Knowledge · 7 min read

Jakub Wujec

Last reviewed: 30 July 2026

Carrier documents checklist before the first load

Request company registration proof, transport licence evidence, VAT ID, cargo insurance, and signed carrier terms. Then verify each item in the official register on booking day, in that order, not only on the PDF they emailed. A clean scan does not replace live register status today.

Key checks before you assign the load

Ask for documents that match the legal name on the invoice.
Verify licence and VAT in government registers, not only on attachments.
Insurance PDF must name the carrier you contract with.
Keep register printouts with a date stamp in the load file.
Domain and email checks complement paper, they do not replace registers.
File who approved exceptions when a risk signal was cleared.

Documents to request, then verify in order

Collect the packet first, then run the same verification order as How to verify a carrier. Use this on every first booking, including subcontractors presented by a broker you already know.

1. Company registration proof

Ask for a current extract or confirmation of legal form and status. Verify in the national company register on booking day.

Tutorial: Company register carrier check.

2. Transport licence evidence

Ask for a licence copy plus permission to check the official register. Confirm scope in KREPTD, ARR, or the local register.

Tutorial: Transport licence verification.

3. VAT ID on the invoice header

Validate in VIES and local lists. Name must match the register and the document packet.

Tutorial: VAT and VIES carrier check.

4. Insurance policy

Cargo or CMR policy with policy holder, cover period, and limits. With plates: also run the plate bureau (UFG in Poland).

Tutorial: UFG vehicle insurance Poland.

5. Signed terms and contact channel

Carrier agreement for your lane, plus email and domain that fit the register. Impersonation patterns: How to detect a fake carrier.

Document versus register: what usually fails

Document versus register check
Check	Why it matters	Possible risk signal
Register extract	Confirms the entity on the contract can haul today.	PDF from email shows active status but the live register shows liquidation.
Transport licence paper	Licence scope must fit your route and vehicle type.	Scan shows community licence but register shows suspension or expiry.
VAT document	Tax ID on invoice must match an active VIES record.	Certificate dated last year while VIES is inactive today.
Insurance policy	Cover must exist when the truck rolls.	Policy holder is a different company or expired last month.
Email and domain	Contact channel should fit company age and register address.	Documents on letterhead but outreach comes from freemail or a new domain.

What to document before assigning the load

Store both what they sent and what you verified in registers. Claims and audits ask for the second set.

Register extract or screenshot with date stamp.
Transport licence status from the official register, not only a PDF from email.
VIES or local VAT printout tied to the invoice name.
Vehicle MTPL bureau confirmation for the booked plate on pickup day when plates are known.
Cargo or CMR policy document with policy holder, dates, limits and territorial scope.
Who approved the carrier, when, and on which lane.
Any follow-up call notes if a risk signal was cleared manually.

Red flags and common mistakes

Only PDFs, no register check

Scans are easy to reuse. Always read the official portal on booking day.

Insurance from a related company

Policy holder must be your carrier. Sister company cover is a risk signal until updated.

Licence copy without register line for community scope

International lanes need community licence or equivalent scope in the national register.

Missing signed terms because the lane was urgent

Paperwork lag is common on hot loads. Still file what you have and note what is pending.

When you do not want to repeat this for every load

You still collect contracts and any extra PDFs your process needs. Official status is the part that repeats: register, licence, VAT, insurance when plates are provided, and domain. Certica fetches those live sources in one pass and returns risk signals before pickup. The PDF report bundles extracts for the carrier file.

Live register layer for the document packet you already collect.
Risk signals show what needs review before pickup.
PDF with registry extracts when compliance asks for proof.

Certica

Don't want to do this on every booking?

Certica pulls data from the same registers, checks it, and shows a clear result: what is OK, and what needs clarifying before loading.

Check 20 carriers for free

Official sources

FAQ

Do I need every document before the first load?

Minimum: register, licence, VAT, and contact verified on booking day. Insurance when plates or policy require it. Signed terms per your company rules.

Is a carrier packet from a load board enough?

Treat it as a starting point. Re-run register and licence checks yourself. Packet data goes stale quickly.

What if the carrier refuses to share insurance?

That is a risk signal. Without cover confirmation or a plate-based register hit, do not release high-value cargo details.

Where is the full verification order?

See How to verify a carrier and the New carrier verification checklist. This page focuses on the document packet versus live registers.

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