What it is
The ADR is the UNECE agreement that governs the carriage of dangerous goods by road: which substances may be carried, how they are classified, packed, marked, labelled and documented, what the vehicle and the driver need, and what each party in the chain is responsible for.
A new edition applies every two years; the 2025 edition is current. In the EU it is extended to national traffic by Directive 2008/68/EC.
Where it applies
The contracting parties (most of Europe and beyond) for international road carriage; national carriage inside the EU follows the same annexes through Directive 2008/68/EC.
What to know
- 01Dangerous goods fall into nine classes and are identified by a four-digit UN number, which drives every other requirement.
- 02Consignor, carrier and consignee each carry their own obligations (chapter 1.4); the consignor is responsible for classification, packaging and the transport document.
- 03Undertakings that consign or carry dangerous goods must appoint a dangerous goods safety adviser (DGSA, section 1.8.3).
- 04Drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods need ADR training and a certificate (chapter 8.2), except under the exemptions.
- 05Limited quantities (chapter 3.4) and excepted quantities (chapter 3.5) relax most requirements for small packagings; the small-load exemption of 1.1.3.6 uses a points system per transport unit.
- 06The transport document (5.4.1) and the instructions in writing (5.4.3) must travel with the load; the vehicle carries orange plates and placards (chapter 5.3).
Who needs to know it
- Consignors and forwarders who classify goods and issue the transport document.
- Carriers and drivers, who need the certificate, the equipment and the instructions in writing.
- Dangerous goods safety advisers and anyone sitting the DGSA or ADR driver exam.
An informative summary, not legal advice. Always check the current text of the rule before deciding.