Is a bill of lading required by law in California?

Yes. Under 49 CFR §373.101 every motor carrier transporting property in interstate commerce — including California — must issue a BOL. State commerce is also covered by Caltrans regulations.

What's the GVW limit on California highways?

The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; California permits up to 80,000 lbs on designated routes. CARB compliance docs commonly attached to BOL for trucks entering CA.

What carriers most often serve California?

Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-5, I-10, I-15, I-80 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Port of Oakland.

Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?

Drayage from POLA/POLB requires SCAC + interchange agreement on BOL. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.

Is this BOL accepted by California ports of entry?

Yes — the VICS-format BOL produced here meets DOT requirements for interstate and intrastate freight. Print or email the PDF to the carrier at pickup.

Is a bill of lading required by law in California?

Yes. Under 49 CFR §373.101 every motor carrier transporting property in interstate commerce — including California — must issue a BOL. State commerce is also covered by Caltrans regulations.

What's the GVW limit on California highways?

The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; California permits up to 80,000 lbs on designated routes. CARB compliance docs commonly attached to BOL for trucks entering CA.

What carriers most often serve California?

Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-5, I-10, I-15, I-80 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Port of Oakland.

Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?

Drayage from POLA/POLB requires SCAC + interchange agreement on BOL. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.

Is this BOL accepted by California ports of entry?

Yes — the VICS-format BOL produced here meets DOT requirements for interstate and intrastate freight. Print or email the PDF to the carrier at pickup.

California Bill of Lading Template

Free, fillable BOL for shippers and carriers operating in California. VICS-format, prints anywhere, no signup.

Generate your BOL

Free · No signup · PDF download · VICS-format

Form type

BOL NumberShip DateFreight Charge TermsMaster BOL?Includes underlying BOLs

Ship From (Shipper)

Name *ContactPhoneEmailAddress line 1Address line 2City

StateZIPFOB

Ship To (Consignee)

Name *ContactPhoneEmailAddress line 1Address line 2City

StateZIPFOB

CarrierCarrier nameSCACPRO #Trailer #Seal #

Line items

Line 1

HU qtyHU typePkg qtyPkg typeWeight (lb)Hazmat?Yes (X)

Description

NMFC #Class

Density-based class lookup (L × W × H + weight)

Length (in)Width (in)Height (in)Weight (lb)

Third-party billing (optional)

NameContactPhoneEmailAddress line 1Address line 2City

StateZIPFOB

Customer order section (optional)

No customer orders. Add one if your shipment references PO numbers.

CoD + special instructions

CoD amount ($)CoD fee terms

Special instructions

Loaded by / counted by (carrier section)

Trailer loaded byFreight counted by

Signatures (optional)

Shipper signature

Sign here

Date

Carrier signature

Sign here

Date

Consignee signature

Sign here

Date

Tool-output, not legal advice. Verify NMFC classes and hazmat declarations before signing.

Filling out a BOL for California freight

California sits on the I-5, I-10, I-15, I-80 corridor, with most freight moving through Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Port of Oakland. The Caltrans oversees state-level permitting and oversize/overweight loads — for standard freight under 80,000 lbs, no permit is required and a properly completed VICS BOL is sufficient documentation at pickup.

State-specific fields

Drayage from POLA/POLB requires SCAC + interchange agreement on BOL.

Permitting

CARB compliance docs commonly attached to BOL for trucks entering CA.

Top California corridors

Highways: I-5, I-10, I-15, I-80
Major freight port / hub: Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Port of Oakland
State DOT: Caltrans
Permitted GVW: 80,000 lbs

California BOL — frequently asked questions

Is a bill of lading required by law in California?: Yes. Under 49 CFR §373.101 every motor carrier transporting property in interstate commerce — including California — must issue a BOL. State commerce is also covered by Caltrans regulations.
What's the GVW limit on California highways?: The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; California permits up to 80,000 lbs on designated routes. CARB compliance docs commonly attached to BOL for trucks entering CA.
What carriers most often serve California?: Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-5, I-10, I-15, I-80 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Port of Oakland.
Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?: Drayage from POLA/POLB requires SCAC + interchange agreement on BOL. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.
Is this BOL accepted by California ports of entry?: Yes — the VICS-format BOL produced here meets DOT requirements for interstate and intrastate freight. Print or email the PDF to the carrier at pickup.

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