Spain’s digital freight documentation rules put road operators on notice
Rhenus Logistics has warned British businesses operating in Spain to review their road freight documentation procedures following the introduction of mandatory digital administrative control documents under Spanish transport legislation.
In an announcement published on 26 October, the logistics company said the Documento electrónico de Control Administrativo (DeCA) became mandatory on 5 October 2026, replacing the paper-based administrative control document used for relevant road transport operations.
The requirement forms part of Spain’s wider digitalisation of transport documentation. It applies to domestic road transport operations covered by the Spanish administrative control framework, including cabotage performed by foreign-registered vehicles.
International transport operations that only partly take place on Spanish territory are treated separately under the applicable international transport documentation rules.
Digital requirements for road freight
The DeCA is the electronic version of Spain’s Documento de Control Administrativo (DCA), which records information about the parties involved in a transport operation and the journey being undertaken.
Under the technical requirements established by Spain’s Directorate-General for Road and Rail Transport, electronic control documents must be generated digitally in PDF format and include a QR code linked to a unique document-specific web address.
The regulations do not permit scanned copies of existing paper documents to serve as valid digitally generated DeCA files.
Drivers must be provided with access to the document before the transport operation begins. They may present it electronically or carry a printed copy containing the required QR code for inspection purposes.
The regulatory framework also establishes requirements for document retention and access by transport inspection authorities.
For UK operators carrying out cabotage within Spain, the changes mean that administrative systems and drivers must be prepared to provide the relevant digital documentation.
Responsibilities for transport companies
Rhenus said businesses should ensure that transport information is accurate, available when required and properly coordinated between the parties involved.
According to the company, responsibility for the documentation may be shared between the contractual shipper and the operating carrier, with potential penalties where required documents are missing, late or inaccurate.
Markus Sandbrink, Chief Information Officer of the Rhenus Group, highlighted the importance of ensuring that both administrative personnel and drivers understand the new requirements.
He also noted that digital documentation makes inconsistencies between information systems and business processes more visible, increasing the importance of clearly defined responsibilities and reliable data exchange.
Rhenus is working with the Open Logistics Foundation, an organisation developing open-source solutions for logistics and supply chain processes, including electronic consignment documentation.
Part of Europe’s wider transport digitalisation
Spain’s move comes as European transport authorities prepare for wider adoption of electronic freight transport information.
Under the European Union’s electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) framework, authorities will be required to accept qualifying freight information submitted electronically from July 2027.
The Spanish regulatory framework also provides for the use of eFTI-compliant information systems as an alternative means of satisfying specified DeCA presentation requirements.
For transport operators, the transition increases the importance of compatible documentation systems, reliable data management and coordination between logistics providers, shippers and carriers.
The changes also highlight the need to distinguish domestic and cabotage operations subject to Spain’s administrative control requirements from international journeys governed by separate documentation arrangements.
