Free template — no signup
Bill of lading template — fill it online, download the PDF
A blank template PDF can't check your work. DockBOL is a living bill of lading template: type the shipment, watch the document build itself, and download a clean US Letter PDF with scannable barcodes. Free, no account, and your data never leaves this browser.
- Free — no account, no watermark
- Exact US Letter vector PDF
- Code 128 & GS1-128 barcodes
- Auto-saves in your browser
Start here — four ways in
Pick a starting point; they all land in the same generator, and you can switch modes or clear the document at any time. Your work auto-saves in this browser.
Why a live template beats a blank PDF
Searching for a “bill of lading template PDF” usually means you want a document you can print and trust — not necessarily an empty form. A static template is a snapshot: it can't add your totals, can't compute a VICS check digit, can't draw a barcode, and can't warn you before a mistake costs a reclass fee. DockBOL is the same document, but alive — the template checks your work while you fill it.
| Blank template PDF | DockBOL live template | |
|---|---|---|
| Fill it in | PDF editor, Word, or a pen at the dock | Typed form with a live document preview |
| Totals & density | Calculator and scratch paper | Computed as you type |
| Barcodes | Not included | Vector Code 128 & GS1-128 with quiet zones |
| VICS 17-digit ID | Hand-built, hand-checked | Mod-10 check digit computed & validated |
| Mistakes | Found by the carrier — on the invoice | Document checks flag them before export |
| The next shipment | Start over from a fresh blank | Saved addresses, presets & an autosaved draft |
Everything the template does for you
Fill the BOL online
Eight organized sections — identifiers, parties, commodity lines, terms, signatures — with tabular numerals and keyboard-friendly inputs built for dock speed.
Preview it live
Every keystroke rebuilds the exact US Letter document beside the form. What you see is precisely what the PDF contains — no export surprises.
Create real barcodes
Your BOL reference and the carrier's PRO print as Code 128; the VICS shipment ID encodes as GS1-128 with AI (402). True vector bars, quiet zones, human-readable text — never a barcode font.
Download a clean PDF
One click exports a monochrome, print-first US Letter PDF. Long commodity tables paginate with repeated headers and the BOL number on every continuation page.
Reuse saved addresses
Save shippers, consignees, bill-tos, and carriers to the local address book and autofill the next BOL in one click — recent and frequent records surface first.
It remembers your draft
The draft autosaves to this browser as you work — refresh, close the tab, come back tomorrow. Export or import a JSON backup anytime from Settings → Local data.
What the downloaded PDF looks like
This is page one of a bill of lading filled in DockBOL (sample data, standard mode). The PDF you download is this exact document — the preview and the export share the same layout engine, so there is nothing to re-check after you click download.
On every DockBOL PDF
- Exact 8.5×11 US Letter pages — monochrome and print-first
- Vector text, rules, and barcodes — sharp at any print resolution
- Scannable Code 128 / GS1-128 barcodes with quiet zones
- BOL reference and page numbers repeated on continuation pages
- Freight terms marked clearly — prepaid, collect, or third party
- Shipper, carrier, and consignee signature blocks
Free · no account · auto-saves in your browser
Print it so it scans
- Print at 100% scale (actual size), not fit-to-page — shrinking squeezes the barcodes below what some scanners will read.
- Plain white US Letter on any laser or inkjet printer — no labels, thermal stock, or special forms required.
- Three copies is common practice: one for the shipper's file, one that rides with the driver, one for the consignee at delivery.
- Scan one printed page with your own scanner the first time — after that, every page from the same printer setup is trustworthy.
Bill of lading template FAQ
Can I download a totally blank BOL PDF from DockBOL?
No — deliberately. A blank PDF is a form that can't check anything, and an empty or half-filled BOL is exactly what causes pickup delays and billing disputes. DockBOL generates the PDF from the shipment you enter, and its document checks stop an unusable document from exporting. Start with the blank template, fill the required fields (a couple of minutes with the address book), and the PDF you get is one a carrier can actually work with.
What size and format is the PDF?
Exact US Letter (8.5×11 in), black-and-white and print-first, with vector text, rules, and barcodes that stay sharp at any print resolution. Long commodity tables paginate automatically — continuation pages repeat the table headers and the BOL number so pages can't be separated and orphaned. The file opens in any PDF viewer and prints on any office printer.
Do I need Word, Excel, or Adobe Acrobat?
No. DockBOL runs entirely in your browser — the form, the live preview, the barcode encoding, and the PDF generation all happen on your device. There is nothing to install, no plugin, and no account.
Is my shipment data uploaded anywhere?
No. In guest mode the draft, address book, and presets live in this browser's local storage, and the PDF is generated on your device — nothing is transmitted. You can export a JSON backup, import it on another machine, or wipe everything from Settings → Local data.
Can I reuse the template for the next shipment?
Yes — that is the point. Your draft autosaves as you type; save shippers, consignees, bill-tos, and carriers to the address book and commodity details as presets; then “Reset to blank BOL” starts a fresh document while everything you saved stays put. Repeat lanes take seconds, not minutes.
Does it work from a phone on the dock?
Yes. On small screens the form stacks vertically with a sticky Preview / Download PDF bar at the bottom, and the preview opens full-screen. On desktop you get the split-pane studio with the form on the left and the live document on the right.
Can I use this template for an interstate household-goods move?
No. DockBOL’s standard BOL template is not for interstate household-goods moves for individual shippers. It does not provide the separate household-goods carrier workflow required by 49 CFR Part 375.
Guides & references
What is a bill of lading?
Receipt, contract of carriage, and delivery instruction — who signs it, and a worked example.
Straight vs. VICS bill of lading
Which document your receiver expects, and the 17-digit math worked end to end.
BOL and PRO barcodes that scan
Code 128 and GS1-128 (AI 402) vector barcodes with proper quiet zones.
LTL freight class and NMFC — an honest note
What density tells you, what it can't, and who actually assigns classes.
How to create a BOL with DockBOL
Five steps from blank form to a print-ready PDF, with document checks along the way.
General bill of lading FAQ
Pricing, signup, data privacy, and how the 17-digit VICS number is calculated.
Straight bill of lading generator
The everyday non-negotiable form for LTL and truckload freight — what it is and when to use one.
VICS bill of lading generator
The retail-inbound standard — the 17-digit GS1 shipment ID and GS1-128 (AI 402) barcode, explained.
The template is the generator
Open a blank bill of lading, type the shipment, and hand the driver a clean, scannable PDF. No signup, no watermark — the document is the product.