The bill of lading is the paper the driver signs when your freight leaves the dock. Federal rules require the carrier to issue a receipt or bill of lading for the freight it picks up, and 49 CFR 373.101 lists the minimum it must show: consignor and consignee, origin and destination, number of packages, a description of the freight, and weight, volume or measurement where those affect the rate. In practice the shipper fills it out, and every number on it gets checked against the freight later.
Below is one LTL shipment filled in end to end, then a walk through each line and what goes wrong when it is guessed.
What does a filled-out bill of lading look like?
The shipment: a fixtures maker in Dayton, Ohio sends two pallets of boxed shelf brackets to a retail store in Nashville, Tennessee. The store has no loading dock and only receives by appointment. The freight bill goes to the maker’s head office, not to the shipping location.
Example only. The companies, addresses, phone numbers and reference numbers below are fictional.
| Line on the BOL | What the shipper wrote |
|---|---|
| BOL number / pickup date | BOL 20261110-014 / November 10 |
| Shipper (from) | Northfield Fixtures Plant 2, 100 Example Way, Dayton, OH 45414. Dock contact: Dana R., 555-0142 |
| Consignee (to) | Lakeside Home Store, 200 Sample Ave, Nashville, TN 37210. Receiving: Marcus T., 555-0187 |
| Third-party bill to | Northfield Fixtures Accounts Payable, 300 Demo Blvd, Columbus, OH 43215 |
| Freight terms | Third party |
| Reference numbers | Customer PO 88412; shipper order SO-5530 |
| Handling units | 2 pallets |
| Pieces | 32 cartons (pallet 1: 18, pallet 2: 14) |
| HM column | Blank (not hazardous) |
| Description | Steel shelf brackets, boxed, in cartons on pallets |
| Weight | Pallet 1: 640 lbs; pallet 2: 510 lbs; total 1,150 lbs |
| Dimensions | Pallet 1: 48 x 40 x 50 in; pallet 2: 48 x 40 x 42 in |
| NMFC item / class | The item and class your commodity has in the NMFC (looked up, not guessed) |
| Special instructions | Liftgate at delivery. Delivery by appointment, call Marcus T. 24 hours ahead. Do not double stack. |
| Declared value | Blank (see below) |
| Signatures | Shipper: Dana R., Nov 10. Driver: signed, 2 pallets received, no exceptions |
How do you fill out each line of the example?
BOL number and pickup date. Any unique number your system produces works. Put the same number on your packing list so everyone traces the same shipment.
Shipper and consignee. Full street address, ZIP code and a person who answers the phone at each end. The consignee contact matters most here, because the driver needs Marcus to set the appointment. A business name with no phone number leaves the driver nobody to call.
Third-party bill to. Northfield’s plant ships, but the head office pays. Freight terms say who pays: prepaid (the shipper), collect (the consignee) or third party. When a third party pays, put its full billing address in the bill-to box. Leave it blank and the carrier has no address for the party that actually pays.
Reference numbers. The customer’s PO goes on the BOL so the receiver can match the freight to its order. The shipper’s order number lets your own team find the shipment. Neither is required by the federal rule, but both save phone calls later.
Handling units and pieces. These are two different counts. Handling units are what a forklift moves: here, 2 pallets. Pieces are what is on them: 32 cartons. Handling units are what you and the driver count onto the trailer, so that is the number that has to match. Writing “32” in the handling unit box turns a clean pickup into a shortage nobody can explain.
HM column. Blank, because shelf brackets are not hazardous. If they were, the rules change; see the hazmat section below.
Description. Plain words for what the freight is and how it is packed. “Steel shelf brackets, boxed” tells the carrier enough to class it. “Parts” or “merchandise” does not.
Weight. Weigh each pallet on a scale, wrap and pallet included, and write each one plus the total. Old Dominion notes that part of the charge is based on weight and that when shipments are reweighed at the service center, the freight bill is adjusted.
Dimensions. Length x width x height of each pallet as it stands, freight included. Pallet 1 is 48 x 40 x 50 inches, which is 55.56 cubic feet. Pallet 2 is 46.67. That puts the shipment at 102.22 cubic feet and 11.25 pounds per cubic foot. Density is one of the inputs carriers use to class and price freight, which is why the ABF packaging guide asks for the description and dimensions of each unit on the BOL, not just a total.
NMFC item and class. The National Motor Freight Classification assigns each commodity an item number and a class. Look up your commodity’s item, or use the class your carrier contract sets, and write both. ABF lists the NMFC number among the BOL details that prevent billing errors. If the class you write does not match what the carrier finds, it reclasses and rebills; our breakdown of LTL rates shows how a two-pallet quote grows after a reweigh and reclass.
Special instructions. Write every service the delivery needs: liftgate, appointment, inside delivery, residential, call ahead. The Nashville store has no dock, so without “liftgate” on the BOL the truck that shows up may have no way to get the pallets down. Accessorials like these are priced separately, so they also belong in the quote. Add “do not double stack” if the cartons cannot carry weight; our guide to preparing a pallet for LTL covers the packing side.
Declared value. Left blank in the example, which means the carrier’s standard liability terms apply. At some carriers, writing a value on the BOL alone does not buy extra coverage: you request it in writing and pay the higher charge. Our guide to freight claims under the Carmack Amendment walks through how declared value caps a recovery.
Signatures and the count at pickup. The shipper signs, the driver signs, and the driver writes what was received. Count the pallets onto the trailer with the driver. If the driver notes damage or a different count, that note stays on the BOL. A signed BOL with no exceptions is your proof of the condition the freight left in, and it is the first document a claim asks for.
What changes on the BOL if the freight is hazardous?
Hazmat moves under its own shipping paper rules. Under 49 CFR 172.202, the description must include the identification number, the proper shipping name, the hazard class or division, the packing group where one is assigned, and the total quantity with its unit, such as “200 kg”. When hazardous and non-hazardous items share one BOL, 49 CFR 172.201 says the hazmat entries must be listed first, printed in a contrasting color, or marked with an “X” in the column captioned “HM”. 49 CFR 172.604 adds an emergency response phone number, monitored at all times while the material is in transport. An answering service or a number that calls back does not qualify.
Which BOL mistakes cost shippers money?
- Guessed weight. The carrier reweighs and the freight bill is adjusted after delivery, when the PO budget is already spent.
- Wrong or missing class. The carrier reclasses from what it finds, and the invoice comes back higher than the quote.
- Pieces written as handling units. The driver signs for 2 pallets against a BOL that says 32, and the shipment starts life as a shortage.
- Missing liftgate or appointment. The truck that arrives may have no way to unload or no slot at the receiver, and the delivery needs a second attempt.
- No consignee phone number. Nobody can set the appointment, so the delivery waits.
- Exceptions not written at pickup. Damage noticed at the dock but not noted on the BOL is hard to prove later, and a claim starts from the signed BOL.
Freight on the dock and the BOL filled out?
Expedited LTL from 150 lbs to 15,000 lbs, with guaranteed transit options and one dispatcher from booking to delivery. Send the ZIP codes, weight, pallet count and dimensions.
What types of bills of lading are there?
Domestic LTL usually moves on a straight bill of lading, which is nonnegotiable. Under 49 U.S.C. 80103, a bill is nonnegotiable when it states the goods go to a named consignee, and the carrier must print “nonnegotiable” or “not negotiable” on it. A negotiable, or order, bill says the goods go to the order of a consignee, which lets the bill be transferred. For a pallet going from a plant to a store, the straight bill is the one you fill out.
Frequently asked questions
Can I create my own bill of lading?
Yes. Shippers print their own forms, use their shipping software, or use the carrier’s online tool; ABF’s packaging guide, for example, points shippers to its tool for creating and printing BOLs. Whatever the form, it needs the information in 49 CFR 373.101 plus the details your carrier rates on: handling units, dimensions, weight and NMFC item.
Who gives you the bill of lading?
The law puts the duty on the carrier: 49 U.S.C. 14706 says a motor carrier “shall issue a receipt or bill of lading” for property it receives. In LTL the shipper usually prepares it, the driver signs it at pickup, and the shipper keeps a signed copy. When you book through StarBriges LTL, the BOL and documentation are prepared before the driver arrives.
Is a BOL a legal document?
Yes. It is the carrier’s receipt for the freight, and under 49 U.S.C. 14706 the carrier is liable to the person entitled to recover under the receipt or bill of lading. That is why the numbers and exceptions on it decide how a billing dispute or damage claim goes.