Notify Party

A notify party is the party who receives the shipment information from a carrier when cargo arrives at its destination. 

This person is designated on a bill of lading, sea waybill, or air waybill, so they can receive the shipment information. The notify party can be the shipper, consignee, a customs broker, or any other party involved in the cargo’s delivery process. 

The Difference Between Notify Party, Shipper, and Consignee 

The terms notify party, shipper, and consignee are often conflated, but each serves a different purpose with different responsibilities which will be described here. 

As described above, the notify party is the person who is notified when a shipment arrives at its destination. The notify party is also normally responsible for arranging customs clearance. The shipper, or exporter, is responsible for preparing the shipment by packing the goods and taking care of all paperwork and declarations. 

Lastly, the consignee is the person receiving the goods. They are usually the owner but can be an appointed representative or company. Unless instructed otherwise, the consignee is expected to be present when the shipment is collected.