What to Check on a Bill of Lading Before You Sign

Before you sign a bill of lading, check who is shipping, who is receiving, what the freight is, how many pieces there are, how heavy it is, the seal number and any special instructions. Then compare the paper with the freight on the floor. If something does not match, write it on the bill before you sign. Your signature says that you received the freight as described. This page walks through the lines, and how to write an exception the receiver will accept.

For the whole picture of this document, read our bill of lading and proof of delivery guide.

Why the signature matters more than the load

The bill of lading is three things at once: a receipt for the freight, a contract for the move, and a document of title. When you sign it, you say, "I took this freight in this condition." If the receiver later finds damage or a shortage, the paper you signed is the first thing everyone reads.

A clean signature on a bad count makes the problem yours. A note on the paper, written at the shipper, keeps the problem where it started. That is the point of checking.

You do not have to be a lawyer. You have to be careful with a pen and with your eyes. If you are not sure what a line means, ask the shipper's clerk, or call dispatch before you sign. Do not sign first and ask later.

Line by line: who, what, how many, how heavy

Take the paper and go through it in the same order every time.

1. Shipper and consignee. Are the names and addresses right? Does the delivery address match your dispatch message?
2. Pickup and reference numbers. Does the order number, load number or purchase order match what dispatch gave you?
3. Description. Does the freight on the paper match what you see: boxes, pallets, drums, rolls?
4. Piece count. Count the pallets or pieces yourself. Do not trust a number just because it is printed. If the shipper loads the trailer and you cannot count, see our guide to shipper load and count.
5. Weight. Does the weight look right for what you see? A load of paper rolls does not weigh the same as a load of pillows. If the weight looks wrong, ask.
6. Packaging. Are the pallets wrapped? Are the boxes intact? Note damage that existed before you arrived.
7. Special instructions. Temperature, delivery appointment, hazardous material markings, a seal requirement. These must be on the paper if they are on the order.
8. Seal number. If a seal is applied, the number on the seal and the number on the paper must match.

If your employer uses a different paper or an electronic form, the lines are the same in spirit. Know where each one is.

Matching the rate confirmation

The rate confirmation is the paper (or message) that your dispatch or broker uses to describe the job: pickup, delivery, equipment, commodity, weight, and the agreed rate. It is not the bill of lading. But they must agree on the facts.

Compare the two before you leave the shipper:

• Same commodity and approximate weight?
• Same pickup and delivery locations?
• Same appointment times?
• Same instructions about temperature, tarps or seals?

If the bill says one thing and the rate confirmation says another, call dispatch before you leave. A difference in weight or pieces can change the equipment you need, and a difference in commodity can change the rules for the load. Dispatch can fix it with the broker while you are still there. Once you are on the road, the fix is harder.

Writing an exception the receiver will accept

An exception is a note on the paper that says the freight, the count or the condition is not what the paper says. Write it clearly, so the next person reads it and knows exactly what you mean.

A good exception is:

• Specific. "2 pallets, left side, wrap torn, 3 cartons crushed" is better than "damaged."
• Factual. Write what you see, not what you guess. "Water stains on 4 cartons" is a fact. "Probably leaked" is a guess.
• Short. One or two lines. Use the space the paper gives.
• Dated and initialled if your employer requires it.
• Backed by photos. Take photos before you sign. Our guide to taking photos that support a freight claim shows how.

Do not write opinions or blame. The note exists to describe the freight.

Example: thirty pallets on the paper, twenty-eight on the floor

Say a driver, Ingrid, arrives at a food warehouse. The bill of lading says thirty pallets. The dock crew is loading. Ingrid stands at the door and counts as they go. At the end, she has counted twenty-eight.

She does not sign yet. She goes to the shipping clerk, shows her count, and asks the clerk to check the staging area. The clerk finds no more pallets, and says, "Just sign it. We will sort it out later."

Ingrid says, politely, "I can sign for what I loaded. Please correct the count on the paper to twenty-eight, or I will write the exception." The clerk changes the count and initials it. Ingrid photographs the corrected paper and the loaded trailer, and sends a message to dispatch.

At delivery, the receiver counts twenty-eight and signs without a problem. If Ingrid had signed for thirty, the missing two pallets would have been hers to explain.

When this does not work

• If the shipper loads and seals the trailer and writes "shipper load and count," you may not be able to verify the count. Follow your employer's policy on what to write. Do not claim you counted what you could not count.
• If the shipper refuses to correct the paper, do not argue. Write the exception, take photos, and call dispatch before leaving.
• If you are in a hurry because of an appointment, remember that a few minutes of checking is cheaper than a claim later.
• If the paper is in a language you do not read well, ask a clerk to show you each line. Do not change the document yourself.

The rules about what a bill of lading must say, and who is responsible for what, differ between countries and carriers. Your employer's procedure and the rules where you work decide.

Learn this in five minutes

The At the Shipper track in CargoSkills teaches how to arrive prepared, count and verify freight against the paper, note damage and shortages before you sign, and apply and record a seal. Each lesson takes five minutes and uses a real dock situation.