Home » Freight Shipping Blog » Freight How-To's » When to Add “Notify Consignee” to Your BOL

When to Add “Notify Consignee” to Your BOL

notify consignee
An LTL Accessorial

A question we get a lot here at FreightPros is: When should I add “Notify Consignee” to my BOL?

On this third Friday of the new year, we’re going to tackle this question. And while we’re at it, we’re going to answer some more questions about “Notify Consignee” in LTL shipping, including what it is, and when to use it.

To start: What is Notify Consignee? Much like it sounds, Notify Consignee is an additional service used in LTL shipping that alerts the freight carrier to contact (notify) the receiver (consignee) that their freight is out for delivery.

Like many additional services you’ll find in LTL, there might be a fee for this service, but the cost of Notify Consignee will usually vary from carrier to carrier.

So when do you need to add this additional service to your BOL at the time of pickup? That all depends on the consignee. Unlike a delivery appointment, Notify Consignee won’t set up a specific time of delivery. Instead, this service just alerts the consignee that the freight is out for delivery, and that it will be delivered sometime that day.

Something to keep in mind about this service is that it differs from the Residential Delivery accessorial. With residential, special trucks are used, as well as liftgates (most of the time), and a delivery appointment; all of which is included in the Residential Delivery fee.

Remember: If you’re looking to set up a delivery appointment you’ll need to get that particular service. You can ask your freight broker. But if you’re just looking for a “head’s up,” then Notify Consignee is the accessorial you’re looking for.

 

See how much time and money you'll save by having our pros help manage your freight.