Mandatory in digital format from 5 October 2026
Digital transport delivery note: control document and DeCA on one platform
Carriers call it a delivery note. The law calls it an administrative control document. From 2026, digital DeCA is mandatory. Kargo unifies creation, signature, QR and archiving.
Why do Google and your drivers say "delivery note" while the law says "control document"?
In day-to-day road freight operations, the transport delivery note is the document that accompanies the goods, captures signatures and justifies the service to customers and inspectors. Legally, in Spain, that role is fulfilled by the administrative control document regulated by Order FOM/2861/2012.
From 5 October 2026, the Sustainable Mobility Law requires this document to be exclusively digital: the DeCA (Electronic Administrative Control Document), with native PDF, QR code and HTTPS URL per BOE-A-2026-12784.
If your company searches for "delivery note management" or "digital delivery notes", what you actually need is to digitise the control document. Kargo covers that full workflow and also the waybill / eCMR when you operate internationally.
Are delivery note, waybill and DeCA the same thing?
| Document | What it is | Mandatory in Spain? |
|---|---|---|
| Transport delivery note | Operational name for the document that accompanies the goods | Yes, as a control document if it includes the data required by art. 6 FOM/2861/2012 |
| Control document / DCA | Administrative document for roadside inspection | Yes, for domestic public road freight transport |
| DeCA | Mandatory digital version of the control document from Oct. 2026 | Yes, electronic format with QR and one-year retention |
| Domestic waybill | Contractual transport document | Can serve as control document if it includes all mandatory data |
| eCMR | Electronic waybill for international transport | For international routes; can meet DeCA requirements if it includes FOM data and technical specs |
Mandatory data your digital delivery note must include
Article 6 of Order FOM/2861/2012 requires identifying the contractual shipper, performing carrier, goods, origin, destination, vehicle, driver and signatures. A valid digital transport delivery note is not a simple commercial proof of delivery: it must hold up in a roadside inspection.
- Contractual shipper and performing carrier
- Description of goods, weight or volume
- Origin, destination and service dates
- Vehicle registration, driver and signatures at origin and destination
- QR code with HTTPS URL for direct download (DeCA)
How to digitise delivery note management with Kargo
Kargo lets you create the document from the office or the driver app, send it to the mobile device, collect signatures on the road and display the QR during inspection. Everything is archived with full traceability for audits and customers.
Frequently asked questions about digital delivery notes and control documents
Does a digital sales delivery note count as a transport control document?
Not necessarily. A commercial delivery note does not always include the mandatory data for road freight transport. You need a transport delivery note or control document compliant with Order FOM/2861/2012.
When does paper stop being valid?
On 5 October 2026, the administrative control document for goods must be exclusively digital (DeCA) for domestic Spanish transport.
Can we still call it a delivery note internally?
Yes, in day-to-day operations. For inspections, what matters is that the digital document complies with regulations, has a QR code and is available throughout the journey.
Keep reading
Digitise your transport delivery notes before the deadline
Get started with Kargo and reach 5 October 2026 with digital control documents, QR codes and archiving ready to go.