subject: What Is A Bol And Why Is It Needed? [print this page] When using a courier for southeast delivery to transfer goods from business to business or business to customer, a bill of lading or BOL is sent with the goods as an agreement between the courier and the shipper and it lists all of the items that are being shipped. Additionally there is a bill of sale or invoice as proof that the items are being moved as part of a legitimate business transaction. Having these documents is essential to insure that there are no issues when moving goods across international and state lines. In these cases, the courier will be asked for these documents before being allowed to proceed.
Most courier services will request a completed bill of lading before agreeing to take the shipment of goods. The BOL should be clear and concise and acts as a contractual agreement between shipper and courier. It should list all of the goods being shipped, where they are being shipped from, their destination, the corresponding dates and the cost being charged to the shipper for the service.
The BOL works to insure that all transfers of goods, whether imported, exported or domestic are adequately tracked and monitored. This also creates an accurate record of the shipment for both parties involved.
When shipping goods where they will cross international lines, the BOL becomes even more important in the shipping process. Most countries will require the BOL before they allow the goods to enter the country. Each country has its own laws governing importing and exporting of goods and they might assess additional taxes, duties or miscellaneous fees. They require the BOL to help them track these goods as dictated by the laws specific to that country. The BOL is only one of many documents that might be required by foreign and local customs agents to make sure that the law is being adhered to and that all fees and taxes have been paid.
To avoid delays with your shipment, make sure that you have the bill of lading properly filled out and on the truck before the shipment leaves your location. This will go a long way in insuring that your shipment gets there on time and without added issues that could arise at the border. A courier for southeast delivery should be familiar with these requirements and have no issue with agreeing to what's specified on the BOL. This makes the details of the shipment clear to both parties and each person involved knows what to expect.
