Bill of Lading (BOL) (Customs Glossary)

This article is part of the Customs Glossary Guide

An example of a Bill of Lading.

In North American highway trade, a Bill of Lading (BOL) is a document that serves as a contract, receipt, and record of the transportation of goods between a shipper, carrier, and consignee. It provides key shipment information such as the parties involved, the goods being transported, the quantity, and the condition of the freight when accepted by the carrier.

For cross-border shipments, BOL information is often used to create or support the control numbers used on electronic manifests, such as the Shipment Control Number (SCN) for ACE and the Cargo Control Number (CCN) for ACI. The CBSA's transportation policy explains that carriers are responsible for reporting and controlling goods imported into Canada, and the bill of lading or related shipment paperwork may support that reporting process.

Core Functions

Function	Description
Receipt of Goods	Confirms that the carrier has received the goods for transportation.
Contract of Carriage	Provides evidence of the transportation agreement between the shipper and the carrier.
Shipment Record	Records the type, quantity, condition, origin, and destination of the goods.
Customs and Manifest Support	Provides shipment details that may be used by carriers, brokers, and customs authorities to match physical cargo to electronic manifest data.

Types of Bills of Lading

Type	Description
Straight Bill of Lading	A non-negotiable bill of lading where the goods are consigned to a specific person or company.
Order Bill of Lading	A negotiable bill of lading made out "to order." It may be used when ownership or release of the goods depends on endorsement or presentation of the original document.

Cross-Border Usage

Scenario	Use of Bill of Lading
Goods Transportation	The BOL lists the goods being moved and confirms the carrier has accepted them for transport.
U.S. to Canada Shipments	The BOL may carry or support the PARS number used as the Cargo Control Number on the ACI eManifest and by the customs broker.
Canada to U.S. Shipments	The BOL may carry or support the PAPS number used as the Shipment Control Number on the ACE Manifest and by the customs broker.
In-Bond Movements	The bill of lading number may be used as a reference for in-bond movement records and related transportation documents.
Freight Payment and Claims	The BOL can help resolve freight charge disputes, loss claims, and damage claims because it records the accepted shipment details.

Usage in BorderConnect

When creating a shipment in BorderConnect ACE Manifest or ACI eManifest software, the user typically enters the control number that corresponds to the shipment paperwork rather than a field explicitly named "Bill of Lading Number."

• ACE Manifest: enter the related number in the Shipment Control Number (SCN) field. This is typically the carrier's SCAC followed by the shipment or BOL reference.
• ACI eManifest: enter the related number in the Cargo Control Number (CCN) field. This is typically the carrier code followed by the shipment or BOL reference.

Ordering Custom Bill of Lading Forms

Custom branded bill of lading forms can be ordered from BorderPrint. These forms can be customized with the carrier's company information and branding so drivers, dispatchers, and customers have consistent shipment paperwork.

Using branded BOL forms can help keep shipment documentation organized and make it easier to match paperwork to related ACE, ACI, PARS, PAPS, and in-bond records. Carriers should still ensure that the completed BOL contains the shipment details required for the movement, including shipper, consignee, commodity, quantity, weight, and reference numbers when applicable.

Use in U.S. In-Bond Manager

In BorderConnect U.S. In-Bond Manager, a bill of lading number may be used to identify the shipment associated with a QP in-bond movement. It can also be used when reporting an in-bond arrival by bill of lading, where only a specific bill of lading on the in-bond has arrived at the destination port.

When entering or reporting in-bond details, users should enter the bill of lading number exactly as shown on the supporting shipment paperwork. This helps match the in-bond record to the related carrier, broker, shipper, consignee, and freight documents.

See also

• Air Waybill
• Shipment Control Number
• Cargo Control Number
• PAPS
• PARS
• BorderConnect U.S. In-Bond Manager
• Send Bill of Lading Arrival Page
• BorderPrint Custom Bill of Lading Forms

Official Resources

• CBSA Memorandum D3-1-1: Policy Respecting the Importation and Transportation of Goods
• 49 CFR Part 373: Receipts and Bills