§ 375.505 Must I write up a bill of lading?

(a) YouBefore mustyou issuereceive a billshipment of lading.household Thegoods billyou ofwill ladingtransport mustfor contain the terms and conditions of the contract. A bill of lading may be combined with an orderindividual forshipper, serviceyou tomust includeprepare alland theissue items required by § 375.501 of this subpart. You must furnish a partially complete copy of the bill of lading to the individual shipper before the vehicle leaves the residence at origin. The partially complete bill of lading must contain all relevant shipment information, except the actualterms shipment weight and anyconditions otherof information necessary to determine the final charges for all services performedcontract.
(b) On a bill of lading, you must include the following 1417 items:
(1) Your namelegal andor addresstrade name (i.e., ordoing thebusiness as name) andas addressit ofis theregistered motorwith carrierFMCSA, issuingto theinclude billyour ofphysical ladingaddress.
(2) The names, andtelephone numbers, addresses, and U.S. DOT numbers of any other motor carriers, when known, who will participate in transportation of the shipment.
(3) The individual shipper's name, address, and, telephoneif numberavailable, oftelephone your office number(or the office of your agents) where the individual shipper can contact you in relation to the transportation of the shipment.
(4) The form of payment you and your agents will honor at delivery. The payment information must be the same that was entered on the estimate and orderbill forof servicelading.
(5) When you transport on a collect-on-delivery basis, the name, address, and if furnished, the telephone number, facsimilefax number, or e-mailemail address of a person to notify about the charges. The notification may also be made by any method of communication, including, but not limited to, fax transmission; email; overnight courier; or certified mail, return receipt requested.
(6) For non-guaranteed service, the agreed date or period of time for pickup of the shipment and the agreed date or period of time for the delivery of the shipment. The agreed dates or periods for pickup and delivery entered upon the bill of lading must conform to the agreed dates or periods of time for pickup and delivery entered upon the order for service or a proper amendment to the order for service.
(7) For guaranteed service, subject to tariff provisions, the dates for pickup and delivery, and any penalty or per diem entitlements due the individual shipper under the agreement.
(8) The actual date of pickup.
(9) The company or carrier identification number of the vehicle(s) upon which you load the individual shipper's shipment.
(10) The terms and conditions for payment of the total charges, including notice of any minimum charges.
(11) The maximum amount you will demand at the time of delivery to obtain possession of the shipment, when you transport under a collect-on-delivery basis.
(12) AThe valuation statement ofprovided in the declaredSurface valueTransportation ofBoard's thereleased shipment,rates whichorder isrequires theindividual maximumshippers amounteither ofto yourchoose liabilityFull toValue theProtection individualfor shipperyour underliability youror waive the Full Value Protection forin favor of the replacementSTB's valuereleased ofrates. anyThe householdreleased goodsrates thatmay arebe lost,increased damaged,annually destroyed,by orthe otherwisemotor notcarrier deliveredbased toon the final destinationU.S. IfDepartment theof individualCommerce's shipperCost waives,of inLiving writing,Adjustment. yourContact Fullthe ValueSTB Protectionfor liabilitya forcopy of the declaredReleased valueRates of theMotor householdCarrier goods,Shipments youof mustHousehold includeGoods. aIf copythe ofindividual theshipper waiver;waives theyour SurfaceFull TransportationValue Board'sProtection requiredin releasedwriting rateson the STB's valuation statement;, andyou must include the charges, if any, for optional valuation coverage (other than Full Value Protection).
(13) TheEvidence releasedof ratesany mayinsurance becoverage increasedsold annuallyto byor procured for the motorindividual carriershipper basedfrom onan theindependent U.S.insurer, Departmentincluding the amount of Commerce'sthe Costpremium offor Livingsuch Adjustmentinsurance.
(1314) EvidenceA complete description of any insurancespecial coverageor soldaccessorial toservices ordered and minimum weight or procuredvolume forcharges applicable to the shipment, subject to the following two conditions:
(i) If you provide service for individual shippershippers fromon anrates independentbased insurerupon the transportation of a minimum weight or volume, includingyou must indicate on the amountbill of lading the premiumminimum forweight- or volume-based rates, and the minimum charges applicable to the shipment.
(ii) If you do not indicate the minimum rates and charges, your tariff must provide how you will compute the final charges relating to such insurancea shipment based upon the actual weight or volume of the shipment.
(1415) Each attachment to the bill of lading. Each attachment is an integral part of the bill of lading contract. If not provided elsewhere to the shipper, the following threetwo items must be added as an attachment to the bill of lading.
(i) The binding or non-binding estimate.
(ii) The orderinventory.
(16) forAny serviceidentification or registration number you assign to the shipment.
(iii17) TheA inventorystatement that the bill of lading incorporates by reference all the services included on the estimate.
(c) A copy of the bill of lading must accompany a shipment at all times while in your (or your agent's) possession. Before the vehicle leaves the residence of origin, the bill of lading must be in the possession of the driver responsible for the shipment.
(d) You must retain billsa copy of the bill of lading for each move you perform for at least one1 year from the date you created the bill of lading.
(e) You, haveyour agent, or your driver must inform the optionindividual ofshipper placingif you reasonably expect a special or accessorial service is necessary to safely transport a shipment. You must refuse to accept the valuationshipment statementwhen onyou eitherreasonably expect a special or accessorial service is necessary to safely transport a shipment and the orderindividual forshipper refuses to purchase the special or accessorial service. You must make a written note if the shipper refuses any special or accessorial services that you reasonably expect to be necessary.
(f) You and the individual shipper must sign the bill of lading prior to the shipment being loaded. The bill of lading must be signed at both the origin and the destination. You must provide a dated copy of the bill of lading to the individual shipper at the time you sign the bill of lading.
(g)(1) You may provide the individual shipper with blank or incomplete estimates, bills of lading, or any other blank or incomplete documents pertaining to the move.
(2) You may require the individual shipper to sign an incomplete document prior to the shipment being loaded provided it contains all relevant shipping information except the orderactual shipment weight and any other information necessary to determine the final charges for serviceall services performed. You may omit only that information that cannot be determined before loading, such as actual shipment weight in the case of shipments moved under non-binding estimates or unforeseen charges incurred in transit.
(3) You may not require an individual shipper to sign a blank document.
(h) The bill of lading statesmust thebe appropriateprovided valuationto, selectedsigned, and dated by the individual shipper at least 3 days before the shipment is scheduled to be loaded. You must provide the individual shipper the opportunity to rescind the bill of lading without any penalty for a 3-day period after the individual shipper signs the bill of lading. If the individual shipper tenders additional items to be moved or requires additional services on the day of the move, resulting in a new binding estimate under § 375.403(a)(6)(ii) or a new non-binding estimate under § 375.405(b)(7)(ii), the corresponding changes to the bill of lading from the new estimate do not require a new 3-day period as otherwise required in this paragraph (h).
[68 FR 35091, June 11, 2003, as amended at 69 FR 10576, Mar. 5, 2004; 72 FR 36774, July 5, 2007; 77 FR 25373, Apr. 30, 2012; 80 FR 59071, Oct. 1, 2015; 83 FR 16224, Apr. 16, 2018; 87 FR 24447, Apr. 26, 2022; 88 FR 80180, Nov. 17, 2023]