2021 US Code
Title 49 - Transportation
Subtitle X - Miscellaneous
Chapter 801 - Bills of Lading
Sec. 80103 - Negotiable and nonnegotiable bills

(a) Negotiable Bills.—(1) A bill of lading is negotiable if the bill—

(2) Inserting in a negotiable bill of lading the name of a person to be notified of the arrival of the goods—

(b) Nonnegotiable Bills.—(1) A bill of lading is nonnegotiable if the bill states that the goods are to be delivered to a consignee. The indorsement of a nonnegotiable bill does not—

(2) A common carrier issuing a nonnegotiable bill of lading must put "nonnegotiable" or "not negotiable" on the bill. This paragraph does not apply to an informal memorandum or acknowledgment.

(Pub. L. 103–272, §1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1346.)

In subsection (a)(1), the words "A bill of lading is negotiable if . . . states that the goods are to be delivered to the order of a consignee" are substituted for "A bill in which it is stated that the goods are consigned or destined to the order of any person named in such bill is an order bill" for clarity and consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. The words "does not contain on its face an agreement with the shipper that the bill is not negotiable" are substituted for 49 App.:83 (last sentence) for clarity and to eliminate unnecessary words.

In subsection (a)(2)(B), the words "right the named person has" are substituted for "rights or equities of such person" for clarity.

In subsection (b)(1), before clause (A), the words "A bill of lading is nonnegotiable if" are substituted for "A bill in which . . . is a straight bill" in 49 App.:82 for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code. The words "free from existing equities" in 49 App.:109 (last sentence) are omitted as surplus.