Is a bill of lading required by law in Illinois?

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

What's the GVW limit on Illinois highways?

The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; Illinois permits up to 80,000 lbs on designated routes. Chicago intermodal hub — origin BOL plus rail interchange common.

What carriers most often serve Illinois?

Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-55, I-57, I-80, I-90, I-94 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Chicago.

Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?

Class-I rail ramps demand container/seal numbers on BOL line items. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.

Is this BOL accepted by Illinois 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 Illinois?

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

What's the GVW limit on Illinois highways?

The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; Illinois permits up to 80,000 lbs on designated routes. Chicago intermodal hub — origin BOL plus rail interchange common.

What carriers most often serve Illinois?

Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-55, I-57, I-80, I-90, I-94 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Chicago.

Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?

Class-I rail ramps demand container/seal numbers on BOL line items. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.

Is this BOL accepted by Illinois 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.

Illinois Bill of Lading Template

Free, fillable BOL for shippers and carriers operating in Illinois. 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 Illinois freight

Illinois sits on the I-55, I-57, I-80, I-90, I-94 corridor, with most freight moving through Port of Chicago. The Illinois DOT 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

Class-I rail ramps demand container/seal numbers on BOL line items.

Permitting

Chicago intermodal hub — origin BOL plus rail interchange common.

Top Illinois corridors

Highways: I-55, I-57, I-80, I-90, I-94
Major freight port / hub: Port of Chicago
State DOT: Illinois DOT
Permitted GVW: 80,000 lbs

Illinois BOL — frequently asked questions

Is a bill of lading required by law in Illinois?: Yes. Under 49 CFR §373.101 every motor carrier transporting property in interstate commerce — including Illinois — must issue a BOL. State commerce is also covered by Illinois DOT regulations.
What's the GVW limit on Illinois highways?: The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; Illinois permits up to 80,000 lbs on designated routes. Chicago intermodal hub — origin BOL plus rail interchange common.
What carriers most often serve Illinois?: Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-55, I-57, I-80, I-90, I-94 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Chicago.
Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?: Class-I rail ramps demand container/seal numbers on BOL line items. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.
Is this BOL accepted by Illinois 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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