A road consignment note (also referred to as a road transport document, a road waybill or a road manifest) is a form of inland BOL used in South Africa, although, as road consignment notes can cover cargo moving across borders, it is also a form of through BOL. As road haulage is drive by a large number of private road haulers, you may come across many different types of road consignment notes, although there is a tendency to follow the typical BOL used in the case of ocean shipping (i.e. there is still a consignee, a shipper, a description of the goods, etc.). The road consignment note is also:

• Proof of receipt of the goods for trasnportation by road
• Evidence of the contract of carriage
• An invoice for the freight, reflecting the shipper, the consignee and the goods being shipped, as well as the full freight amount
• A guide to the road hauler for the handling, dispatch and delivery of the consignment
• A means of clearing the goods through customs

To clear the goods through customs, the road consignment note will need to be accompanied by a commercial invoice, a packing list and any other documentation relevant for clearing puurposes (such as phytosanitary documents, etc.).

New documentation requirements for VAT zero-rating

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