Is a bill of lading required by law in Texas?

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

What's the GVW limit on Texas highways?

The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; Texas permits up to 84,000 lbs on designated routes. Higher GVW on permitted loads; energy-sector freight dominant.

What carriers most often serve Texas?

Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-10, I-20, I-35, I-45 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Houston, Port of Beaumont, Port of Corpus Christi.

Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?

Border-crossing BOLs (Laredo, El Paso) need pedimento and customs broker reference. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.

Is this BOL accepted by Texas 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 Texas?

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

What's the GVW limit on Texas highways?

The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; Texas permits up to 84,000 lbs on designated routes. Higher GVW on permitted loads; energy-sector freight dominant.

What carriers most often serve Texas?

Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-10, I-20, I-35, I-45 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Houston, Port of Beaumont, Port of Corpus Christi.

Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?

Border-crossing BOLs (Laredo, El Paso) need pedimento and customs broker reference. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.

Is this BOL accepted by Texas 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.

Texas Bill of Lading Template

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

Texas sits on the I-10, I-20, I-35, I-45 corridor, with most freight moving through Port of Houston, Port of Beaumont, Port of Corpus Christi. The TxDOT oversees state-level permitting and oversize/overweight loads — for standard freight under 84,000 lbs, no permit is required and a properly completed VICS BOL is sufficient documentation at pickup.

State-specific fields

Border-crossing BOLs (Laredo, El Paso) need pedimento and customs broker reference.

Permitting

Higher GVW on permitted loads; energy-sector freight dominant.

Top Texas corridors

Highways: I-10, I-20, I-35, I-45
Major freight port / hub: Port of Houston, Port of Beaumont, Port of Corpus Christi
State DOT: TxDOT
Permitted GVW: 84,000 lbs

Texas BOL — frequently asked questions

Is a bill of lading required by law in Texas?: Yes. Under 49 CFR §373.101 every motor carrier transporting property in interstate commerce — including Texas — must issue a BOL. State commerce is also covered by TxDOT regulations.
What's the GVW limit on Texas highways?: The standard interstate GVW is 80,000 lbs; Texas permits up to 84,000 lbs on designated routes. Higher GVW on permitted loads; energy-sector freight dominant.
What carriers most often serve Texas?: Major LTL carriers including FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes, and ABF run through the I-10, I-20, I-35, I-45 corridor. The major freight gateway in the state is Port of Houston, Port of Beaumont, Port of Corpus Christi.
Are there state-specific BOL fields I need?: Border-crossing BOLs (Laredo, El Paso) need pedimento and customs broker reference. Add the relevant reference numbers in the special instructions block.
Is this BOL accepted by Texas 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.

Other Texas-related templates

Kentucky BOL Template
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Wyoming BOL Template
WYDOT
Rhode Island BOL Template
RIDOT
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