Bill of Lading Template
A bill of lading is the carrier’s receipt for your freight: who ships it, who receives it, who pays, and what each handling unit is and weighs. The filled sample below moves 3 pallets and 34 cartons, 1,200 lb (544.3 kg), by LTL from Columbus, OH to Joliet, IL.
Freight class or NMFC item blank on Line 1, Line 2. Confirm them with your carrier before an LTL pickup.
Totals update from the freight lines as you type. Jump to the document.
Edit the sample bill of lading
Every field feeds the document. Handling units, packages, total weight and density fill in from the freight lines as you type.
Totals calculate in your browser, and drafts save on this device only.
How to Fill Out a Bill of Lading in 9 Steps
- Number and date it. Give the BOL its own number, then add the date. Add your order reference and the customer PO.
- Pick the shipment type. LTL needs a class and NMFC item on each line. A truckload BOL adds the trailer and seal numbers.
- Fill ship from and ship to. Use the pickup dock and the receiving door, with a contact at each end.
- Set who pays. Prepaid, collect or third party. Third party needs a bill-to name and address.
- Name the carrier. Add the carrier name and SCAC from your booking. The PRO number comes from the carrier label.
- Add each freight line. Handling units, packages, a plain description, dimensions per handling unit and the line weight.
- Check density and class. Density fills in per line. Confirm the class and NMFC item with your carrier or the NMFC.
- Flag hazardous materials. Mark X in the HM column and add a monitored emergency response phone number.
- Print, count and sign. Count the freight with the driver, then both sign. The consignee signs at delivery.
The formulas: cube (ft³) = handling units × length × width × height in inches ÷ 1,728. Density (lb/ft³) = line weight ÷ cube. Kilograms = pounds × 0.45359237, the exact definition of the pound.
The Bill of Lading Format, Field by Field
The last column marks what 49 CFR 373.101 lists as the minimum for for-hire interstate motor carriers. Carriers ask for the rest.
| Part | Fields | Who supplies it | Federal minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOL number and date | Unique BOL number, date, your reference, customer PO | Shipper | No |
| Shipper (consignor) | Name, pickup address, contact | Shipper | Name: yes |
| Consignee | Name, delivery address, contact | Shipper | Name: yes |
| Origin and destination | Pickup and delivery points | Shipper | Yes |
| Carrier | Carrier name, SCAC, PRO number, trailer and seal (truckload) | Shipper, then carrier | No |
| Freight terms | Prepaid, collect or third party, plus a bill-to address | Shipper | No |
| Freight lines | Handling units, packages, description, NMFC item, class, HM | Shipper | Count and description: yes |
| Weight | Weight per line and in total | Shipper, checked by carrier | If used to rate |
| Hazmat | X in the HM column, emergency response phone | Shipper (offeror) | Hazmat rules apply |
| Signatures | Shipper and driver at pickup, consignee at delivery | All three | No |
Worked Example: Columbus, OH to Joliet, IL by LTL
An outdoor brand ships PO-LSG-55120 to a retailer’s distribution center on prepaid terms. Two commodities share three pallets. This is the sample that loads in the template.
| Freight line | HU | Packages | Dims per HU (in) | Cube | Weight | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Folding camping chairs, steel frame, boxed | 2 pallets | 24 | 48 x 40 x 52 | 115.56 ft³ | 785 lb | 6.8 lb/ft³ |
| Hard-sided coolers, plastic, boxed | 1 pallet | 10 | 48 x 40 x 60 | 66.67 ft³ | 415 lb | 6.2 lb/ft³ |
| Totals | 3 | 34 | 182.22 ft³ | 1,200 lb | 6.6 lb/ft³ |
The chair line is 2 × 48 × 40 × 52 = 199,680 in³, ÷ 1,728 = 115.56 ft³. Then 785 lb ÷ 115.56 ft³ = 6.8 lb/ft³. The cooler line works out at 6.2 lb/ft³.
Both lines leave the class and NMFC item blank, so the template flags them. Take each density to the freight class calculator for an estimate, and confirm the item with the carrier.
Switch to LTL, one pallet and the same math gives 520 lb at 9.8 lb/ft³. Truckload, 22 pallets totals 15,400 lb (6,985.3 kg) and 1,320.00 ft³.
Pallet Cube and Density for Common Loads
Computed with the same functions as the template, one handling unit each. Dimensions and weights are examples, pallet included.
| Load (example) | Dims (in) | Weight | Cube | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard pallet, short load | 48 x 40 x 36 | 400 lb | 40.00 ft³ | 10.0 lb/ft³ |
| Standard pallet, light goods | 48 x 40 x 48 | 300 lb | 53.33 ft³ | 5.6 lb/ft³ |
| The one-pallet sample | 48 x 40 x 48 | 520 lb | 53.33 ft³ | 9.8 lb/ft³ |
| Standard pallet, dense goods | 48 x 40 x 48 | 1,200 lb | 53.33 ft³ | 22.5 lb/ft³ |
| Tall pallet, light goods | 48 x 40 x 72 | 450 lb | 80.00 ft³ | 5.6 lb/ft³ |
| Tall pallet, mixed goods | 48 x 40 x 72 | 1,000 lb | 80.00 ft³ | 12.5 lb/ft³ |
| Square pallet | 42 x 42 x 48 | 700 lb | 49.00 ft³ | 14.3 lb/ft³ |
| Oversize pallet | 48 x 48 x 60 | 900 lb | 80.00 ft³ | 11.3 lb/ft³ |
Same footprint, very different density: the light and dense 48 × 40 × 48 in pallets share 53.33 ft³ but sit at 5.6 lb/ft³ and 22.5 lb/ft³. That gap is why LTL carriers want dimensions as well as weight.
Who Prepares the Bill of Lading?
The shipper
In US domestic freight, the shipper or its warehouse usually fills in the BOL and assigns its number. It knows the goods, the counts and the weights.
The carrier
Federal law puts the duty to issue a receipt or bill of lading on the carrier. The driver checks the count and signs at pickup.
A 3PL or warehouse
When a 3PL ships for you, its team often prepares the BOL from the order. You still own the description and the hazmat details.
A forwarder or NVOCC
For ocean freight, the line, a forwarder or an NVOCC issues the bill of lading. A domestic template is not the right document there.
Whoever types it, the shipper owns the facts. The description, the counts, the weight and any hazmat entries come from the shipper. The driver’s signature at pickup records what the carrier received.
Straight BOL vs Order BOL, Ocean Bill and Air Waybill
This template is a straight bill of lading for US domestic road freight. The other documents have their own issuers.
| Document | Used for | Who issues it | Negotiable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight BOL | Domestic LTL and truckload to a named consignee | Shipper fills it in; carrier signs | No |
| Order BOL | Goods sold or financed while in transit | Carrier | Yes |
| Ocean bill of lading | Sea freight, often international | Ocean line, forwarder or NVOCC | Either |
| Air waybill | Air freight | Airline or air forwarder | No |
| Delivery note | Goods and quantities for the receiver to sign | Seller or warehouse | Not a BOL |
Sending goods to a store on your own truck? A delivery note may be all the receiver needs. Cross-border freight also needs a commercial invoice.
US Rules That Shape a Bill of Lading
Each rule is scoped to who it covers, and linked to the text. Sources checked 2026-10-02. This is a summary, not legal advice.
For-hire, non-exempt motor carriers, interstate or foreign shipments
The receipt or BOL shows consignor and consignee names, origin and destination, number of packages, a description of the freight, and its weight, volume or measurement if that is used to rate it.
Motor carriers and freight forwarders under 49 U.S.C. chapter 135
The carrier shall issue a receipt or bill of lading for property it receives for transportation.
Bills of lading issued by common carriers under chapter 801
A bill that states the goods are to be delivered to a consignee is nonnegotiable, and the carrier must put "nonnegotiable" or "not negotiable" on it.
Shipping papers that list hazardous and non-hazardous materials together
Hazmat entries go first, in a contrasting color, or with an "X" (or "RQ") in a column captioned "HM".
Anyone offering a hazardous material for transportation
Provide a numeric emergency response phone number, monitored while the material is in transportation, on the shipping paper.
Fields, not guarantees
The preview prints "Not negotiable" under the title, has an HM column, and flags an HM line with no emergency phone. Carrier forms, tariffs and hazmat rules can require more.
6 Bill of Lading Mistakes to Avoid
Weighing the goods, not the pallet
The carrier moves the whole handling unit. Include the pallet and the wrap in the line weight.
Measuring the cartons, not the load
Measure the handling unit as it ships, pallet deck and overhang included. Short dims give a density the carrier will not find.
Leaving the class to chance
A blank or guessed class on an LTL line can lead to a reclass and a re-bill after pickup.
Vague descriptions
"Merchandise" or "general freight" tells the carrier nothing. Say what the goods are and how they are packed.
Third party with no bill-to
Third-party terms with no bill-to address leave the carrier with nobody to invoice. Fill in both.
Signing before counting
Count handling units with the driver, and have the consignee note shortage or damage before signing.
Bill of Lading Template in Excel, Word or PDF?
Most BOL templates online are static files. Each format has a trade-off.
Excel (.xlsx)
Formulas can total weights, but they break when rows are copied or inserted.
Word (.docx)
Easy to brand. Every count and total is typed by hand, so the header and the lines drift apart.
Fillable PDF
Tidy and close to carrier forms. Adding a freight line usually means a second page or a new file.
This browser template
Totals, cube and density stay in step with the lines. Save as PDF gives you the file to print or email.
To get a file, press Print / Save as PDF and pick "Save as PDF" as the printer. Print enough copies for your file, the driver and the consignee.
Tools for the Rest of the Shipment
Bill of Lading Questions
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