Bill of Lading Template
A bill of lading (B/L or BOL) is the document a carrier issues when it receives goods for shipment. It is not an invoice and it does not ask anyone to pay. It works as the carrier's receipt for the goods, as evidence of the contract of carriage, and, when it is made out to order, as a document of title that can transfer ownership of the goods in transit. In the United States, federal law requires for-hire motor carriers to issue a receipt or bill of lading, and their regulations list the minimum content: the consignor and consignee, origin and destination, number of packages, description of the freight, and weight, volume or measurement where it affects the rate. This template lays those out with the fields carriers and receivers commonly add: the B/L number, a straight or order designation, a notify party, freight charge terms and signature lines. Download it as an editable HTML file, fill it in your browser and print it for signature. If your carrier issues its own bill of lading, use that one; InvoiceQuickly cannot create or store bills of lading.
Preview this editable document
Download the HTML file to edit its fields, then print or save as PDF. Totals are entered manually.
What This Template Includes
- Bill of lading number and date issued
- Bill type: straight (marked NONNEGOTIABLE) or order (to the order of a named party)
- Shipper (consignor): name and address
- Consignee: name and delivery address, or 'To the order of' the named party
- Notify party, for an order bill
- Carrier name and carrier identification numbers, if any
- Origin (pickup) and destination points
- Shipper's reference: order, PO or invoice number
- Freight charge terms: prepaid, collect or third-party bill-to
- Declared value or special handling instructions, if any
- Hazardous materials: yes or no (if yes, add the required hazmat description)
- Shipper signature and date tendered
- Carrier signature and pickup date
- Consignee signature, delivery date and exceptions noted
How to fill in this Bill of Lading
- Download the template. It opens as an editable HTML file in your browser.
- Replace each bracketed field with your details. Totals are not calculated for you, so check the arithmetic.
- Print it or save it as a PDF from your browser. InvoiceQuickly does not create or store this document type.
Freight charges and payment
A bill of lading records who pays the freight, but it is not where payment is requested. Mark the freight terms on the bill: 'prepaid' when the shipper pays the carrier, 'collect' when the consignee pays on delivery, or 'third-party' with the bill-to name and address when someone else, such as a broker or the buyer's logistics provider, pays. The carrier then bills that party on its own freight invoice. The goods themselves are paid for under the sales contract, on the seller's commercial or sales invoice; quote that invoice or the order number on the bill of lading so the receiver can match the documents. Under an order bill, the buyer often needs the original bill to take delivery, so the payment terms in the sales contract decide when the seller releases it.
Tax and customs
A bill of lading carries no sales tax, VAT or customs duty line. Tax on the goods appears on the seller's invoice, tax or fees on freight (where any apply) appear on the carrier's freight invoice, and duties on imports are declared to customs on the import entry using the commercial invoice. For exports and imports, the bill of lading is one of the shipping documents customs and banks may ask for, alongside the commercial invoice and packing list; check the requirements of the destination country, your carrier and, for a letter of credit, your bank. General information, not legal or tax advice. Last reviewed: 28 October 2026.
Industry context (2026)
US law treats a bill of lading as both a carriage document and, sometimes, a title document. The Federal Bills of Lading Act (49 U.S.C. 80101 to 80116, originally enacted in 1916 and also known as the Pomerene Act) applies to bills issued by a common carrier for interstate and export shipments, among others. Section 80103 makes a bill negotiable when it states the goods are to be delivered to the order of a consignee, nonnegotiable when it states they are to be delivered to a consignee, and requires the carrier to mark a nonnegotiable bill 'nonnegotiable' or 'not negotiable'; section 80105 says that whoever receives a negotiated bill acquires title to the goods, and section 80110 says the carrier must deliver to the consignee named in a straight bill or the holder of an order bill who surrenders it. For trucking, 49 U.S.C. 14706 (the Carmack Amendment) requires carriers under federal jurisdiction to issue a receipt or bill of lading and states that failing to issue one does not affect the carrier's liability, and 49 CFR 373.101 lists the minimum content for for-hire, non-exempt motor carriers (section last amended in 2016, per the eCFR). Hazardous materials need a shipping paper description under 49 CFR 172.200. Ocean and international bills follow other law and carrier terms. Sources: govinfo.gov (United States Code, 2024 edition) and eCFR, accessed 28 October 2026; general information, not legal advice.
Worked example
Worked example (fictional parties). A furniture maker in Grand Rapids, Michigan ships an order to a retailer in Columbus, Ohio by a for-hire LTL motor carrier, and the retailer has already paid under net 30 terms, so a straight bill is used. Bill of lading BL-2026-0418, dated 3 November 2026, marked NONNEGOTIABLE. Shipper: the furniture maker, Grand Rapids, MI. Consignee: the retailer, Columbus, OH (delivery dock hours 7 am to 3 pm). Origin Grand Rapids, MI; destination Columbus, OH. Shipper's reference: sales invoice INV-0381 and the retailer's PO 5520. Freight terms: prepaid. Line 1: marks 'PO 5520 / 1 of 2', 1 pallet, 8 cartons of oak dining chairs, gross weight 412 lb, 48 x 40 x 60 in. Line 2: marks 'PO 5520 / 2 of 2', 1 crated dining table, gross weight 286 lb, 84 x 44 x 34 in. Total: 2 handling units, 9 packages (8 cartons + 1 crate), 698 lb gross. No hazardous materials. Shipper signs at tender, the driver signs and dates pickup; on delivery the retailer signs and notes 'Crate corner damaged, contents not inspected'. That exception note on the bill of lading is the record the retailer uses for a freight claim. The same counts and weights appear on the packing slip (contents per carton) and the sales invoice (prices); the bill of lading shows no prices.
Common mistakes to avoid
Treating it as an invoice
Prices, tax and payment due dates do not belong on a bill of lading. Put them on the invoice and quote the invoice number on the bill.
An order bill when you meant straight
Writing 'to the order of' makes the bill negotiable, so the carrier may deliver to whoever holds the indorsed original. If you just want delivery to the named buyer, use a straight bill and mark it nonnegotiable.
Counting units instead of packages
The carrier signs for what it can count. '120 chairs' on a bill for 8 sealed cartons gives the driver nothing to check and weakens any later shortage claim.
Weights that do not match the other documents
If the bill says 698 lb and the packing slip or commercial invoice says 650, expect questions from the receiver, the carrier's reweigh, or customs.
Signing a clean receipt over visible damage
A consignee who signs without noting damage or shortage has little evidence for a claim. Write the exception next to the signature.
Invoicing Tips
- 1Decide straight or order before you fill anything in. A straight bill names the consignee and must be marked 'nonnegotiable' or 'not negotiable'; an order bill reads 'to the order of' a named party and can be transferred by indorsement.
- 2Count and describe what the carrier can see: '12 cartons on 2 pallets, shrink-wrapped' rather than '120 units'. The carrier signs for packages, not for what is inside them.
- 3Give gross weight per line and in total, and use the same unit (lb or kg) as the packing slip and commercial invoice. A mismatch is the first thing a receiver or customs officer queries.
- 4Write exceptions at delivery. If cartons arrive damaged or short, the consignee notes it beside their signature before the driver leaves.
- 5Keep the shipper's order or invoice number on the bill so the receiver can match the bill of lading, the packing slip and the invoice in one step.
- 6If any item is a hazardous material, prepare the shipping paper description the hazmat regulations require. A plain bill of lading form does not do that for you.
Related Resources
- Commercial invoice template: the export invoice that travels with the bill of lading
- Packing slip template: what is inside each package
- Delivery note template: proof of delivery for local deliveries
- What a freight invoice is: how the carrier bills its charges
- Commercial invoice explained
- All templates
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bill of lading?
A bill of lading is the document a carrier issues on receiving goods for shipment. It is the carrier's receipt for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage and, if made out to order, a document of title. In the United States, 49 U.S.C. 14706 requires motor carriers and freight forwarders under federal jurisdiction to issue a receipt or bill of lading.
Who issues the bill of lading, the shipper or the carrier?
The carrier issues it, or its agent, and signs it when it takes the goods. In practice the shipper often fills in a form, its own or the carrier's, and the driver signs it at pickup. Many carriers require their own form or electronic bill, so ask before you print one.
What is the difference between a straight and an order bill of lading?
Under 49 U.S.C. 80103, a bill is negotiable if it says the goods are to be delivered to the order of a consignee, and nonnegotiable (a straight bill) if it says they are to be delivered to a consignee. A carrier issuing a nonnegotiable bill must mark it 'nonnegotiable' or 'not negotiable'. Indorsing a straight bill does not make it negotiable.
What must a motor carrier bill of lading include?
49 CFR 373.101 requires for-hire, non-exempt motor carriers to show the names of the consignor and consignee, the origin and destination points, the number of packages, a description of the freight, and its weight, volume or measurement if that affects the rate. Carriers commonly add a bill number, freight terms and signatures.
Is a bill of lading the same as an invoice?
No. An invoice asks the buyer to pay for goods or services. A bill of lading records that the carrier received the goods and on what terms it will carry and deliver them. The carrier's charges go on a separate freight invoice, and the goods are billed on the seller's commercial or sales invoice.
What is the difference between a bill of lading and a packing slip?
A packing slip travels inside or on the shipment and lists what each package contains, so the receiver can check the order. A bill of lading is signed by the carrier and the shipper and records the packages handed over, their weight and the terms of carriage. Most freight shipments need both.
Can InvoiceQuickly create a bill of lading?
No. This page offers an editable HTML form you fill in and print yourself. InvoiceQuickly creates invoices, estimates and credit notes; it does not create, sign or store shipping documents, and it does not connect to carriers.