In short
Your DGSA must prepare an annual report on your dangerous goods activities for your management. You must keep each report for five years and show it to the authorities if asked. ADR doesn't set a format, so the quality of reports varies widely.
What the law requires
ADR 1.8.3.3 includes, among the DGSA's duties, preparing an annual report to the management of the business, or to a local public authority where appropriate, on the business's activities relating to the carriage of dangerous goods.
- Retention: the report must be kept for five years
- Availability: it must be made available to the national authorities on request
- Format: ADR doesn't prescribe a format or minimum content
What a good report covers
Because ADR doesn't define the content, the Department for Transport published an optional annual report template in January 2026. Whatever format you use, a useful report normally covers:
| Section | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Identification | The business, the sites covered, and the DGSA's details and certificate validity |
| Activities and modes | Whether you consign, pack, fill, load, unload or carry, and by road, rail or other modes |
| Goods and volumes | The classes of dangerous goods handled, how they're contained, and approximate quantities and frequency |
| Incidents | Accidents, incidents and roadside stops during the year, and what was done about them |
| Monitoring | What the DGSA checked against their duties: training, procedures, equipment, documents, loading, subcontractors and security |
| Findings and actions | What's working, what isn't, and a prioritised list of recommendations with owners |
| Follow-up | Progress on last year's recommendations |
Signs of a weak report
- It's nearly identical to last year's, with only the date changed
- It was written without anyone visiting your site
- It doesn't mention incidents or roadside stops you know happened
- It lists problems but no actions, owners or deadlines
- Last year's recommendations are never followed up
Think of it as evidence. If an enforcement officer or insurer asks how you manage dangerous goods, your annual reports are often the first thing they'll want to see. A report that shows real monitoring and follow-through protects the business.
Annual reports and accident reports
The annual report is separate from accident reports. Under ADR 1.8.3.6, if an accident during carriage, loading or unloading affects people, property or the environment, the DGSA must ensure an accident report is prepared after collecting all the relevant information. A good annual report then summarises those incidents and the lessons learned.
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