Your eBOL, at pickup and at delivery.
The inspection on the bill of lading is the only record of what your car looked like before and after the trip. On an electronic BOL it is a set of photos with times on them. Ten minutes at each end, done properly, is what protects you if anything goes wrong.
What should I check on a car shipping eBOL?
At pickup, make sure the eBOL records the VIN, mileage and every existing mark, with photos of all four corners, the roof and close-ups of any damage, and that you get a copy right away. At delivery, inspect the car before you sign, write down any new damage on the eBOL, and take your own photos too.
The same bill of lading, with photos instead of handwriting.
A bill of lading is the receipt and contract for your car's trip. It records who handed the car over, when, and in what condition. An electronic bill of lading, or eBOL, does the same job on the driver's phone or tablet. The difference is the evidence. A paper BOL might say “small scratch, driver door.” An eBOL shows that scratch in a photo, with the time it was taken, and sends a copy to you. Electronic signatures and records are legally valid for this in the United States. Background: The bill of lading
Before the car goes on the truck.
- 01
Wash it if you can
A clean car shows every chip and scratch in the photos. Road dirt hides them, and then nobody can prove what was there before.
- 02
Walk around it with the driver
Do it together, in daylight if possible. Point out every existing mark so it goes on the record now, not in an argument later.
- 03
Check the photos
Look for all four corners, both sides, front, rear, the roof and a close-up of every existing mark. Ask for the odometer reading too.
- 04
Check the details
VIN, year, make and model, mileage, number of keys, and both addresses with contact phones. One wrong digit in the VIN is worth fixing now.
- 05
Get your copy before the truck leaves
An eBOL should be sent to you by email or text right away. If it has not arrived before the truck pulls out, ask for it.
This is the signature that matters most.
- 01
Inspect before you sign
Walk around the car with the driver and compare it to the pickup photos. Signing a clean delivery is a statement that it arrived in good condition, and that is very hard to undo later.
- 02
Write down anything new
Note any new damage on the eBOL before you sign: where, and what it looks like. Ask the driver to photograph it in the app.
- 03
Take your own photos
Use your own phone, from the same angles as the pickup photos. Your copy is your evidence, too.
- 04
If you cannot see properly, say so
Dark, pouring rain or a car covered in road film? Write that on the eBOL: “delivered after dark, unable to fully inspect.” It is a normal note, and it protects you.
- 05
Keep everything
The pickup eBOL, the delivery eBOL, your photos and the quote. If you need to claim, that file is the whole case.
If any of these happen, slow down.
- No inspection at pickup — or the driver wants you to sign a blank report.
- No copy for you — the evidence only lives in their app.
- The truck does not match — a different company name or USDOT on the door than your paperwork.
- Pressure to sign fast — at delivery, before you have looked at the car.
- New payment terms — more money demanded before they will unload.
- Photos of only part of the car — which leaves the rest unrecorded.
How we do it: every car we haul is photographed from all four corners, plus the roof and any existing damage, at pickup and again at delivery, on an electronic bill of lading. Both sets go to you, not just to us. If something does happen, here is how a claim works: Damage claims
Straight answers
What does eBOL mean in car shipping?
Electronic bill of lading. It is the inspection report and shipping contract for your car, done on the driver's device, with photos and timestamps, and sent to you digitally instead of as a paper copy.
What if I find damage after the driver leaves?
Photograph it right away and contact the carrier the same day in writing. A note on the delivery eBOL is much stronger evidence, which is why inspecting before you sign matters, but damage found shortly after delivery can still be reported and claimed.
Should I sign the bill of lading if it is dark at delivery?
You can sign, but write that you could not fully inspect, for example ‘delivered after dark, unable to fully inspect’, before signing. Then inspect in daylight and report anything you find straight away.
Do I need to be there for pickup and delivery?
You or someone you trust does. Someone has to walk around the car with the driver and sign the inspection at each end. That person's signature is a statement about the car's condition.
Read next
The bill of lading
What a bill of lading is, the three jobs it does at once, what an electronic BOL adds, and the specific things to check before you sign one at pickup or delivery.
Read onDamage claims
What Carmack liability covers, why the bill of lading decides the outcome, the deadlines that matter, and the five steps to filing a claim that gets paid.
Read onCompliance
Authority, insurance limits including the per-vehicle cargo limit, safety record, driver qualification and a written claims process. COI and carrier packet on request.
Read onCar shipping (individuals)
Shipping one car to or from South Carolina: cost, transit time, payment, and when a carrier at your end of the country will serve you better.
Read onStill want a person to answer it?
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