Bill of Lading
Also written as: BOL — Bill of Lading
A legal document issued by a carrier to a shipper that details the type, quantity, and destination of goods being transported.
Full Definition
A bill of lading (BOL) serves simultaneously as a receipt for shipped goods, a contract of carriage between the shipper and carrier, and a document of title. It is one of the most critical documents in freight logistics and must accompany all shipments. Editors must ensure the abbreviation BOL is consistently applied and that the document title is rendered as three words with no hyphenation. In international trade, it is sometimes distinguished from an airway bill or sea waybill depending on the mode of transport.
Usage
Usage note: Always rendered as three words, lowercase except when used as a document title. The plural is 'bills of lading', not 'bill of ladings'.
In Context
- "The freight broker requested a clean bill of lading before releasing payment to the carrier." — Freight contract documentation
- "Editors should verify that 'bill of lading' is not hyphenated or abbreviated without prior introduction in formal shipping reports." — Editorial style guide note