Containers and shipping
Bill of lading: what Indian law says
Independent site, not a government service. General information, not customs advice.
The bill of lading differs from the bill of entry you file at customs. Use the tool to plan your filing dates from arrival.
Last day to file the bill of entry
File before the end of
14 December 2026
| Earliest filing | 15 November 2026 |
| Arrival | 15 December 2026 |
Section 46(3), holidays count. The Board can set other limits for some cases, up to the end of the arrival day.
In India, bills of lading are now governed by the Bills of Lading Act, 2025, Act No. 18 of 2025, which came into force on 10 September 2025 by a Gazette notification of 8 September 2025 and repeals the Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856. It is a short Act with two main effects. Under section 2, a consignee named in a bill of lading, and an endorsee to whom property in the goods passes by the consignment or endorsement, takes all rights of suit and the same liabilities as if the contract in the bill had been made with them. Under section 4, a bill in the hands of a consignee or endorsee for value is conclusive evidence of shipment against the master or other person who signed it, even if some goods were not shipped, unless the signer shows the error came wholly from fraud of others, or the holder knew. The Act does not define the document or list its kinds. It also differs from a bill of entry, the declaration an importer files with customs.
Demurrage or detention bill
Charge
₹35,000
| Chargeable days | 7 |
| Rate per day | ₹5,000 |
The rate is an example: no official tariff exists for it. Carriers publish their own, often rising in slabs.
Tariff and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The Act, section by section
| Section | In our words |
|---|---|
| 1 | Short title; in force on a date to be appointed, which became 10 September 2025 |
| 2 | A consignee named in the bill, or an endorsee to whom property passes, takes the rights of suit and the same liabilities |
| 3 | Stoppage in transit, claims for freight against the original shipper or owner, and the consignee's or endorsee's own liabilities are not affected |
| 4 | In the hands of a consignee or endorsee for value, the bill is conclusive evidence of shipment against the signer, with two exceptions |
| 5 | The Central Government may issue directions for carrying out the Act |
| 6 | Repeals the Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856, and saves what was done under it |
What this page does not cover
The Bills of Lading Act is short, and it does not list kinds of bill, explain trade practices such as release without the original paper, or say how banks treat a bill. We read no official text in India on those points, so we print no summary of them: your carrier's terms and your bank are the places to ask. We also read no case law. The earlier Press Information Bureau release on the bill calls it a modern and simplified framework, which is the government's description.
Where it meets customs clearance
Section 46(2) of the Customs Act requires the bill of entry to include all the goods in the bill of lading or other receipt given by the carrier, unless the officer permits otherwise. So compare the two documents before you file. The portal copy we read of the Customs Act is dated March 2022; the Finance Acts of 2024, 2025 and 2026 did not, on our reading, amend that subsection.
The tools above give your bill of entry filing window and a demurrage estimate on your own rate. For the delivery term on your contract, see the Incoterms® Rules page.