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Title 49 — TransportationRelease 119-73not60

§80112 Liability Under Negotiable Bills Issued in Parts, Sets, or Duplicates

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE X— MISCELLANEOUS › Chapter 801— BILLS OF LADING › § 80112

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Carriers must not issue a negotiable bill of lading in parts or sets for goods shipped to any place in the 48 contiguous States or the District of Columbia. If a carrier does, it must pay damages to a person who bought one part for value and in good faith, even if the carrier already delivered the goods to someone with another part. If two or more negotiable bills are issued for the same goods to those locations, every copy except the original must be clearly marked “duplicate” or a similar word. If a carrier fails to mark them, it must pay damages to a buyer who paid in good faith for a copy thinking it was the original, even if delivery to the original holder happened first.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §80112

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A negotiable bill of lading issued in a State for the transportation of goods to a place in the 48 contiguous States or the District of Columbia may not be issued in parts or sets. A common carrier issuing a bill in violation of this subsection is liable for damages for failure to deliver the goods to a purchaser of one part for value in good faith even though the purchase occurred after the carrier delivered the goods to a holder of one of the other parts.
(b)When at least 2 negotiable bills of lading are issued in a State for the same goods to be transported to a place in the 48 contiguous States or the District of Columbia, the word “duplicate” or another word indicating that the bill is not an original must be put plainly on the face of each bill except the original. A common carrier violating this subsection is liable for damages caused by the violation to a purchaser of the bill for value in good faith as an original bill even though the purchase occurred after the carrier delivered the goods to the holder of the original bill.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 80112(a)49 App.:84.Aug. 29, 1916, ch. 415, §§ 4, 5, 39 Stat. 539. 80112(b)49 App.:85. In this section, the words “48 contiguous States or the District of Columbia” are substituted for “United States on the Continent of North America, except Alaska and Panama” and the text of 49 App.:84 (proviso) and 85 (proviso) for clarity. In subsection (a), the words “If so issued” and “described therein” are omitted as surplus. The word “occurred” is added for clarity.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 80112

Title 49 — Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60