Freight News, IT, Logistics, Road


DeCAs become compulsory for Spanish freight

[ October 20, 2026   //   ]

Rhenus Logistics says that the Documento electrónico de Control Administrativo (DeCA) became mandatory on 5 October, marking a shift from paper-based to digital documentation for all road freight moving in and out of Spain.

DeCA is the digital form of the Documento de Control Administrativo (DCA). A DeCA is required for cabotage transport on Spanish roads, apart from last-mile parcel delivery and small shipments that can be handled by one person. The change requires British firms using trucks registered in the UK to hold DeCAs to transport goods across Spain, in order to comply with Spanish regulations and affects all businesses operating in Spain. Those which are responsible for their own transport also need to ensure they understand the changes, says Rhenus.

DeCAs must be generated as digital PDFs, linked to a unique URL and be accessible through a QR code. DCAs and DeCAs detail the operators involved in the transport as well as the specifics of the journey itself.

Failure to generate a DCA in time may result in penalties and shared liability between contractual shipper and operative carrier.

The move to e-documents is part of the wider move to electronic consignment notes (eCMRs) across Europe. From July 2027, all EU authorities are required to accept electronic freight transport information.

Rhenus Group chief information officer Markus Sandbrink, said: “The regulation has already come into effect, so firms need to ensure compliance as soon as possible. For UK companies operating in Spain, readiness means making sure administrative teams and drivers understand the new documentation requirements and that the right transport information is available when it is needed.

“But this is about more than replacing paper documents with digital ones. Digital documentation makes inconsistencies in data and processes much more visible, particularly when information moves between different systems and partners.

“Businesses therefore need clear responsibilities for how information is generated, updated and shared. As more freight documentation becomes digital across Europe, interoperability and process alignment will become increasingly important to keeping goods moving smoothly.”

DCAs may be issued by the contractual shipper, the logistics provider or the operating carrier. Responsibility is shared between all parties involved, and the contractual shipper or operative carrier may both be held liable if the document does not exist, if it is not created in time or for incomplete or inaccurate information.

Rhenus is working with the Open Logistics Foundation, a nonprofit, collectively beneficial foundation to develop open-source solutions to logistics and supply chain challenges for eCMRs.

Tags: