From 5 October 2026, Spain is changing the way road freight transport documents are controlled. If you perform domestic transport or cabotage in Spain, the administrative control document must become digital. This electronic document is known as DeCA in Spain.

The change is relevant not only for Spanish transport companies. A foreign carrier performing cabotage in Spain also falls under the DeCA requirement. International transport to or from Spain, however, is treated differently and does not fall under the same requirement.

For transport companies, the important thing is to understand where DeCA in Spain is required, who is responsible for it and what the driver must have during a roadside inspection.

What transport operators need to know ?

From 5 October 2026, Spain will require the Administrative Control Document (Documento de Control Administrativo, or DeCA) to be issued in digital form for domestic public road freight transport operations covered by Spanish national rules. The requirement also applies to foreign carriers carrying out cabotage operations in Spain.

The introduction of the digital DeCA does not represent an entirely new administrative obligation. Spain already requires an administrative control document for certain domestic road freight operations. The main change from 5 October 2026 is that this document will have to be created and managed in a digital format meeting specific technical requirement.

Importantly, “digital” does not simply mean scanning the existing paper document or keeping a photograph or PDF of it. The DeCA must be generated electronically from data held in a compatible system. The resulting document must be provided as a PDF of no more than 5 MB and must contain a QR code linked to a unique web address, through which the document can be accessed or downloaded.

The responsibility for formalising the DeCA in Spain lies with the contractual shipper and the effective carrier. The driver must receive the DeCA before the transport operation begins and must be able to present the document, or its QR code, during a roadside or administrative inspection.

Once issued, the DeCA must also be retained for at least one year.

The geographical scope is also important. The DeCA requirement applies to domestic public road freight transport in Spain, including cabotage operations carried out by foreign carriers. By contrast, international transport to or from Spain is not covered by the Spanish DeCA obligation.

In practical terms, the change can therefore be understood as a move from the existing administrative control document to a fully digital process. From 5 October 2026, operators carrying out activities within the scope of the Spanish rules will need to ensure that the required transport information is generated through a compliant digital system and that the driver can access and present the corresponding DeCA during a control.

For transport companies, the key issue is therefore not simply having a digital copy of the document, but ensuring that their systems and processes are capable of generating a compliant DeCA before the transport starts.

When is DeCA in Spain required?

For foreign carriers, this is probably the most important question.

DeCA applies to domestic public road freight transport in Spain, including cabotage performed by foreign carriers. International transport that only partly takes place in Spain remains outside the Spanish DeCA requirement and continues to use the relevant international control documents.

What information must the DeCA contain?

The document must clearly identify the transport operation. Required information includes the details of the contractual shipper and effective carrier, the origin and destination, the nature and weight of the goods, the transport date and the vehicle registration numbers.

Where applicable, it must also include details of special circulation authorisations and any relevant observations or reservations requested by the parties.

This means that DeCA is not solely a driver’s responsibility. Some information comes from the company contracting transport, while other information is provided by the carrier.

Who is responsible for creating the DeCA in Spain?

The contractual shipper and the effective carrier are responsible for formalising the control document.

This becomes particularly relevant when transport is subcontracted. For example, if Transport Company A receives an order and subcontracts the actual transport to Company B, Company B becomes the effective carrier, while Company A can be the contractual shipper for the operation.

Transport companies should therefore establish internally who is responsible for generating the DeCA. This could be the transport department, customer, dispatcher, TMS or an external service provider.

How does DeCA work in practice?

The process does not need to be complicated.

Imagine a Romanian carrier accepts a cabotage load:

Zaragoza → Barcelona

Before that transport begins, the necessary information is entered into the system.

The system then generates the DeCA as a native digital PDF. The PDF contains a unique QR code, which points to the specific DeCA stored online.

The document must be created before the effective start of the transport. The system must record the date and time when the file was generated.

The DeCA is then provided to the driver.

The transport starts.

If Spanish transport enforcement officers stop the truck, the driver can present the DeCA and its QR code. The QR code allows the authorities to download the electronic PDF directly.

What does the driver need?

The driver must receive the DeCA before the transport begins and must be able to present it during a roadside or administrative inspection.

Importantly, the driver does not necessarily need a smartphone. The DeCA can be carried electronically on a mobile device or as a paper copy containing the required QR code. The QR code can also be provided separately.

During an inspection, authorities can use the QR code to access the electronic DeCA.

The key instruction for drivers is therefore straightforward: before starting a Spanish domestic or cabotage operation, make sure the DeCA or its QR code is available.

Are there exceptions?

Yes. The move to electronic DeCA in Spain does not expand the underlying scope of the old control-document requirement.

For example, Spanish rules provide exemptions for certain operations, including removals, certain transport of broken-down or damaged vehicles using special vehicles, and qualifying parcel or small-package delivery services.

Private complementary transport, where a business transports its own goods as an accessory to its main business under the relevant conditions, is also outside the DeCA requirement, although other documentation requirements can still apply.

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DeCA in Spain: FAQ

When does DeCA become mandatory?

5 October 2026. From that date, the administrative control document required for the relevant public road freight operations must be digital.

Does DeCA apply to foreign carriers?

Yes. Cabotage operations performed by foreign carriers in Spain are included.

Can we scan our current paper document and use it as DeCA?

No. The DeCA must be generated natively in digital form. A scan or photograph of a paper document does not meet the technical requirements.

Do we need to sign the DeCA?

A signature is not mandatory for the validity of DeCA itself. Electronic signatures can nevertheless be used voluntarily or where the same document is also serving another contractual purpose.

Do we need to register with the Spanish Ministry?

No. There is no general Ministry DeCA application where carriers register and upload every document. Companies manage the documents through their own system or service provider.