Shipper load and count: what SLC means on a bill of lading

What shipper load and count means

On many truckload pickups, the driver never sees the freight being loaded. The shipper's warehouse team loads the trailer, often while the driver waits in the cab or the trailer sits in a drop yard, then closes the doors and applies a seal. The driver can't count the cases or check their condition inside a sealed trailer. Shipper load and count is the notation that records that fact on the bill of lading: the shipper loaded the trailer and the count is the shipper's.

You'll see it written as SLC, SL&C, shipper load and count, or sometimes shipper load, carrier count not verified. It may be printed on the bill of lading by the shipper or written by the driver before signing. Either way, it describes who was responsible for loading and counting the freight.

This guide explains the term in plain language. It isn't legal advice. Cargo claims depend on the documents, the facts and the law that applies, so talk to your insurer or a transportation lawyer about any real claim.

Why SLC matters for cargo claims

Under federal law, interstate motor carriers are generally liable for actual loss or damage to the goods they haul, under the provision known as the Carmack Amendment, 49 U.S.C. 14706. When a load arrives short or damaged, the shipper or receiver may file a claim against the carrier. The bill of lading is a key document in that claim, because it records what the carrier received.

If the bill of lading says 1,200 cases and the receiver counts 1,150, the question is whether the carrier ever had 1,200. When the shipper loaded and sealed the trailer, the seal was intact on arrival, and the bill of lading says shipper load and count, the carrier has a strong argument that any shortage happened before the truck took the freight. The notation, the seal record and the delivery receipt work together.

SLC doesn't make a carrier immune. If the seal was broken, the count was verified by the driver, or the damage was caused by how the load was driven or handled, the carrier can still be responsible. Think of SLC as one piece of evidence, not a shield.

Seals: the partner of SLC

A seal is a numbered tag or bolt on the trailer doors that shows whether they've been opened. When the shipper loads and seals the trailer, the seal number should be written on the bill of lading. When the trailer reaches the receiver, the seal should be intact and the same number. That chain is what supports a shipper load and count notation.

• +At pickup. Check the seal is on, record its number on the bill of lading, and make sure it matches the paperwork.
• +In transit. Don't open the trailer unless required, for example at a scale or inspection. If it's opened, record who opened it, why, and the new seal number if one is applied.
• +At delivery. Let the receiver see the intact seal before it's cut, and note on the delivery receipt that the seal was intact with its number.
• +If the seal is broken or different. Note it on the paperwork, take photos, and call the broker or shipper before unloading.

What drivers should do at pickup

• +Read the bill of lading before signing. Check the shipper, consignee, piece count, weight and commodity.
• +If you didn't watch the loading, make sure SLC or shipper load and count is on the bill of lading. If it isn't, ask the shipper to add it or write it yourself before signing, following the shipper's and broker's procedures.
• +Record the seal number on the bill of lading.
• +If you can see the freight, note anything visibly damaged, leaning or poorly loaded, and take photos.
• +If you're asked to count and you do, the count becomes yours. Count carefully or don't sign for a count you didn't verify.
• +Keep a photo of the signed bill of lading.

What drivers should do at delivery

• +Show the receiver the intact seal before it's cut, and note the seal number on the delivery receipt.
• +If the receiver finds a shortage or damage, make sure it's written on the delivery receipt as the receiver found it, not more.
• +Take photos of any damage and the trailer interior.
• +Call the broker or shipper right away about any exception, before leaving if possible.
• +Get the receiver's signature, the date and the time, and keep a copy.

Clean paperwork with seal numbers, notations and photos is what protects a carrier. It's also what gets the load paid quickly, since brokers and factoring companies check the bill of lading against the rate confirmation before paying. Our guide to the rate confirmation covers the other half of the paperwork.

Drop trailers and live loads

Shipper load and count is most common on drop trailers, where the carrier leaves an empty trailer at the shipper and picks it up loaded later. The driver never sees the loading at all. It's also common on live loads where the shipper doesn't allow drivers on the dock. On some live loads, drivers are allowed to watch and count, and some shippers or brokers expect them to. Know which kind of pickup you're doing before you arrive, and follow the broker's instructions on counts.

If you haul for shippers directly, agree how loading, counting and sealing will work in your shipper-carrier agreement. Our guide to direct shippers covers working with shippers, and freight loads available covers where loads come from.

SLC, accessorials and the rate

Shipper load and count pickups often go hand in hand with drop trailers and long dock times, which affect what a load is worth. A live load where the driver waits outside for three hours while the shipper loads and counts is time the rate has to cover, or detention has to pay for. Check the detention terms on the rate confirmation, record arrival and departure times on the bill of lading, and bill any waiting past free time. The accessorial charges calculator turns those times and terms into invoice lines.

For drop trailers, the time saved at the dock is part of why some carriers accept a slightly lower rate on drop-and-hook freight. Our guide to freight rates explains how factors like these feed into what a load pays.

When a claim comes in

If a shipper or receiver files a cargo claim, don't ignore it and don't argue by text. Gather the bill of lading with the SLC notation and seal number, the delivery receipt, photos and any messages, and send them to your insurer and the broker. Federal claim rules in 49 CFR Part 370 set out how carriers acknowledge and respond to written claims, including deadlines for acknowledging and resolving them. Your insurer will usually handle the response for covered claims.

Many claims are settled on the paperwork alone. A clear SLC notation, an intact seal recorded at both ends and a clean delivery receipt often decide the outcome before anyone argues about what happened.