Blank Bill of Lading for US Truck Freight, and How to Fill It Out Correctly

What the law says a BOL must contain

For-hire, non-exempt motor carriers must issue a receipt or bill of lading with this information 49 CFR 373.101:

1. Names of consignor and consignee
2. Origin and destination points
3. Number of packages
4. Description of freight
5. Weight, volume, or measurement of freight (if applicable to the rating of the freight)

That is the legal minimum, and it is short. Everything else on a real BOL comes from carrier tariffs, the NMFC, hazmat rules, and what the shipper and consignee need. The carrier’s freight bill (its invoice) is a separate document with its own required contents 49 CFR 373.103.

Failing to issue a BOL does not release the carrier from liability for loss or damage 49 U.S.C. 14706(a)(1), but the BOL is your evidence when you file a claim, so a missing one is still a real problem.

Field by field

Shipper, consignee and third-party bill-to

Full legal names, street addresses, a contact and a phone for each, plus the consignee’s dock hours and whether it needs an appointment. If someone else pays the freight (a broker, a 3PL, the buyer’s head office), put that party on the BOL at pickup. One carrier’s tariff requires the bill-to "in the body of the bill of lading… at time of original tender" and charges to correct it later SEFL Item 435-10.

BOL number, PRO and SCAC

The BOL number is your reference and must be unique per shipment; the GS1 US standard uses a 17-digit number, but that guideline is voluntary and any unique internal sequence works. The PRO number is the carrier’s tracking number, usually a sticker applied at pickup: leave it blank if you don’t have it yet. The SCAC is the carrier’s 2 to 4 letter code assigned by NMFTA; trucking companies get four letters NMFTA. For truckload, record trailer and seal numbers: an intact seal on arrival is strong evidence in a shortage dispute.

Freight charge terms

Prepaid (shipper pays), collect (consignee pays) or third party (the bill-to pays). Some carriers treat third-party billing as prepaid and hold the shipper as guarantor if the third party doesn’t pay SEFL Item 435-10.

Handling units, packages and weight

Handling units are what the forklift moves (pallets, skids, crates); packages are the pieces on or in them (cartons, drums, bags). "2 pallets, 48 cartons." The package count is one of the five legally required items and what the driver counts and signs for. Use actual gross weight including pallets; carriers can reweigh and bill the corrected weight SEFL Item 996.

Description, NMFC item and freight class

Write what the goods are ("ceramic floor tile, boxed"), not "general merchandise." Freight class is the LTL rating category from 50 to 500, based on density, handling, stowability and liability NMFTA. The NMFC item number points to your commodity’s entry; the NMFC is licensed by NMFTA, so look the item up in its tools or ask your carrier or broker. Don’t copy a class from an old BOL: many items became density-based under Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025 NMFTA. Truckload is usually not rated by class, but description and weight still matter.

Hazardous materials

If any line is hazmat, the BOL is also a hazmat shipping paper. Hazmat lines go first, in a contrasting colour, or with an X in the HM column 49 CFR 172.201. Each description follows the order UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group, then quantity and packages 172.202. Add a 24-hour emergency response number that is monitored while the material is in transport (an answering machine does not count) 172.604, and the signed shipper’s certification 172.204. Our template prints the certification text and has the emergency-number fields.

Declared value and COD

Carriers may limit liability "to a value established by written or electronic declaration" of the shipper 49 U.S.C. 14706(c)(1)(A). If you declare nothing, the tariff’s default cap applies; declare the value (it may cost more) or insure separately when goods are worth more. For COD, state the amount, who pays the COD fee and whether a company check is acceptable, and confirm the carrier offers COD at all: at least one major LTL carrier says it does not SEFL Item 430.

Special instructions and accessorials

Liftgate, inside delivery, residential, appointment, "do not double stack." Put them on the BOL so the carrier sends the right equipment and plans the delivery; one found out only at the door usually means a redelivery or an extra charge.

Signatures and "shipper load and count"

The shipper signs at tender (with hazmat, that includes the certification). The driver signs for the pickup with the date and the piece count. The consignee signs at delivery, and any exception written next to that signature ("1 carton crushed") is the strongest evidence you will have in a claim. If the shipper loaded and counted a sealed trailer, a bill marked "shipper’s weight, load, and count" means the carrier is not liable for non-receipt or misdescription 49 U.S.C. 80113(b), so record the seal number.

Eight mistakes that cost money

A filled example

Fictional companies and phone numbers.

The class step uses the density breaks NMFTA published for the 2025 change NMFTA FAQ. It only applies if your item is density-rated.

Excel or PDF?

Excel is good for keeping a shipment list and poor for handing to a driver: a spreadsheet reflows when printed, has no fixed signature lines, and can be edited after it is signed. A PDF prints the same on every printer, keeps the signature blocks where they belong, and stays a stable record once scanned back. Keep the list in Excel, make the documents PDFs.

Questions shippers ask