How-to
DeCA mandatory from 5 October 2026: what you need to do
Updated on September 29, 2026 · 6 min read
Short answer
- From 5 October 2026 the control document must be issued in electronic format for domestic public freight transport.
- It affects both obliged parties under article 4: the actual carrier and the contracting loader.
- The data doesn't change: it's still the same eight letters of article 6. What changes is the medium.
- You need a native PDF with a QR code, hosted at a directly accessible HTTPS URL, kept for a year.
- No electronic signature, ERP, or TMS integration is needed.
5 October 2026 is the date from which the administrative control document must be issued in electronic format for domestic public road freight transport. It's not a recommendation or a voluntary adaptation phase: it's the date on which the electronic format becomes the required one.
Who it affects
The same parties as always: the two subjects that article 4 of Orden FOM/2861/2012 obliges to formalise the document. The actual carrier, holder of the authorisation under which the transport is carried out, and the contracting loader, whoever contracts directly with them — including agencies, freight forwarders, cooperatives and logistics operators.
If you were issuing paper control documents, it affects you. If you've never issued them because your activity is exempt under article 2, you remain exempt.
What exactly changes
| Before | From 5 Oct 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Required data | The 8 letters of art. 6 | The same 8 letters of art. 6 |
| Medium | Paper or electronic | Electronic |
| File format | Free | Native PDF, max. 5 MB |
| Identification | None specific | QR code with the document's URL |
| Access on the road | Physical copy on board | Direct HTTPS download, no login |
| Traceability | Not regulated | Log of creation and modification date/time |
| Retention | 1 year, any medium | 1 year, any medium |
What you need ready
- 1A way to generate the PDF natively from data, without scanning paper.
- 2A QR code on each document pointing to its unique web address.
- 3A repository accessible over HTTPS, with no authentication, with immediate PDF download.
- 4A log of the date and time each file was created.
- 5An archive that keeps the documents for at least a year and lets you find them.
- 6A way for the driver to have the document at hand before setting off.
What you don't need
- An electronic signature. No regulation applicable to the DeCA requires one.
- An ERP or a TMS. The regulation governs the file and the application, not how you manage your company.
- Registering your domain with the Administration. The 2026 Resolution removed the requirement that the 2023 one had.
- A digital certificate to issue it.
How much it costs to comply
It depends a lot on who you solve it with. eCMR-oriented solutions and platforms for companies with systems already in place start at several thousand euros a year, because they're also solving the evidentiary problem of international transport. For a sole trader or a small fleet that only needs to meet the domestic administrative control requirement, that's paying for something you won't use.
Frequently asked questions
When is the DeCA mandatory?
From 5 October 2026 the control document must be issued in electronic format for domestic public road freight transport.
Who does the DeCA obligation affect?
The obliged parties under article 4 of Orden FOM/2861/2012: the actual carrier and the contracting loader, including agencies, freight forwarders, cooperatives and logistics operators that contract the transport.
Do I need an ERP or a TMS to comply with the DeCA?
No. The regulation governs the characteristics of the electronic file and of the application that generates it; it does not require integrating any management system.
What happens if I don't issue the DeCA from October 2026?
Article 7.1 attributes responsibility for not formalising the control document to both the contracting loader and the actual carrier, and the same responsibility applies if it isn't carried on board the vehicle.