Bill of Lading Generator
Fill in the fields, print, get it signed. Free, no signup, and your data never leaves your browser: nothing is sent to our servers or stored.
Generic straight bill of lading template. This is not legal advice: your carrier may require its own form.
| SHIPPER | CONSIGNEE |
|---|---|
| — — — Canada | — — — Canada |
| Carrier | Terms | Trailer | Seal | Declared value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Prepaid (shipper pays) | — | — | — |
| Pieces | Type | Description of goods | Class | HM | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Pallets | — | — | — | |
| 0 | TOTAL | 0 kg | |||
| Shipper signature | Carrier signature | Consignee signature |
|---|---|---|
| Signature / Date | Signature / Date | Signature / Date |
Received, subject to the applicable conditions of carriage, the goods described above in apparent good order. This document is a generic template: your carrier may require its own form.
Fill out a bill of lading
The two parties
Enter the shipper and consignee, with legal name and full address.
The carriage
Enter the carrier and the freight charge terms: prepaid, collect or third party.
The goods
Describe the goods line by line: piece count, packaging type, description, weight and class.
Print and sign
Print three copies and have the carrier sign at pickup.
What each field means
Shipper and consignee
The two parties to the contract. Full legal name and street address matter: this is what identifies who tendered the goods and who must receive them if anything is disputed.
Freight charge terms
Prepaid (shipper pays), collect (consignee pays), or third party. This is the field most often left blank, and the one that generates the most disputed invoices.
Description of goods
Piece count, packaging type, description and weight. Be specific: "4 pallets of auto parts" beats "goods". A vague description makes any claim harder to pursue.
Freight class (NMFC)
From 50 to 500, based on density, handling, stowability and liability. Mainly required for cross-border LTL. A wrong class results in the carrier re-rating the shipment.
Declared value
Without a declared value, carrier liability is capped by the applicable conditions of carriage, often well below what the goods are actually worth.
Signatures
Shipper, carrier and consignee. The carrier’s signature at pickup is your receipt; the consignee’s at delivery closes out the carriage.
A bill of lading applies to freight. If you are shipping parcels, what you need is a label, and the price will depend on billable weight, which you can check with our dimensional weight calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bill of lading?
A bill of lading is the document that travels with a freight shipment. It plays three roles at once: a receipt for the goods handed to the carrier, the contract of carriage between shipper and carrier, and a document of title describing the goods. Without one, an LTL carrier will normally not take the shipment.
Do I need a bill of lading for a parcel?
No. Parcel shipments (USPS, UPS, FedEx and others) travel with a shipping label, not a bill of lading. The bill of lading applies to freight: LTL, pallets, full truckload.
What is the difference between a straight and a negotiable bill of lading?
A straight bill of lading is non-negotiable: the goods are delivered to the named consignee, full stop. A negotiable (order) bill can be endorsed and transferred, which allows the goods to be sold while in transit. This generator produces a straight bill of lading, the form used for the vast majority of domestic shipments.
Will every carrier accept this bill of lading?
It is a generic template covering the standard fields. Many carriers accept one, but some require their own form or specific wording. Check with yours before pickup.
Is my data saved anywhere?
No. Everything is computed and rendered in your browser: nothing is sent to our servers and nothing is stored. The print button uses your browser’s own print function, which also lets you save as PDF.
How many copies of a bill of lading do I need?
Three in practice: one for the shipper, one that travels with the driver, one for the consignee. Print three copies and have the driver sign yours at pickup.
Also shipping parcels?
ShipSmarter compares carriers such as USPS, UPS and FedEx and generates your labels in seconds. Free, no contract.