Transport control document: mandatory digitisation by 2026

In 2026, the transport control document, one of the key pieces of paperwork in the logistics sector, will stop living in the lorry’s glovebox: digitising it will become mandatory.

Let’s look at it in detail and see what impact it will have on the sector.

What is the transport control document?

The transport control document (DCT) is a document that brings together all the essential information about the goods and that must be carried in the vehicle while they are being transported. You could say it is the goods’ passport while they are on the move.

Its main purpose is to unify all the data that used to be spread across different documents.

It contains information such as:

• Description, origin and destination of the goods.
• Identification of the shipper, carrier and consignee.
• Date and conditions of the service.
• Registration number of the vehicle used for transport.

At present, two copies of the DCT must be issued: one for the carrier and one for the shipper.

Both are responsible for making sure the document is properly completed, and they must keep it for at least a year, available to transport inspectors.

The 2026 regulatory framework and penalties

The Sustainable Mobility Act, published in the Spanish Official State Gazette and in force since Friday 5 December, includes among its most significant measures the digitisation of the transport control document. Under this law, it must be digital ten months after the act comes into force, that is, from 5 October 2026.

From that moment on, the transport control document, which until now could be carried and managed on paper, will have to be generated, kept and presented in digital format, in line with the legal requirements that are established.

Penalties

Not having the document, filling it in incorrectly or failing to produce it during an inspection is an administrative transport offence. Depending on the seriousness and the circumstances, these offences may be classed as:

• Minor offences: fines of up to €400, generally associated with isolated defects or errors in the paperwork.
• Serious offences: fines of up to €2,000, where the document is not carried on board the vehicle or has significant faults.
• Very serious offences: fines of up to €6,000, in particularly serious cases, where there is repeat offending or where fraud in the paperwork is detected.

The exact amount of the penalty will be determined according to the provisions of the LOTT, the applicable regional regulations and the specific circumstances of each transport operation.

Reference legislation: Act 16/1987 (LOTT), Royal Decree 1211/1990 (ROTT) and Order FOM/2861/2012.

Why will digitisation become mandatory in 2026?

The idea of digitising the transport control document comes from the need to put an end to problems that paper can no longer solve.

Less paper, more efficiency

Paper, although it may seem otherwise, carries high costs: it takes up space, deteriorates and can even go missing. Digitising the DCT not only removes those risks, it also lets you get to it at any time and from anywhere.

Real traceability

A paper document can be altered with practically no difficulty, whereas a digital one makes both altering it and gaining access to it harder. That way the integrity of the document can always be guaranteed and tampering prevented.

Faster inspections

Roadside inspection is also going digital, and the control document is one of the first steps. With it, officers will be able to consult the information in real time, which means quicker, more efficient checks.

Sustainability

Doing away with paper helps reduce environmental impact, in line with the sustainability and corporate responsibility policies that carry more and more weight in Spain and in the sector.

How will the digital DCT be produced during a roadside inspection?

With digitisation becoming mandatory, the transport control document will no longer be shown on paper and will have to be available in digital format throughout the journey.

During a roadside inspection, the digital DCT may be produced:

• On an electronic device (phone, tablet or the vehicle’s own system).

• Through a QR code or secure link that lets officers access the transport information.

• In formats that guarantee immediate reading and verification of authenticity.

The impact on transport and logistics companies

The way logistics and transport companies operate day to day is going to change with the arrival of the digital transport control document.

To begin with, companies’ internal systems will have to adapt so they can generate, manage and keep the DCT digitally. That means investing in software, training staff and reviewing document procedures.

Although the whole process may look tedious, the benefits show up quickly:

• Faster, automated processes.
• The risk of penalties removed.
• Better control of the information and of the transport chain.

A document management system for the DCT

Digitising the DCT is not only about swapping paper for an electronic document, it is about improving the way it is created, managed and kept. In doing so, it pushes the sector not to fall behind and to automate repetitive processes that are still handled manually.

In this new setting, a document management system will make tasks like these quicker:

• Defining who creates the digital DCT, when and with what data, avoiding duplicates or incomplete documents.
• Organising the workflows properly from the start of the journey to the end.
• Making sure the DCT is signed electronically in a valid way and in line with current regulations.
• Configuring access to the document so it is available on the road, in inspections and in audits.
• Organising how documents are classified so they can be found quickly.
• Avoiding legal problems arising from poor digitisation or from errors.

 

Although the mandatory digitisation of the transport control document will be a challenge for companies, it will undoubtedly be an opportunity to improve the way they handle their day-to-day administration and to spend time on work that adds value (rather than on tasks that can be automated).