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Over, short and damaged (OS&D)

What does OS&D (over, short and damaged) mean?

OS&D is the freight term for a shipment that arrives with more units than billed, fewer units than billed, or units in damaged condition. Documenting the exception at delivery — counts, seals, photographs and condition notes — is what supports a cargo claim against the carrier.

OS&D is where a cargo claim is decided, and it is usually decided in a few seconds on a loading dock. “Damaged” written on a delivery receipt establishes almost nothing; twelve cases crushed on the left rear of the second pallet, with a piece count and photographs, establishes what happened and roughly when.

Seal numbers, piece counts and — on temperature-controlled loads — reefer download data belong in the same record, because the dispute that follows is normally about custody rather than condition. See documenting a cargo exception.

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