What is a packing list?

A packing list is a document that lists what is in a shipment by piece, carton, or pallet, with weights and marks. It travels with the freight so the receiver can check the load. It is not the bill of lading. Parcel Management Group is a registered freight broker (USDOT 3266041 · MC 1030328) in Ventura, CA 93001. Call (805) 984-4114.

What a packing list includes

A packing list includes the piece or carton count, a contents description, weights, dimensions when they are known, marks or SKUs, and the shipper and consignee names.

The count is what the receiver will tally at the door. The description says what is in each carton or on each pallet. Weights can be per piece and for the whole shipment. Dimensions, when known, are length, width, and height. Marks are the labels on the freight, such as a purchase order or a SKU, so a carton can be matched to a line.

The shipper and consignee names on the list should match the bill of lading. Use one packing list for one shipment. A sheet that mixes two bills makes the count hard to check.

The list can be a printed sheet in a pouch on the lead pallet, or a file sent ahead of the truck. The receiver needs a copy that can be read at the dock.

Packing list vs bill of lading

The bill of lading is the shipping contract and the receipt. The packing list is an inventory detail sheet. Carriers rate and claim from the bill of lading. Receivers often check pieces from the packing list.

The bill names the parties, the origin and destination, the piece count, the weight, and the freight description the carrier accepted. The packing list goes one level down: which cartons, which SKUs, and which weights sit inside that count.

A bill might say ten pallets of apparel. The packing list says which cartons are on which pallet. If the two documents disagree, the bill is what the carrier signed. Align them before pickup when you still can.

A shipping manifest summarizes the shipment those cartons belong to.

A packing list differs from a commercial invoice: the list shows the pieces and weights, and the invoice records the sale.

When brokers and docks ask for one

Grocery, retail, and many 3PL docks want a packing list at delivery. Share it with your broker before pickup when the receiver requires it. See how freight quoting works.

Those docks count cartons against the list before they sign. Appointment notes often say the list must be on the lead pallet and in the tender the broker sends. A missing list can hold the trailer at the door.

For palletized freight, the list should describe the same pallets you measured for the quote. See standard pallet size. If a carton overhangs the pallet, the quote dimensions and the packing list should still describe one load.

How it helps claims and shortages

A packing list plus a signed delivery receipt help show what was shipped. The consignee counts pieces at the door and writes a shortage on the receipt before signing.

The list shows the count that left the dock. The receipt shows the count the receiver says arrived. Keep both. Your broker can compare them if the pieces do not match. The packing list does not replace the bill of lading.

How PMG helps

PMG books LTL and FTL and flags when a receiver wants a packing list. Tell PMG that dock rule when you quote so the list is with the freight at pickup. Quote path: /ltl-freight-quote/ · /services/.

Call (805) 984-4114 or start a chat at /#contact.

What is a bill of lading · What is a shipper · What is a consignee · Standard pallet size · How freight quoting works · LTL freight quote