Commercial Invoice and Packing List: what we need

We need a complete, accurate Commercial Invoice and Packing List for every shipment — they're the two documents customs uses to clear your cargo. The Commercial Invoice states what the goods are, who's buying and selling them, and what they're worth; the Packing List states how they're packed (quantities, weight, dimensions, and carton count). Send us a digital copy of both, and make sure the details match. To make it easy, blank Commercial Invoice and Packing List templates are attached to this article — you or your supplier can fill them in.

A Commercial Invoice is a customs declaration that specifies the price and quantity of the goods being shipped. Customs uses it to assess duties and taxes, so accuracy matters — see Customs duties and HTS codes.

A complete Commercial Invoice includes:

• Country of origin / manufacture — where the items are actually made.

• Supplier / manufacturer — full legal name and address.

• Seller — full name and address of the company or person selling the goods (note if this differs from the importer).

• Ship-to party — full name and address of who the goods are delivered to. See Who to name as the consignee.

• Quantity of units for each product.

• Unit price for each product. Even if you receive goods free of charge, customs expects the product's fair market value to be declared.

• A full product description — what the product is, what it's used for, and what it's made of.

Warning: A SKU or internal item number is not a product description. Vague descriptions are a common cause of customs delays. Describe the actual goods in plain language.

A Packing List is a customs declaration that specifies the quantity, weight, dimensions, and number of cartons for the shipped goods. It tells everyone in the chain exactly how the cargo is physically made up.

The details on the Packing List must match the related fields on the Commercial Invoice. For example, the unit quantity for each product must be the same on both documents. Mismatches between the two are a frequent reason shipments get held.

We've prepared blank Commercial Invoice and Packing List templates you or your supplier can fill in — both are attached to this article (see the attachments). Fill them in completely, keep the two consistent, and send us digital copies before the cargo ships.

Our customs team uses your Commercial Invoice and Packing List to clear the shipment through U.S. Customs. The faster we have complete, matching documents, the faster clearance goes — incomplete paperwork is one of the most common causes of avoidable delay. Send both documents as soon as your supplier has them ready; you don't have to wait until the cargo departs.

• Bill of Lading: what it is and the common types

• Who to name as the consignee on your Bill of Lading

• Customs duties and HTS codes

• The customs clearance process

• Freight & shipping glossary