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Bill of Lading Template and Form Generator

Fill in an ocean bill of lading draft with shipper, consignee, notify party, vessel, containers, packages, weights and volume, then download it as PDF, Word or Excel.

Parties

Details

Goods

#1

Notes and signature

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How to fill in a bill of lading

A bill of lading (B/L or BOL) is the transport document a carrier issues for goods it receives for shipment. Shippers prepare a draft with the shipment details, often as shipping instructions, and the carrier or its agent issues and signs the final bill. This generator gives you a complete, clean draft in the standard layout. For what a B/L is and its types, see B/L meaning.

The carrier issues the legal bill of lading. A document you prepare yourself is a draft, or your own form if you are the carrier or an NVOCC; it cannot replace the carrier's signed original.

The boxes on a bill of lading, explained

BoxWhat to enter
ShipperThe exporter handing the goods to the carrier
ConsigneeWho may take delivery: a named company, or "TO ORDER" or "TO ORDER OF" a bank for a negotiable bill
Notify partyWho the carrier tells on arrival, often the buyer or its customs broker
Vessel and voyageShip name and voyage number from the booking
Place of receipt / deliveryWhere the carrier takes and hands over the cargo, if not the ports
Ports of loading and dischargeThe sea ports at each end
Container and sealContainer number and the seal number fixed after loading
Marks, packages, descriptionCarton marks, number and kind of packages, and what is inside ("said to contain")
Gross weight and measurementTotal kilograms and cubic meters
FreightPrepaid (seller pays) or collect (buyer pays at destination)
OriginalsUsually three; zero for a sea waybill

Download the finished document as a PDF, as an editable Word file, or as an Excel sheet of the lines and totals, or print it. Your draft is saved in this browser only, so you can come back to it; nothing is uploaded to our servers.

Bill of lading sample

The form opens with a filled sample: a shipment of cotton T shirts and denim jeans from Karachi to Gothenburg, consigned "to order of" the buyer's bank with the buyer as notify party, freight collect, three originals. Click Clear to start from a blank bill of lading, or Sample to bring the example back.

Tips for a clean bill

  • Match the commercial invoice and packing list exactly: packages, weights and descriptions. Start from your commercial invoice with one click to avoid typing errors.
  • Get the consignee right for a letter of credit. Copy the credit's wording, usually "to order of" the issuing bank.
  • Check weights and volume. Total them with the CBM calculator; the verified gross mass declared for the container must also be correct.
  • Freight terms follow the Incoterm. Under CIF or CFR freight is normally prepaid by the seller; under FOB or FCA the buyer usually pays, often as freight collect.

Shipping by air?

Air cargo travels on an air waybill instead of a bill of lading. See what an air waybill is and how chargeable weight is worked out with the dimensional weight calculator.

Features

  • All standard B/L boxes: shipper, consignee, notify party, ports, vessel
  • Container and seal numbers, packages, gross weight and CBM
  • Totals of packages, weight and volume
  • Freight prepaid or collect, number of originals
  • PDF, Word (.docx), Excel and print
  • Starts from your commercial invoice in one click

Frequently asked questions

Can I make my own bill of lading?

You can prepare a draft or shipping instructions with all the details. The legal bill of lading is issued and signed by the carrier or its agent, unless you are the carrier or an NVOCC yourself.

What information is on a bill of lading?

Shipper, consignee and notify party; vessel and voyage; ports of loading and discharge; container and seal numbers; marks, number and kind of packages; description; gross weight and volume; freight terms; number of originals; place and date of issue.

What is a blank BOL?

A bill of lading form without data. Click Clear on this page to get a blank bill of lading you can fill in or print.

What does 'to order' mean in the consignee box?

It makes the bill negotiable: the goods are delivered to whoever holds the endorsed original, often a bank under a letter of credit.

What is the difference between freight prepaid and collect?

Prepaid means the shipper pays the freight before the bill is released; collect means the consignee pays at destination.

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