Title 49 › SUBTITLE X — MISCELLANEOUS › CHAPTER 801 — BILLS OF LADING › § 80103
Defines when a bill of lading can be transferred to someone else and when it cannot. A bill is transferable (negotiable) if it says the goods must be delivered under the named consignee’s instructions and it does not say on the face of the bill that it is not negotiable. Adding a name to be told when the goods arrive does not stop the bill from being transferable and does not give that named person rights to the goods. A bill that just names a consignee to receive the goods is not transferable. Signing or handing over a non‑transferable bill does not make it transferable or give the new holder extra rights. A carrier that issues a non‑transferable bill must clearly mark it as nonnegotiable or not negotiable, except for informal notes or simple acknowledgments.
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Legislative History
Reference
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 80103
Title 49, Transportation
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110