Legal Definitions - short-form bill of lading

A short-form bill of lading is a document that acknowledges the receipt of goods by a carrier or shipper's agent and the contract for the transportation of those goods. It is similar to a regular bill of lading, which is a document that indicates the receipt of goods for shipment and is issued by a person engaged in the business of transporting or forwarding goods.

For example, if a company ships a container of goods to another country, they will receive a bill of lading from the carrier. This document will include information about the goods being shipped, the destination, and the terms of the transportation contract.

The short-form bill of lading does not contain all the terms of the transportation contract, but incorporates them by reference to another document, usually one at the office of the carrier. This means that the carrier can refer to the full contract without having to include all the details in the short-form bill of lading.

Overall, the short-form bill of lading is a useful document for carriers and shippers to keep track of goods being transported and the terms of the transportation contract.