Fillable Form General Format Bill of Lading

What is a General Format Bill of Lading Form?

A Straight Bill of Lading, or also referred to as a General Format Bill of Lading Form, is a legal document that serves as a receipt for shipped goods. It also serves as a contract between the shipper and the shipping company or carrier located in the United States.

How to fill out a General Format Bill of Lading Form?

To fill out a General Format Bill of Lading Form, you must provide the following information:

Shipper Information

Date

Enter the current date.

Bill of Lading Number

Enter the Bill of Lading Number. This is the number used to identify your shipment or package.

PRO Number

Enter the Progressive Rotating Order (PRO) Number. This is the number used by the carrier to track your shipment or package.

Page

Enter the page number of this form.

Shipper Number

Enter your shipper number. This is the number assigned to your shipment or package.

Trailer Number

Enter the trailer number. This is the number used whenever truckload carriers haul the shipment or package.

Shipper Name

Enter your full legal name.

Address

Enter your address.

City

Enter your city.

State

Enter your state.

ZIP Code

Enter your ZIP code.

Origin City

Enter the city wherein the shipment or package will be coming from if it happens to be different from the address you’ve provided above; otherwise, leave this section blank.

State

Enter the state.

ZIP Code

Enter the ZIP code.

Invoicee or COD Remit to Name

Enter the full legal name of the invoicee if applicable; otherwise, leave this section blank.

Address

Enter the address of the invoicee.

City

Enter the city.

State

Enter the state.

ZIP Code

Enter the ZIP code.

Attention

Enter the full legal name of the person who is supposed to receive your shipment or package.

Consignee Information

Consignee Name and Address

Enter the full legal name and address of the consignee.

Destination City

Enter the city wherein the shipment or packages will be sent.

State

Enter the state.

ZIP Code

Enter the ZIP code.

Phone Number

Enter the phone number of the consignee.

Customer Number

Enter the customer number. This is the number created by the customer to identify the shipment or packages.

Store Number

Enter the store number of the shipment or packages.

Department

Enter the department assigned to receive the shipment or packages.

P.O. Number

Enter the purchase order number of the shipment or packages.

Special Instructions

Enter any special instructions like appointment numbers, the specific date of delivery, and other specific details.

Shipment or Package Information

COD Fee

Mark the appropriate box that corresponds to the shipment or package’s type of COD fee. You may select:

• Prepaid
• Collect

COD Amount

Enter the total amount of the cash-on-delivery fee in dollars.

Customer Check OK for COD Amount?

Mark YES if the customer has agreed to the cash-on-delivery amount you’ve entered; otherwise, mark NO.

Number of Shipping Units

Ente the number of units you plan to ship.

Packaging Type

Enter the packaging type of the shipment or packages. Specify if the packages will use paperboard boxes, cardboard, plastic, and the like.

Hazardous Materials

Mark “X” if your packages contain hazardous materials.

Description of Articles, Special Marks, and Exceptions

Enter the specific description of the shipment or packages.

National Motor Freight Classification Number

Enter the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) Number of the shipment or packages. This is the number used to classify the accurate pricing of your shipment or packages.

Class

Enter the National Freight Classification (NMFC) class of freight of your shipment or packages. This number ranges from 50 to 500.

Weight

Enter the weight of your shipment or packages in pounds.

Rate

Enter the rate of the shipment or packages. The rate of your packages will be dictated by the distance from the origin to the destination, the weight of your packages, and it’s National Freight Classification (NMFC) class of freight.

Charges

Enter all the charges applied to the shipment or packages.

Total Charges

Enter the total amount of charges applied to the shipment or packages.

Emergency Contact

Phone

Enter the phone number of your emergency contact.

Name

Enter the full legal name of your emergency contact.

Contract Number

Enter the contract number of your emergency contact.

Shipper Company Name

Enter the full company name of the shipper.

Carrier

Enter the full name of the carrier.

Trailer Number

Enter the trailer number. This is the number used whenever truckload carriers haul the shipment or package.

Date

Enter the current date.

Shipper Signature

Affix your signature.

Trailer Loaded by:

Mark the appropriate box that corresponds to which type the trailer will be loaded by. You may select:

• Shipper
• Driver

Why is a General Format Bill of Lading important?

A Bill of Lading serves as a contract, a receipt, and a way to determine who is responsible for paying certain fees.

A Bill of Lading contains all the details about the packages to be sent, the shipment date, the charges or fees, and other important information. This will help avoid misunderstandings between the shipper and the carrier.

This form also serves as a receipt when it’s finally signed by the carrier as a confirmation that the packages have been received in good condition.

A Bill of Lading will also help clarify which party needs to pay certain fees like freight charges or COD fees. This form helps determine who is responsible and who is liable for the packages and shipment.

Who prepares a Bill of Lading?

The carrier is the one who prepares and issues a Bill of Lading.

What information is needed to make my own Bill of Lading?

To make your own Bill of Lading, you must include the following information:

• Number of shipping units
• Packaging type
• Hazardous material indicator
• Description of package
• National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) Number
• National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) or class of freight
• Weight
• Rate
• Cash on delivery amount
• Emergency contact
• Total Charges
• Fee terms
• Shipper name
• Shipper number
• Trailer number
• Origin address
• Special instructions
• Consignee name
• Consignee address
• Destination address
• Consignee phone number
• Customer check acceptable
• Date of shipment
• Signature of shipper