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Consignee
Definition
The consignee is the party a shipment is sent to, usually the buyer; the receiver is the facility where it is actually delivered, which is not always the same party.
What it means
The FHWA glossary defines the consignee as "the receiver of a freight shipment, usually the buyer."[1] In U.S. ocean manifest rules, for a non-consolidated shipment the consignee is "the party to whom the cargo will be delivered in the United States."[2]
In practice the names on the paperwork and the dock can differ: a retailer may be the consignee while its distribution center or a warehouse is the receiver. That matters when freight is refused, because the receiving clerk records the refusal but the owner of the goods decides what happens next; see freight rejected by the receiver.
Example
A retailer is the consignee on a bill of lading, but the delivery address is its distribution center. When the DC refuses two pallets, the retailer, not the DC clerk, tells the carrier what to do with them.
Related
Related terms
- ShipperThe shipper is the party that tenders goods for transportation, usually the seller; in trucking the shipper...Glossary
- Bill of LadingA bill of lading (BOL) is the document a carrier issues for freight it receives: a receipt for the goods and...Glossary
- Delivery OrderA delivery order (D.O.) is a document issued by the consignee or its customs broker that authorizes release...Glossary
- Distribution CenterA distribution center (DC) is a warehouse that holds inventory and ships it out to stores or customers as...Glossary
Related freight problems
Sources
- Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, “Freight Glossary,” Government glossary. Accessed September 30, 2026.
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, “19 CFR § 4.7a, Inward manifest; information required,” Federal regulation. Accessed September 30, 2026.
General operational information, not legal, customs or regulatory advice. Rules and rates change; confirm current requirements with the agency, carrier or contract that governs your shipment.