LTL Shipping Bill of Lading: How to Fill It Out Correctly

Getting Your LTL Bill of Lading Right

The bill of lading (BOL) is the most important document in LTL shipping. It serves as a receipt for your freight, a contract of carriage, and the basis for billing. Errors on the BOL lead to billing disputes, delivery delays, and claims complications. Here’s how to complete it correctly every time.

Essential BOL Information

Every LTL bill of lading must include shipper name and address, consignee (receiver) name and address, number of handling units (pallets/pieces), total weight, freight description including NMFC number and freight class, and any special instructions or accessorial service requirements.

Shipper and Consignee Details

Include complete business names, street addresses (not PO boxes), city, state, ZIP, and contact phone numbers. Accurate contact information prevents failed deliveries when drivers need directions or access instructions. Include dock hours if the receiver has specific receiving windows.

Freight Description Best Practices

Describe your freight accurately and specifically. Generic descriptions like “FAK” or “general merchandise” invite carrier reclassification. Instead, use precise commodity descriptions matching NMFC codes — “polyethylene bags, flat” or “electronic components, NOI.” This specificity prevents the reclassification charges that cost South Florida shippers thousands annually.

Weight and Piece Count Accuracy

Weigh freight on a calibrated scale before shipment. Estimated weights invite reweigh charges when carriers weigh at terminal — and carrier scales always seem to read higher. Accurate piece counts prevent shortage claims. Go Freight’s warehouse team verifies weight and count on every outbound LTL shipment.

Special Instructions and Accessorials

Note all required accessorial services on the BOL — liftgate required, inside delivery, residential address, appointment required, or protect from freeze. Missing accessorial notations result in standard delivery attempts that fail, triggering redelivery charges. Our freight team ensures every BOL captures necessary services.

Hazmat Documentation

Shipments containing hazardous materials require additional BOL elements — proper shipping name, UN number, hazard class, packing group, and emergency contact. Incomplete hazmat BOL documentation can result in carrier refusal and DOT fines.

Third-Party Billing

When a freight broker or third party pays freight charges, the BOL must indicate third-party billing with the payer’s name and address. Go Freight handles BOL preparation for managed freight accounts, ensuring accurate documentation on every shipment.