To create a complete bill of lading form for your online store and facilitate a seamless international trade, fill out the blanks on the Shopify template to generate a free BoL. 

Give picture-perfect Bills of Lading every time to aid international shipments, and title transfers go smoothly.

Clear, thorough documentation renders customs officers and clients happy by easing and expediting clearance processes.

With a free Bill of Lading template, you can make electronic and printable Bill of Lading forms that meet industry standards and can be used to make shipping easier anywhere in the world.

Bills of lading may have been used by business owners who ship goods internationally often. This is considered to be one of the most crucial shipping documents. 

The bill of lading must include all relevant information about the package, the shipping method, the origin, and the destination. It is also proof that the goods were received.

What’s a Bill of Lading?

A bill of lading is also called a B/L or BOL. It is a legal document usually given to the shipper by the carrier as a contract of goods carriage. This is also the shipment receipt for goods sent to a specific destination.

For example, shipped goods come with the document.

You can create a complete bill of lading form using a free Shopify bill of lading. Try it today.

Shopify bill of lading

It must be signed by the carrier, the receiver, or the carrier’s representative. No matter how you get there, this document must be with you.

Also, both the shipper and the carrier are protected. Lastly, the document has all the necessary information, such as the type, destination, and amount of goods.

What’s the use of the bill of lading form?

A fully filled-out bill of lading form is one of the most critical documents in the freight shipping world because:

  • Acknowledges the loading/delivery of goods (in good condition) by a specific carrier
  • Protects against asset theft by serving as a document of title
  • Aids in error-free invoicing

A BOL form is necessary for international trade shipments because it has all the information exporters need to move shipments easily through different countries.

What’s Included in the B/L

Like airline travel, booking a shipment can go in many different forms. However, some things must be on the bill. First, check out the most important things to think about when writing the bill.

Parties Involved in the Process

  • The bill must show who the goods are going to and who is sending them.
  • The bill’s original carrier.
  • The freight payer tells who is paying for the transportation.
  • The bill should include the name of the freight forwarder. This person will either be the buyer or the seller. • When the shipment gets to its destination, the arrival agent will be in charge.

Cargo Details

  • The goods and materials’ final destination should be mentioned.
  • It should be apparent where the cargo is.
  • It should include the route to get to the destination.
  • Include the date that the shipment will arrive.
  • It would be best if you also said what ships or vehicles were used to deliver the cargo.

A bill of lading (B/L) is a must-have document for any business that moves goods. Check out the free templates on our main website, which include B/L templates. Download the BOL form and change it to save time.

Types of Bill of Lading Forms

Every shipper/exporter has a different way of getting their goods to their destination. Because of this, the forms for bills of lading will also have to be changed.

Here are some examples of some of the most common types of BOL:

  • Through bill of lading: This form is used if the shipping company needs full control over the transport of the cargo from its origin to its destination. It goes over the whole shipping process, including how cross-border freight must be handled. 
  • Combined transport bill of lading: Will you combine different shipping methods? Use this bill instead. A multi-modal bill of lading will have information about cargo that was moved by truck from New York to Florida and then by ship to India, for example.
  • Straight bill of lading: Has your customer paid for the goods before they were shipped? Then you use a straight bill of lading that can’t be changed. The delivery person can only give the package to one person and no one else. This is typically used for military purposes.
  • Received-for-shipment and shipped bill of lading: This format is used when freight forwarders at a port or depot need to send a bill to carriers or agents to confirm that the goods have been received. But remember that this doesn’t say if the goods have been loaded on the carrier. This can be turned into a shipped bill of lading, provided the cargo has been loaded. This new bill of lading will be an agreement between the shipper and the carrier.
  • Order bill of lading: This is the BOL form used most often everywhere in the world. This negotiable document lets the goods be given to someone else if the original consignee writes that person’s name as the final consignee on the document. It’s used when the freight is sent out before the payment is shipped. For example, if the exporter signs off on the shipment, the carrier may give the title to the importer when the shipment is delivered to the importer.
  • Open bill of lading: Do you want to send something out of the country? Look at the Open bill of lading, which is a bill of lading that can be changed. Here, the consignee’s name can be changed more than once with a signature, changing who owns the shipment.
  • Clean or soiled bill of lading: When the shipper’s cargo is in good shape, the carrier may give the shipper a clean bill of lading. This won’t have any clauses about damage to the goods and/or packaging at the loading time. The carrier will give you a dirty bill of lading if the opposite is true. This form will have a section that says the goods were “soiled or soiled,” as well as comments about the condition of the cargo. Damaged packaging, broken cargo, missing parts, and so on.
  • Bearer bill of lading: Do you want to move a lot of packages at once and let them out in batches? Then, use the bill of lading for the bear. It says the cargo can only be given to the person with a copy of the bill of lading form. This means that the consignee’s name doesn’t have to be given first, and the column can be left empty.

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Benefits of an electronic bill of lading

We live in a world with no contact that can’t be denied. No one wants to use pencils, paper forms, scanners, printers, or money. This is why the idea of a bill of lading form that can be filled out online is becoming more popular. You can get a blank bill of lading (BOL) form here (Shopify).

Aside from the “hygiene” issue, the main benefits of using an eSignature solution include the ability to scan, sign, send, and track BOL forms.

  • Minimize form errors: With Shopify’s “document fields” feature, you can ensure that the correct fields are filled out and signed by the right people.
  • Instant updates: With e-bills, you don’t have to throw away paper bills whenever someone makes a mistake. Instead, you can quickly change the form and send it off at the touch of a button.
  • Economical: Let’s face it, the paper used to print bills isn’t cheap, and there are also courier fees to consider. E-bills save you money in two ways.
  • Cuts paperwork: Unlike paper bills, which can take days to get to their destinations and may get lost in the mail, electronic bills can be sent anywhere in the world in just minutes. It’s also saved on secure servers, so you never have to dig through filing cabinets to find a bill. This speeds up shipping, the transfer of ownership, and delivery acceptance.

Final Thoughts

The bill of lading is made up of two words: “bill,” which stands for the cost of the goods delivered, and “lade,” which is a nautical phrase that means “load cargo onboard.” In the past, this document only applied to goods shipped by sea. Now, it also applies to goods shipped by land and air.

You can create a complete bill of lading form using a free Shopify bill of lading. Try it today.

Shopify bill of lading

The bill of lading (BOL) is the “transport document” that must be sent with all types of transportation. For example, a BOL could be made for a paid or collected shipment. It must also be signed by authorized representatives from the shipper, the carrier, and the receiver. Freight processing can be done faster with Shopify and other eSignature solutions.

Three parties handle the BOL:

  • The shipper (who sends the goods).
  • The carrier (who transports the goods).
  • The receiver or consignee (receives the goods).

FAQs

What’s a bill of lading?

A bill of lading is a contract between the shipper and the carrier that says how they will work together when the goods are being moved. It says what’s in the shipment and gives the title or ownership of that shipment to the party or cargo named on the document. Usually, that party is the business or person to whom the cargo is being sent.

When a shipment is picked up, the carrier signs the bill of lading, which shows that the shipment arrived at the carrier by truck, rail, air, or ship, when the recipient, who has also signed the “consignee,” signs it, it shows that the goods were received as indicated on the bill of lading. It’s also proof that the delivery was sent.

How does the bill of lading form work?

Use Shopify’s free bill of lading form to get started:

  1. Navigate to Shopify tools bill of lading
  2. Fill out the online form
  3. Click “Submit”
  4. Wait for the Shopify bill of lading email to arrive in your inbox
  5. Click on the “Get your bill of lading now.” link
  6. Click “Download PDF”

When does a business need to develop a bill of lading?

A bill of lading is filled out when goods are shipped nationally or internationally. Most bills of lading are one of two types:

  • Straight bill of lading: This is used in cases where the shipment has been paid for in advance, & the carrier delivers the freight to the buyer or another appropriate party.
  • Order bill of lading is used when goods are shipped before they are paid for. On the bill of lading, it is common to write “to an order of” followed by the recipient’s name.

An order bill is a “negotiable instrument,” which means it can be used in place of money or as a promise to pay. An order bill of lading may be utilized when the goods are shipped per an open account or letter of credit.

How much does it cost to use a bill of lading form?

The bill of lading tool on Shopify is free for all businesses and entrepreneurs.

Can I get a copy or print the bill of lading?

Yes, you can! Bill of lading: Download the PDF and print it out.

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I was looking for ways of making a living working online from the comfort of my home,few years in am able not only to work from home but also help others achieve their dreams too. I am a full-time eCommerce expert dropshipping business ,Niche research and Facebook ads Expert.

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