What is a Commercial Invoice and a Packing List?

For your shipment to successfully clear customs, it must be accompanied by a properly completed

What is a Commercial Invoice?

The commercial invoice for your shipment is one of the key documents required when preparing the customs declaration for importing goods. It specifies the quantity and value of the shipped products.

What does a Commercial Invoice include?

• Name and address of the supplier or manufacturer of the goods.
• Name and address of the buyer (individual or company), with an indication of whether they are also the importer.
• Name and address of the consignee (the person or entity to whom the goods will be delivered).
• Country of origin of the shipment, indicating where the goods were manufactured.
• Quantity of units for each product type included in the shipment.
• A short but detailed description of each product, enabling customs officers to understand what the product is, what it is made of, and its intended use.
• For example, describing the item as “toy” is not sufficient. A better description would be: “Plastic educational building blocks for children aged 4–7 years.”
  Note: A product code (SKU) is not considered an acceptable description.
  • The value of each product (per unit) in U.S. dollars and in the supplier’s original currency. Each product must have a declared value; entering “zero” is not acceptable for customs clearance.
  • If the goods were not paid for, the average market value of each product must be provided instead.

What is a Packing List?

The packing list is used as part of the customs declaration to document the number of items within the shipment, along with their dimensions, weight, and the number of cartons containing the shipment.

Both the commercial invoice and the packing list form an essential part of the customs declaration. It is crucial that the information in both documents matches, especially regarding the quantities of each product in the order.

At Bader International Shipping, our team is always available to assist and guide you through the process to ensure your shipment is prepared with the required documents and is ready for transport.

If you face any difficulty in preparing or completing the required documents for your shipment, such as the commercial invoice or packing list, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We will be glad to assist you.