Bill of Lading (B/L)
A boxed sheet for the particulars of a sea shipment: parties, vessel, ports, goods with weights and volumes, and freight terms.
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Country versions
- International
A template, not advice.
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What it is
A bill of lading (B/L) is the transport document for goods carried by sea. It is issued by or on behalf of the carrier and records who sent the goods, who receives them, which vessel and ports are involved, and what the goods are. Depending on its type and the trade, it also serves as a receipt for the goods and as evidence of the contract of carriage.
This template sets out the particulars of a shipment on one boxed sheet: the B/L, booking and carrier details, shipper, consignee and notify party, vessel, voyage and ports, a table of goods with packages, weight and volume that adds up the totals, freight terms, the number of originals and the signature boxes. It is useful for preparing the details you give to a carrier or forwarder, or as a layout for your own records. The carrier's own bill of lading, with its terms, is the document that applies to the carriage.
When to use it
- You are preparing the particulars of a sea shipment for the carrier or the freight forwarder.
- You need one clear sheet that lists shipper, consignee, notify party, vessel, ports and goods.
- You check a carrier's draft against your own record of the shipment.
- You teach or learn how the parts of a shipping document fit together.
How to fill it in
- Enter the B/L number, booking number, carrier, vessel and voyage as the carrier gave them.
- Fill in the shipper (from your saved company details), the consignee and the notify party.
- Name the place of receipt, port of loading, port of discharge and place of delivery.
- List the goods: marks and numbers, packages, description, gross weight and volume. The totals add up by themselves.
- Choose the freight terms and the number of originals, then print for signature or download Word or Excel.
Common mistakes
- Typing weights or volumes with the wrong decimal mark, so the totals do not match the carrier's figures.
- Using a consignee or notify party that differs from the letter of credit or the order.
- Leaving out marks and numbers, which the receiver needs to match packages to the paperwork.
- Mixing up the number of originals with the number of copies.
- Treating the sheet as the carrier's document; the carrier issues its own bill of lading.
Steps at a glance
- Fill in
- Check the preview
- Save as PDF, Word or Excel
Country versions
Pick the country you need. Each version uses the wording and layout commonly found there; a version marked “check with local advice” should be read by someone who knows the local rules before it is used.
- International (XX): Written in English, Korean, Japanese, German
Designs
The same form in several designs. The fields and the wording stay the same; only the look changes.
- Boxed form
- Compact
- Formal
- Ledger
- Executive
- Plain (black and white)
- Classic
- Modern
- Banner
- Minimal
- Side band
- Warm
Your details fill it in
Fields that ask for your name, address or company details are filled from My details, so you do not type them again; you can still change any field for one form. Signed in, your details stay in your account; otherwise they stay in this browser only. A passport, identity or social security number is never saved.
Questions
- Is this sheet a valid bill of lading?
- No. A bill of lading is issued by or for the carrier on its own form and under its own terms. This sheet helps you prepare and check the particulars; it does not replace the carrier's document, and QuoteBill makes no claim about its legal effect.
- Why are the English trade terms kept?
- Carriers, banks, forwarders and customs worldwide work with terms such as Shipper, Consignee and Notify party. The sheet shows the word in your language with the English term in brackets so both sides recognise each box.
- Can the totals be exported?
- Yes. The Excel download keeps the goods table with formulas for the totals of packages, weight and volume.
- Is this legal or customs advice?
- No. It is a general layout. Requirements for shipping and customs documents differ by carrier, bank, letter of credit and country, so check what yours ask for or consult your forwarder or an adviser.
- Is this form legal, tax or accounting advice?
- No. It is a template: it gives you the usual structure and wording, not advice. Rules differ by country and case, so have someone qualified read anything that matters before you sign, send or file it.
- Which countries and designs does it come in?
- It comes in 1 country versions: International. 12 designs.
A form is a template, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules differ by country and case.