Who Issues a Bill of Lading? Who Provides, Creates, and Signs the BOL

The bill of lading (BOL) is a crucial shipping document. Still, one common point of confusion is who issues the bill of lading and how the responsibilities are divided among shippers, carriers, and consignees.

The bill of lading—often called a BOL or B/L—is one of the most critical documents in freight shipping. But despite its importance, many shippers and logistics teams still wonder: who issues the bill of lading, and what exactly does that involve?

In this guide, we’ll break down the answer and walk through the roles of each party involved—shipper, carrier, consignee, and notify party. You’ll also learn when the bill of lading is issued, who provides and creates it, and what must be legally valid.

Are you just looking for a quick answer? Here it is: the carrier issues the bill of lading once they take control of the goods.

What Is a Bill of Lading and Why It Matters in Shipping?

A bill of lading is a legal document used in freight shipping that serves three critical functions:

• Receipt of Goods: Confirms the type and quantity of items loaded for shipment.
• Title of Goods: Indicates ownership and transfer rights of the cargo.
• Contract of Carriage: Details the agreement between the shipper and carrier, including destination, contents, and handling instructions.

This document travels with the shipment from origin to destination. It is essential to ensure all parties are aligned on what’s being shipped, where it’s going, and who’s responsible along the way

Who Issues, Provides, and Creates a Bill of Lading?

Now that you’re familiar with the key players in the shipping process, let’s dive into the core question: who issues the bill of lading? The short answer is—the carrier. Once they take control of the shipment, they’re responsible for issuing the bill of lading.

But there’s more to it.

In this section, we’ll break down:

• What it means to issue a bill of lading.
• When the bill of lading is typically issued.
• Who may create or provide the document during the shipping process?
• Key differences between land and sea freight handling.
• Common requirements and standards that make a bill of lading valid.

Multiple responsible parties are involved in the bill of lading. The bill must list these parties to be legally binding.

• Shipper: This is the party that is sending the goods.
• Consignee: The consignee is the other end of the freight. It is the person or company that is receiving the goods.
• Carrier: This is the shipping company. The carrier takes the goods from the shipper and carries them to the consignee.
• Notify Party: The notify party is the person that should be informed when the goods reach their destination port.

In addition, a bill of lading is only binding if the responsible parties have signed the document at the correct time.

Who Issues a Bill of Lading?

Now that you know the names of the different parties, we can discuss who issues a bill of lading. As I stated earlier, the carrier issues a bill of lading.

In this section, I’ll explain this in more detail, explaining what it means to issue a bill of lading and then discussing when the document is issued. I’ll also discuss a subtle difference between land freight and sea freight. Finally, I’ll discuss the requirements for issuing a bill of lading.

What Does It Mean to Issue a Bill of Lading?

So, first up, what does it mean to issue a bill of lading?

Legally, issuing a bill of lading means that the freight or shipping company has taken control of the goods. That is, the goods have been handed from the shipper to the carrier and loaded onto the initial truck, van, ship, or warehouse floor of the freighting process.

At this point, the three purposes of a bill of lading come into effect. The receipt aspect indicates this first transfer of goods. The title aspect states the legal owner of the goods. And the contract aspect states all the relevant details about the goods.

When Is a Bill of Lading Issued?

It’s probably pretty clear when a bill of lading is issued by now. But to put it succinctly, the bill of lading is issued when the goods are loaded onto a freighting vessel owned or used by the carrier.

To illustrate this, it’s best to give an example. Imagine the situation where a company in Toronto (the shipper) is sending 300kg of wheat to Santiago in Chile (the consignee) with a company called SendIt (the carrier). A SendIt representative issues the bill of lading when they take control of the goods. Once the goods reach the other end, the port in Santiago, SendIt tells a customs representative from the receiving company (the notifying party). They check the goods and sign that they have been received.

There are some caveats to the above example, such as when an NVOCC issues a house bill of lading for intermodal transport. However, by and large, the above process holds.

What’s the Difference for Land and Sea Freight?

In the above example, land or sea freight could be used to transport the goods. It’s important to note two slight differences between the bill of lading in these instances.

There are slight differences in issuing a bill of lading for land versus sea freight:

• Land Freight: Typically involves a single carrier and uses a straightforward bill of lading, making it simpler for domestic and cross-border shipments.

Sea Freight: This often involves an ocean carrier and may require two documents—a master bill of lading and a house bill of lading—especially when intermodal transport is used for cross-border transactions.

Sea freight occurs when the carrier uses waterways as the primary mode of transport. Rail or trucks may also be used during freight. But the main portion of the transport occurs in water.

Bill of Lading Issuing Requirements

There are no worldwide rules or regulations for who can issue a bill of lading. Certain countries, such as the US, have their own regulations stating that issuers must be registered with the relevant authorities.

You can also create a bill of lading online using templates from recognized shipping groups. These templates ensure that your document meets industry standards and includes necessary details such as:

• Responsible parties
• Origin and destination
• Number of packages
• Package contents, weight, and volume

Similarly, international freighting groups and consortiums provide their own templates for valid bills of lading. You must use their templates and processes if you’re shipping with one of these groups. To check that a bill of lading is valid, check the documentation provided by the carrier. Wikipedia also lists the largest carriers and how they label their documents.

There are a few requirements for a bill of lading. It must list the responsible parties, origin, destination, number of packages, contents of the packages, and package details such as weight and volume.

Final Takeaways: Understanding and Handling Your Bill of Lading with Confidence

We’ve broken down the essentials of the bill of lading, including who issues it, when it’s issued, and which parties are responsible throughout the shipping process.

To recap, the carrier typically issues the bill of lading once they take control of the shipment. This document serves as a receipt, a title of goods, and a contract of carriage. For it to be legally valid, it must include key details such as the shipper, consignee, carrier, and notify party.

While no universal rules govern who can issue a bill of lading, following established industry practices and using digital tools can help ensure your documents are complete, accurate, and compliant.

Want to simplify your shipping workflows? Vector’s yard management solutions make it easy to generate, track, and manage lading bills confidently.

Michael de Ridder wrote this post. Michael has worked in software development, data visualization, data science, research, consulting, and business analysis across healthcare, telecommunications, radio and finance. He enjoys the challenge of combining and utilizing the relationships between different domains and technology. A big fan of travel, Michael is a proponent for the benefits of work-life balance, believing that time away from a subject allows creativity to flourish.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bill of Lading

1. Who provides the bill of lading to the consignee?
   The carrier typically provides the bill of lading to the consignee upon delivery, either in physical or digital format, to confirm receipt of the goods.
2. What is the role of the consignee on a bill of lading?
   The consignee is the person or company designated to receive the shipment. To ensure proper delivery, their details must be listed accurately on the bill of lading.
3. Can a shipper create a bill of lading?
   Yes, the shipper can create the bill of lading using templates or digital tools, but it is typically issued and finalized by the carrier when they take control of the goods.
4. Does the bill of lading always need to be signed?
   Yes, for legal validity, the bill of lading should be signed by the shipper and carrier and sometimes by the consignee upon delivery.
5. How can you verify the accuracy of a bill of lading?
   To verify accuracy, check that the bill of lading includes correct details for the shipper, consignee, carrier, goods description, quantity, and destination. Cross-reference with shipping documentation or digital systems.