Give every product its own HS code and country of origin. Freight, insurance and packing go on separate lines with no code, so customs can see each charge by name.
The boards, trays and blankets are a made up export order to show the layout; type your own goods over them. Entries stay saved in this browser only.
A commercial invoice is the exporter's bill of sale that customs uses to clear and value a cross border shipment. It names the exporter, the importer or buyer and the consignee, carries an invoice number and date, and describes each product with its quantity, unit value, HS code and country of origin. It also states the Incoterms rule, the currency, packages and weights, freight, insurance and packing charges listed by name, the reason for export, and a signed declaration that the details are true.
How the invoice total is calculated
The commercial invoice generator multiplies quantity by unit value on every line, adds the goods to the freight, insurance and packing charges, takes off any agreed discount, applies tax only when you turn it on, and finally subtracts whatever the buyer has already paid.
| In plain words | The math | |
|---|---|---|
| Each line | One product with its tariff code and origin, or one named charge such as freight, cargo insurance or export packing | Qty × unit value |
| Subtotal | Goods plus every itemized charge, also shown by type in the totals box | Sum of all line amounts |
| Discount | A price reduction agreed in the sales contract, for example a volume rebate | Spread over the lines in proportion to their share of the subtotal |
| Tax or VAT | Off by default. Turn it on only when this sale actually carries a tax you must bill | Rate × (taxed lines after their discount share) |
| Balance due | The amount the importer still has to send you | Total, minus any deposit or advance payment |
Sample export: 74 wooden and wool homeware items flown from Boston to Hamburg on CIP terms, with freight, insurance and packing itemized and no tax line
How to use this commercial invoice template
Exporter first, payment last: the tabs follow the order a customs officer reads the page. The preview updates with each keystroke, letting mistakes surface before the PDF exists.
- Exporter details: legal name, full address, a contact, your EIN or tax registration number, and an EORI number if you hold one.
- Importer and route: the buyer and their company, address and tax ID, a separate consignee or intermediate consignee if the goods go somewhere other than the buyer, then the PO number, mode of transport, B/L or AWB number, export date, ports of loading and discharge, and the country of ultimate destination.
- Goods: one line per product with an HS code, country of origin, quantity and unit value.
- Charges and terms: freight, insurance and packing each get their own line. Above them, pick the Incoterms rule and its named place, then record the number of packages, the marks on them, and gross and net weight. These are the figures a customs officer compares against the cartons.
- Payment and declaration: currency, terms, reason for export, any discount or advance, and the name and title of the person signing.
- Download and reuse. Download PDF saves a single page invoice. Exporter details are kept in this browser, and a repeat shipment needs only the new buyer, goods and dates. A fixed layout also keeps every invoice consistent for your broker, which cuts the back and forth before clearance.
Commercial invoice template: what to include for commercial services
US customs rules spell out what an invoice for imported goods has to show. Building yours to that list means the broker at the other end rarely has to come back with questions.
| Part | What goes on it |
|---|---|
| Exporter or seller details | Legal name, address, contact and EIN or tax registration number. Add an EORI number if the buyer's country asks for one. |
| Importer or buyer details | Who the goods are sold to, their company, address and tax ID, plus the consignee and any intermediate consignee taking delivery on their behalf. |
| Invoice information | Invoice number, issue date, customer PO number, currency of the sale, payment terms and due date. |
| Shipping and customs | Incoterms rule with its named place, mode of transport, B/L or AWB number, export date, port of loading, port of discharge, country of ultimate destination and reason for export. |
| Goods or line items | A detailed description of each product, its HS code, country of origin, quantity, unit value and line amount, with the number of packages, their marks, and gross and net weight. |
| Charges | Freight, insurance, packing and any commission, each itemized by name and amount. |
| Summary | Subtotal, discount, any tax, total invoice value, advance paid and balance due. |
| Additional information | Payment instructions, who pays import duties, and a signed declaration that the invoice is true and correct. |
Why are invoices important for commercial contractors?
For anyone selling goods abroad, the commercial invoice is the paper that customs, the bank and the buyer all read first.
- Customs clearanceOfficials in the buyer's country use it to assess import duties and taxes.
- Getting paidThe importer's finance team pays against this document, so the price, currency and terms on it need to agree with the sales contract. A wrong currency or a missing PO reference can hold up the payment.
- Legal recordIt shows what was sold, to whom, at what price and on which Incoterms rule if a dispute ever comes up.
- Export filingThe values, codes and weights on the invoice feed the electronic export filing when one is needed.
- Trust with overseas buyersA complete, consistent invoice tells a new trading partner you know the process, which matters when they cannot see you in person.
Which Incoterms rule goes on a commercial invoice?
Incoterms 2020 has 11 rules, issued by the International Chamber of Commerce. Each one fixes who pays for and manages carriage, insurance, paperwork and customs clearance, so write the rule followed by its named place, for example CIP Hamburg.
| Rule | Full name | Transport | Place written after it |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Ex Works | Any mode | Place of delivery |
| FCA | Free Carrier | Any mode | Named place of delivery |
| CPT | Carriage Paid To | Any mode | Place of destination |
| CIP | Carriage and Insurance Paid To | Any mode | Place of destination |
| DAP | Delivered at Place | Any mode | Named place of destination |
| DPU | Delivered at Place Unloaded | Any mode | Place of destination |
| DDP | Delivered Duty Paid | Any mode | Place of destination |
| FAS | Free Alongside Ship | Sea and inland waterway | Port of loading |
| FOB | Free on Board | Sea and inland waterway | Named port of loading |
| CFR | Cost and Freight | Sea and inland waterway | Named port of destination |
| CIF | Cost Insurance and Freight | Sea and inland waterway | Named port of destination |
DPU took the place of the older DAT rule. Under DAP the seller does not unload at destination; under DPU the seller does. CIP now calls for a higher level of cargo cover (Institute Cargo Clauses A or similar) than CIF, which keeps Clauses C as its default. Parties may still agree to use an earlier Incoterms edition, as long as the version is named on the documents.
What do US customs and export rules require on the invoice?
Two sets of federal rules shape a commercial invoice: the CBP list for goods entering the United States, and the Census Bureau's export filing rules for goods leaving it.
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| One invoice per shipment | A commercial invoice has to be filed for each shipment of imported goods unless the goods fall in an exempt category, and it must be prepared in the manner customary in the trade. |
| Required contents | Port of entry, the seller and buyer with when and where the sale took place, a detailed description with grade, marks and package numbers, quantities, the purchase price of each item in the currency of the purchase, the kind of currency, and the country of origin. |
| Charges itemized | Freight, insurance, commission, cases, containers, coverings and packing must be listed by name and amount. Packing and inland freight to the export port need no separate amount if they are included in the price and the invoice says so. |
| Language | The invoice and every attachment must be in English or come with an accurate English translation. |
| Packing detail | Each invoice has to state in adequate detail which goods are in each individual package. |
| Export filing threshold | Electronic Export Information is not required when the value shipped under one Schedule B or HTS number, from one exporter to one ultimate consignee on one conveyance, is $2,500 or less. Each code over $2,500 must be filed. |
| Export codes and weight | The filing uses the 10 digit Schedule B number (or the 10 digit HTS number), the value at the US port of export in US dollars rounded to the nearest dollar, and the shipping weight in kilograms including normal packaging. |
A filing accepted by the Automated Export System comes back with an Internal Transaction Number (ITN). Rules in the importing country differ, and a few countries want their own invoice form.
Commercial invoice vs proforma, packing list and shipping invoice
An export usually travels with a small stack of papers. Each one answers a different question for a different reader.
| Document | Issued by | Its job |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Exporter | The final bill of sale that customs uses to classify, value and clear the goods, with HS codes, origin, Incoterms and a signed declaration. |
| Proforma invoice | Exporter | A preliminary invoice sent before shipment so the buyer can arrange payment or an import license. It is a quote in invoice form, not a demand for payment. |
| Packing list | Exporter or warehouse | Shows what sits in each package, with weights and marks, so customs and the receiver can check cartons without prices. |
| Bill of lading or air waybill | Carrier | The carrier's receipt for the cargo and its contract of carriage. |
| Shipping invoice | Seller | A domestic order bill with carrier, tracking and delivery charges, used when nothing crosses a border. |
| Quote or estimate | Seller | Expected prices before the deal is agreed. It carries no shipment data. |
| Receipt | Seller | Confirms that payment arrived. The invoice asks for money; the receipt proves it was paid. |
Industry specific tips for commercial invoicing
One missing field can leave a pallet sitting in a customs warehouse. These habits keep goods moving.
- Code every productLook up the HS code for each item before you quote, not when the truck arrives. The same code drives the duty rate abroad and the Schedule B number at home.
- Write the Incoterms rule with a place"CIP Hamburg" leaves no doubt about where risk and cost change hands; "CIP" alone does.
- Stick to one currencyPrice every line in the currency of the sale and print its code beside the total. Mixing dollars and euros on one invoice invites a wrong duty value.
- Describe goods plainly"Maple cutting board, 18 inch" tells an officer what is in the carton. "Kitchen items" leaves the officer guessing.
- Match the paperworkQuantities, weights and package counts on the invoice, packing list and bill of lading should agree to the unit.
- Keep digital copiesStore each signed PDF by invoice number with the export filing and transport documents, ready for an audit, a duty query or a claim.
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Book a free demoFrequently asked questions
Straight answers on export invoices, customs details and this generator.
Book a free demoWhat details must be included in a commercial invoice?
Exporter and importer with addresses, invoice number and date, a detailed description of each product with quantity, unit value, HS code and country of origin, the currency, freight, insurance and packing listed by name, the Incoterms rule, packages and weights, payment terms and a signed declaration.
When should a commercial invoice be sent to the buyer?
Issue it when the goods ship. A copy travels with the cargo or goes to the carrier and broker for clearance, and the buyer gets one to pay against. For imports into the United States, a commercial invoice has to be filed for each shipment.
How is a commercial invoice different from a quote?
A quote, or a proforma invoice, sets out expected prices before the sale is final. The commercial invoice is issued at shipment and records the goods, values and terms that actually left.
What is the correct format for a commercial invoice?
Exporter and invoice number at the top, then importer, consignee and route, then a strip with Incoterms, transport, export date and reason for export. Products follow in a table with HS code, origin, quantity and value, then charges, totals in the sale currency, and the signed declaration at the foot.
What is the difference between a commercial invoice and a receipt?
A receipt only confirms the buyer has paid. The commercial invoice asks for the money and supports customs clearance.
Should I use a commercial invoice template or a generator?
For an occasional export, a blank template works if you check every sum. A commercial invoice generator totals goods and charges, keeps codes and origins beside each product, and saves a consistent PDF, which matters once you ship every week.
How does a commercial invoice generator work?
You enter the parties, route, Incoterms and goods. It works out each line, the subtotal by type, any discount and tax, the total and the balance due as you type, then prints the invoice alone as a one page PDF.
How long does a commercial invoice generator take to make one invoice?
A few minutes once your HS codes are known. Exporter details are remembered in this browser, so a repeat shipment needs only the buyer, the lines and the new dates.
How do I create my own commercial invoice?
Fill in the four tabs of the commercial invoice generator above: your business, the buyer and shipment, the goods with their codes, then tax, payment and the declaration. Check the preview and download the PDF.
Does a commercial invoice need an HS code for every item?
Give one per product line. It speeds export clearance and helps the buyer's customs set duties, since the code is a shared description of goods for duty and tax purposes.
Does a commercial invoice have to be in English?
For goods entering the United States, yes: the invoice and its attachments must be in English or carry an accurate English translation.
Can I use a commercial invoice for a sample with no sale?
Yes. Set the reason for export to sample and still state a value for each item, since customs needs a value even when nothing is being bought.
Leads growth and product marketing for ServiceAgent at SaaS Labs, where he has worked in product marketing since 2020. Writes ServiceAgent's coverage of AI call answering, CRM and home services operations.
Published by ServiceAgent, the AI front office for service businesses. This page is a billing aid, not customs, tax or legal advice. Import rules, duty treatment and invoice forms vary by country and change over time, so check current requirements with your customs broker or the destination's customs authority before you ship.