Every carrier issues a Bill of Lading, often shortened to BOL, when it collects your vehicle. Our Terms and Conditions define it as the carrier's document recording the details and condition of the shipment, the pickup and delivery points and the order details. It can serve as a receipt and as the contract between you and the carrier.
What is on it
Your details and the carrier's, the vehicle description, the pickup and delivery addresses, and a condition report: a diagram or checklist where existing scratches, dents, chips and other damage are marked at pickup. At delivery the same form is used to record the vehicle's condition on arrival.
Why it matters more than anything else you sign
If the car is damaged in transit, the claim rests on the difference between the pickup record and the delivery record. Damage that was not noted at pickup can be argued as pre-existing; damage not noted at delivery, before you sign, is treated as not having happened. Signing a clean Bill of Lading at delivery confirms you received the vehicle in satisfactory condition.
What to do with it
Read it before signing, at both ends. Make sure every existing mark is on it at pickup and every new mark is on it at delivery. Ask the driver for a signed copy each time, and keep both with your own dated photographs.
Our guide below shows what a complete Bill of Lading must contain and the mistakes that weaken a claim.
Related questions
- What should I check when my car is delivered?
- What if I notice damage at delivery?
- How do I file a damage claim after car shipping?
Go deeper: Auto Transport Bill of Lading: What Must Be On It.
