certification requirements before a business ships classed freight regularly. Both parties keep a copy on file, since enforcement authorities and insurers can request it after delivery.
What other documents must travel with an ADR shipment?
Alongside the transport document, ADR 5.4.3 requires written instructions for the driver covering hazards and emergency actions for the goods carried. The vehicle also needs correct orange-plate and Kemler-code placarding matching the load; see this guide on reading the ADR orange plate and Kemler code for how the plate maps back to the document's hazard class. Carriers running frequent ADR loads typically track document status, driver certificates, and placarding checks inside a transport management system rather than on paper, since one missing field can stop a vehicle at the gate.
Frequently asked questions
Does the ADR transport document need to be in English?
Not automatically. ADR 5.4.1.4.1 requires the document to be in an official language of the country of origin, plus English, French, or German if that language is none of the three, unless the countries involved agree otherwise. Most international operators default to a bilingual document to avoid border disputes.
How long must a carrier keep a copy of the ADR transport document?
Practice varies slightly by country, but the general expectation, reflected in national competent authority guidance such as the UK's HSE carriage of dangerous goods guidance , is that sender and carrier retain a copy for at least three months. Keep it alongside driver instructions and placarding records for the same period.
Is an ADR transport document required for limited quantities (LQ)?
No. ADR 3.4 exempts goods packed and marked as limited quantities from the full 5.4.1 transport document requirement. A standard delivery note describing the goods and quantity is still good practice, since customs and warehouse staff otherwise have no written record of what is on the vehicle.
What happens if the ADR transport document is missing or incomplete?
A carrier can refuse to load the consignment, and a roadside inspection can stop the vehicle, issue a fine, or in serious cases prohibit continued movement until the paperwork is corrected. Sender and carrier both carry liability under ADR, so an incomplete document is rarely treated as the driver's problem alone.
Ready to move ADR-classed freight without paperwork surprises? Get a quote from Logifie and let a compliance-aware forwarding team handle the document trail.
