ADR is the United Nations agreement governing the international carriage of dangerous goods by road. It determines how a substance is to be classified, packaged and labelled, and with which vehicle, which trained driver and which documents it is to be carried. Türkiye became a party in 2010 to the agreement signed in Geneva in 1957 and also applies its rules to domestic transport.
Scope and structure of ADR
ADR was signed in Geneva on 30 September 1957 and entered into force on 29 January 1968. The agreement is administered by the working party on the transport of dangerous goods (WP.15) within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). As of 2025, 55 countries are parties. To facilitate accession from outside Europe, the word “European” has not appeared in its official title since 1 January 2021.
The short main text of the agreement only sets out the framework; the actual rules are in two annexes:
- Annex A: General provisions, classification, the dangerous goods list (Table A), packaging and tank rules, marking and labelling, transport documents, loading and unloading.
- Annex B: Vehicle crews, equipment, operating rules, driver training, vehicle construction and approval.
The annexes consist of nine parts and are published in two volumes. The text is based on the UN Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods prepared for all modes of transport. As a result, ADR uses the same class and UN number system as RID for rail, IMDG for sea and IATA DGR for air; the differences are tabulated in the comparison of ADR, RID, IMDG and IATA DGR.
What is it for?
The basic function of ADR is to ensure that a dangerous goods vehicle crossing borders is subject to the same rules in every country. A load of paint leaving Mersin is inspected in Bulgaria, Hungary or Germany with the same label, the same orange plate and the same documents. This common language has two results: in an accident, fire and medical teams can tell from the plate what the load is, and companies do not have to seek separate permits for each country.
How often do the rules change?
ADR is updated every two years, in odd-numbered years. ADR 2025 entered into force on 1 January 2025; ADR 2023 provisions could be used until 30 June 2025. Changes introduced with the latest edition, such as the entries for sodium-ion batteries (UN 3551, UN 3552), are described in the entry on ADR 2025 changes. The next edition is ADR 2027.
How is it applied in Türkiye?
Türkiye became a party to ADR in 2010. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (Ulaştırma ve Altyapı Bakanlığı) is responsible for its implementation. The current national legislation is the Regulation on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (Tehlikeli Maddelerin Karayoluyla Taşınması Hakkında Yönetmelik), published in Official Gazette No. 31870 of 18 June 2022. The regulation also applies ADR provisions to domestic transport and defines documents specific to Türkiye: the Dangerous Goods Activity Certificate (Tehlikeli Madde Faaliyet Belgesi, TMFB), the requirement for a dangerous goods safety adviser (tehlikeli madde güvenlik danışmanı, TMGD) and the SRC5 driver certificate. Details are in the entry on the national dangerous goods regulation.
Basic requirements of ADR transport
- Classification: The UN number, class and packing group of the substance are determined; Table A shows which rules apply.
- Packaging: UN-approved packaging is used for packaged goods; tanks are also approved.
- Marking and labelling: The UN number and hazard labels are placed on packages, and orange plates and, where required, placards on the vehicle.
- Documents: The transport document and the instructions in writing for the driver are carried in the vehicle.
- Vehicle and equipment: Fire extinguishers and personal protective equipment; an ADR certificate of approval for tankers and certain vehicle types.
- Personnel: The driver holds an ADR training certificate (SRC5 in Türkiye); loading personnel are also trained.
- Route and loading: Mixed loading prohibitions and tunnel restriction codes apply.
Who is responsible?
ADR does not place responsibility on the carrier alone. The consignor is responsible for classification and documents, the packer and loader for packaging and stowage, the carrier for the vehicle and driver, and the consignee for checks after unloading. The division of roles is detailed in the entry on consignor, carrier and consignee responsibilities. For small quantities, some obligations are lifted; these exemptions are calculated using the transport category and the 1,000-point rule. How these roles are shared in a shipment can be seen in the planning steps of the dangerous goods (ADR) transport service.