Required documents for drivers performing domestic and international transport – list

The provisions of Article 87 of the Act of 6 September 2001 on Road Transport (hereinafter referred to as UTD) about Carrying Documents: The article mandates that during road transport, the carrier must have and be able to present specific documents.

These documents concern not only the driver himself, but also the vehicle he drives, the carrier’s authorizations and the transported load. The scope of necessary documents depends on the type of transport. During transports carried out by Silesian Logistics (i.e. in the EU, GB, CH and NO), drivers most often have with them documents from the list below. We have briefly described each of them.

DRIVER DOCUMENTS

  1. Driving license, Code 95 and confirmation of having medical tests

A driving license confirms that the driver has the right to drive a vehicle of a specific category. The category C driving license is required to drive a truck, and the category C + E driving license for a truck with a trailer. The driver should also have the right to transport goods or people – Code 95, issued after completing a qualification course or periodic training. A short periodic training, renewing Code 95, usually takes place every 5 years. Code 95 is stamped into the driving license. In addition, the driver has with him/her confirmation of having valid medical and psychological tests.

  1. Driver card, record sheets, tachograph printouts

The Driver Card is a document required to drive vehicles equipped with a tachograph. The card is inserted into the device to collect data on the driver’s activity – both work and rest. Manual records and printouts from the tachograph from the previous 56 days are presented at the request of an authorized inspection body. On the other hand, record sheets apply only to vehicles equipped with analogue tachographs.

  1. ID card or passport

These are documents confirming the driver’s identity, required, among others, during border control.

  1. Driver’s certificate, Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) and a document confirming legal residence/work

A driver’s certificate (the so-called “red document”) is required in international transport for drivers who are not citizens of the European Union. This document confirms the driver’s legal employment in the territory of a community country. It is issued by the General Inspectorate of Road Transport. Drivers who do not have a Polish driving license with Code 95 stamped on them also need a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC). It is a confirmation of having the right to professionally drive a vehicle of a given category. Drivers on international routes often also have an employment contract and other employment documents with them. However, there are no regulations obliging a driver to have a current contract with an employer in the vehicle.

  1. IMI notification

When a driver performs international road transport such as cabotage or cross-trade (transfers), a posting declaration must be made in the IMI system – a special portal provided by the European Commission. This portal is used to submit posting declarations and to respond to requests for documents from national authorities. After making a declaration in the loading/unloading countries, a form is downloaded from the system, which must be carried in the cabin. An electronic version is also accepted.

  1. A1 certificate from ZUS (Social Insurance Institution)

This document is a confirmation that a driver performing international transport is subject to Polish social insurance. He is employed by a Polish entrepreneur, so contributions for this should be paid in Poland. This is a form of protection against double payment of contributions (in two countries). The A1 certificate is issued by ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) upon application. It is held by drivers performing transport in the European Union, EEA and Switzerland, because it may be required during inspections.

  1. ADR certificate (optional)

This document is required for drivers who transport dangerous goods. To obtain such certificates, a driver must complete an ADR course of a specific class and pass an exam.

  1. Documents from hotels

The provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 561/2006 oblige every driver who carries out road transport in the territory of EU Member States to take a regular weekly rest outside the vehicle cabin, lasting at least 45 hours. This obligation applies to all drivers regardless of the form of employment (e.g. employment contract, b2b contract). Rest should take place in a place with appropriate sanitary conditions, which ensures comfortable sleep. According to the position of the European Commission, control bodies have the right to verify the way in which the driver takes rest, but he does not have to present bills or invoices for accommodation. The driver keeps documents from hotel facilities for evidence and settlement purposes.

  1. ETA certificate (EU – UK transport)

From 2 April 2025, a driver carrying out transport to the UK must have an electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) certificate, assigned to their passport. The new obligation applies to all travellers (with minor exceptions), including professional drivers. The ETA certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of issue or until the passport expires. Replacing a passport involves the need to obtain a new ETA certificate. An application for an ETA certificate must be submitted electronically via the dedicated UK ETA App mobile application or via the government website. The ETA certificate is necessary to legally cross the British border.

  1. Checklist (transport to the UK)

Companies carrying out transport to Great Britain must ensure that their vehicles and employed drivers are properly prepared. The Border Force imposes huge financial penalties, including for transporting illegal immigrants – even if it takes place without the knowledge of the carrier or driver. The carrier is obliged to implement specific procedures to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the vehicle. A large responsibility rests with the professional driver. When transporting cargo to Great Britain, they must have a checklist with them in accordance with Border Force guidelines. This document confirms that the carrier has implemented an effective security system and that the driver has carried out a set of activities to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the vehicle. The checklist should be updated on an ongoing basis and presented to authorized services in the event of an inspection.

VEHICLE DOCUMENTS

  1. Registration certificate and third party liability insurance

These are two basic documents concerning the vehicle. It is worth knowing that in Poland the driver does not have to carry them in the cabin, but this is not a global or European standard. Therefore, when performing international transport, the driver should have with them both the vehicle registration certificate with confirmation of passing the technical inspection, as well as the third party liability insurance policy confirming possession of valid, compulsory civil liability insurance.

  1. Authorization to use the vehicle

This document is required when driving a leased vehicle. It confirms the driver’s right to use the vehicle. It should include the driver and vehicle’s data. For safety reasons, it is worth providing the driver with a Polish and English language version of the authorization.

  1. Certificates of vehicle compliance with standards

Vehicles equipped with combustion engines have a greater or lesser impact on the natural environment. For years, EURO emission standards have been in force in the European Union and the European Economic Area. EURO standards introduce emission limits for newly manufactured vehicles. The guidelines vary depending on, among other things, the type of vehicle and are regularly updated. A means of transport that does not meet the applicable EURO standards will not be put on sale. However, driving a vehicle that complies with older EURO standards may in some places involve additional fees. Compliance with EURO standards is required when driving through cities covered by the Clean Transport Zone. In addition, there are hundreds of Low Emission Zones in Europe. Vehicles that do not meet the EURO 6 emission standards, and are therefore responsible for high levels of pollution, usually have to pay the highest tolls for driving and parking. Different regulations apply in each country. In Germany, entry to the Low Emission Zone is only possible with an environmental sticker (Umweltplakette). A green sticker indicates the correct emission standard. The EURO standard for a given vehicle can be checked online by the registration number. It can also be found in the vehicle documents: EC certificate of conformity, certificate of conformity, individual vehicle approval, decision on recognition of individual vehicle approval or individual EC vehicle approval certificate.

  1. Vignettes

Domestic and international transport involves road tolls when driving on toll roads. Individual countries, including EU Member States, use different solutions for collecting road tolls. A vignette is a confirmation of payment for access to specific roads for a specified period. Vignettes are purchased in paper or electronic versions. Special systems, such as the e-TOLL electronic toll collection system, are also used to pay for driving on toll roads. It calculates tolls based on the routes travelled. Registration with e-TOLL is mandatory before driving on toll road sections managed by the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways, including for owners of vehicles with a permissible total weight of over 3.5 tonnes.

  1. Certificates required for the transport of specific goods

These documents confirm that the vehicle is adapted to transport special loads. These include a certificate from a district veterinarian approving the vehicle for the transport of live animals, a certificate of approval of the vehicle in accordance with ADR regulations for the transport of hazardous materials, or an ATP certificate authorizing the transport of food and perishable goods.

DOCUMENTS REGARDING CARRIER’S AUTHORIZATIONS

  1. Confirmation of having the right to perform road transport

In order to legally perform road transport, the driver should carry in the cabin an abstract from the permit to perform the occupation of road transporter or an abstract from the Community license. The first document applies to carriers performing only domestic transport, while the second applies to carriers performing international transport. The Community license allows the carrier to carry out commercial transport of items within EU countries without the need to obtain the consent of each Member State. The license is issued by the Chief Inspectorate of Road Transport (GITD) upon application.

CARGO DOCUMENTS

  1. Shipping documents

A waybill (domestic or CMR) is a document confirming the conclusion of a transport contract. It contains the data of the sender, recipient and carrier, important information about the load, such as weight, number of pieces, type of packaging and markings, as well as transport details. It can be the basis for the delivery of the load. In road transport, the waybill is referred to as CMR (abbreviation of the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road) .In turn, the international CMR bill is necessary for the performance of international road transport. It confirms the conclusion of a road transport contract for goods. In the case of cabotage transport, i.e. commercial transport of goods in the territory of one country using a vehicle registered in another country, in addition to the international CMR bill, waybills for each cabotage transport service performed and invoices for the cabotage performed are also required.

  1. ADR Safety Instructions

The ADR written instruction, also known as the safety card, is a document that is mandatory for the driver of a vehicle that is to be used to transport dangerous goods (ADR). The instruction describes the actions that should be taken in the event of an accident or breakdown. It also contains a list of general and personal protective equipment and templates for labels and markings used during ADR transport. It also contains additional instructions for the vehicle crew regarding the hazards posed by dangerous goods of specific classes. The driver should keep the ADR written instruction in the cabin in an easily accessible place, together with other documentation, i.e. the ADR waybill, identity document, ADR certificate, vehicle approval certificate and other documents that may be required during ADR transport and are subject to inspection by authorized bodies.

  1. Documents required for waste transport

The driver of a vehicle transporting waste, both domestically and on international routes, should have a number of documents with them. Currently, there is no longer an obligation to have a paper permit for the transport of waste. The most important document in Poland is the Waste Transfer Card (WTC). It contains information on the type and quantity of waste being transported, data of the sender and recipient, and data of the carrier, including the identification number from the BDO system. The carrier is required to have a confirmation from the BDO system, which confirms the consistency of the data in the WTC with the actual state of the transported waste. In addition, it is necessary to correctly mark vehicles and semi-trailers. In the case of international transport, notification of transboundary movement of waste is required (based on Regulation EC No. 1013/2006). If the waste is classified as hazardous goods, it is necessary to have ADR documentation, including a material safety data sheet (SDS).

  1. SENT number (optional)

The SENT system monitors the transport of goods considered tax-sensitive, such as fuels, ethyl alcohol, heating and lubricating oils, ready-to-pour concrete or selected food products and chemicals. The transport of such goods requires registration and notification of the transport before it begins on the PUESC platform. Then a SENT reference number is obtained.

  1. Permit for nonstandard transport (optional)

When vehicle parameters, such as axle loads, dimensions or total weight, with or without cargo, exceed the transport standards specified in the provisions of the Act of 20 June 1997 – Road Traffic Law, we speak of non-standard transport (also known as oversized transport). Construction elements and construction machinery often qualify as non-standard loads. The movement of non-standard vehicles is permitted under several conditions. First of all, it requires payment of a fee and obtaining a permit for the passage of the appropriate category from the competent authority. As a rule, foreign entities submit applications for a permit for the passage of non-standard vehicles to the headquarters of the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways in Warsaw, while domestic entities submit them to the headquarters of one of the branches of the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways.

  1. Animal transport permit

The principles of commercial transport of live animals are regulated by EU regulations, in particular Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related activities. A driver transporting animals must have a certificate of professional competence, issued on the basis of training and successful examination. Transport of animals over a distance of 65 km requires a permit to be obtained by the carrier. The document is issued by the competent authority of the country in which the company is headquartered or represented. The condition for obtaining a permit is to have an appropriate number of employees and appropriate equipment and operational procedures. Transports lasting more than 8 hours require the applicant to present a certificate of professional competence of drivers and accompanying persons, a certificate of approval of the means of transport for use, data on monitoring and recording of vehicle movement and emergency plans for emergency situations. In the case of international transport of animals, the driver must have a travel plan prepared by the transport organizer. It contains, among other things, information on the identification of animals, persons responsible, place of departure and destination and inspections. Such permits are registered in an electronic database and remain valid for 5 years.

  1. Documents for transport by ferry and train

The same documents are usually required for a ferry crossing as those with which the driver travels on the road. When entering a port, the driver should have with them an identity card or passport, a reservation number, a CMR letter regarding the cargo and documentation required for the transport of live animals or dangerous goods (ADR), if such cargo is being transported. Based on the above documents, the driver receives a boarding pass. ADR transport on a ferry also requires completing a Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGN). It contains information about the transported materials, restrictions on transport and the entity sending and receiving the dangerous goods. Very important elements of the document are the dates and signatures of the sender and the person responsible for loading. A DGN template can be downloaded from the Internet.

However, in rail transport the following transport documents may be required:

  1. ITU number from RO e-Transport system (Romania)

Transport of goods in Romania is subject to prior, mandatory notification in the RO e-Transport transport monitoring system. Information about the sender and recipient of the cargo, the properties and value of the transported goods, the place of loading and unloading and the vehicle is entered into the system. On this basis, the system generates a unique ITU number, which the carrier includes in the transport documents. This code allows the authorities to identify the transported cargo. A few years ago, only domestic road transport of goods with high fiscal risk was subject to notification in the RO e-Transport system. Currently, this obligation covers international road transport of all goods. Each transport ending or starting in Romania must be reported to the system. Only transit transport carried out by foreign carriers (travel through the country without unloading) is not subject to monitoring.

  1. EKAER number (Hungary)

The Electronic Public Road Trade Control System (EKAER) is a solution designed to monitor compliance with tax obligations arising from the road transport of goods to the territory of Hungary from any European Union Member State. The reporting obligation is, as a rule, on the Hungarian consignor or recipient. The carrier or transport organizer must obtain an EKAER notification number from the taxpayer (the recipient of goods operating in the territory of Hungary) before starting the transport.

Transport of a specific type of goods to a given country may require the collection of other or additional documents. At Silesian Logistics, we are always up to date with the transport law applicable in all the countries we service. Proficient knowledge of the regulations is the basis for efficient and safe delivery of cargo.