Commercial Invoice Template for Export
Fill in the shipper, consignee and goods to get the commercial invoice customs and carriers ask for.
This free commercial invoice template lets you create a commercial invoice for an international shipment right in your browser, then print it or save it as a PDF. Customs uses the commercial invoice to check what your goods are, what they are worth and where they come from, and carriers often ask for one before they will move a non-document shipment.
Nothing needs to be installed. There is no account or sign-up, and nothing you type is uploaded. A live preview shows the finished sheet as you fill in the form, so you can see how the commercial invoice will look before you print it. Your draft stays saved in this browser, so you can come back to it later.
Use it as a customs commercial invoice template, a commercial invoice for customs, or a commercial invoice template for international shipping.
How to use the Commercial Invoice Template
- Above the form, choose a currency and a paper size (A4 or Letter).
- Open Invoice details and enter the Invoice no., Invoice date, AWB or B/L number and Buyer PO / reference.
- In Exporter / shipper (your business), enter the Company name, Address, Email, Phone and Tax / VAT / EORI number.
- In Consignee and buyer, enter the Consignee (ship to). Add the Buyer (if different from consignee) and a Notify party if you have one.
- In Shipment and trade terms, select the Reason for export and the Incoterms 2020 rule, then enter the Named place, Country of origin of the goods, Country of final destination and Payment terms.
- In Goods, click Add item for each product. Fill in the Description of goods, HS code, Country of origin, Qty, Unit, Unit value and Net wt. (line total). Use the move up, move down or remove controls on each row to reorder or delete it.
- In Charges, packages and weights, enter Freight, Insurance, Other charges, Total packages, Total gross weight and the Weight unit.
- Check the Totals panel and the warnings under the preview, then fix anything flagged.
- In Declaration and signature, enter the Name of signatory, Title, Place and Date.
The Examples buttons, labelled “Sale, FOB, USD” and “Sample, DAP, EUR”, fill the form with a sample document you can edit.
What is a commercial invoice used for?
A commercial invoice is the main document customs uses to work out duties and taxes on an international shipment. The exporter, who is the seller, issues it to the importer, who is the buyer, and it travels with the goods.
Customs authorities read the invoice to check three things: what the goods are, what they are worth, and where they were made. It also shows who is responsible for the shipment. If the invoice is vague or does not match the goods, the shipment can be held while the authorities ask questions.
What does a commercial invoice for customs need to show?
A customs commercial invoice needs enough detail for an officer to assess the shipment without contacting you. Describe each item in plain language: what it is, what it is made of and what it is used for. Give the quantity, the unit, the unit value and the total value for each line, in the currency you chose.
Weights need to make sense together. Net weight is the goods alone, and gross weight includes packaging and pallets, so the gross weight must be equal to or higher than the net weight.
Values need to be honest even when no money changes hands. A free sample or gift still needs a fair market value on the invoice, because customs needs a figure to assess. Writing “no commercial value” in place of a value usually causes delays.
The Incoterms rule and the freight and insurance lines show who pays for transport. Under CIF and CIP the seller pays freight and insurance to the destination. Under FOB, FCA and EXW the buyer pays the main carriage. The commercial invoice can show freight and insurance separately, so the customs value is clear.
If the invoice is not uploaded electronically, carriers ask for signed paper copies: FedEx, for example, asks for three signed copies with the air waybill (checked October 2026). Check with your carrier how many they want and where each copy should go.
Sources
- ICC Incoterms® 2020 rules — the 11 rules and which are sea-only; the notes on this page are our own summaries.
- FedEx customs documentation support — paper copies of the commercial invoice (checked October 2026).
- ISO 4217 currency list (list one, published 17 September 2026) — currency codes and decimals for all 36 offered currencies.
- Unit conversions: 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly and 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly (NIST SP 811, Appendix B).
Worked examples
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 2 items, FOB, USD | Total $7,700.00 |
| 1 items, DAP, EUR | Total €102.00 |
| 2 items, CIF, GBP | Total £7,820.00 |
Calculated by the tool above with these values.
Frequently asked questions
Is this commercial invoice template free to use?
Yes. The tool is free, requires no account and has no sign-up. You can create as many commercial invoices as you need.
Do I need a commercial invoice for every international shipment?
Most carriers ask for one for non-document international shipments, and customs often needs one to assess duties and taxes. Documents such as letters usually do not need one, but check with your carrier if you are unsure.
Can I save my commercial invoice as a PDF?
Yes. Click Print / save as PDF, then choose Save as PDF in the browser’s print dialog. Only the document prints, not the rest of the page.
Does every item on a commercial invoice need an HS code?
Not always, but customs duty is based on the HS code, so it is worth adding one for each item. Look up the code for your product before you send the shipment.
What should I write on a commercial invoice for a free sample?
Describe the item clearly, mark the reason for export as a commercial sample, and enter a fair market value for it. Some countries ask for a value “for customs purposes only”, so check the rules of the destination country.
Is there a Word version of this commercial invoice template?
You do not need a Word file: this commercial invoice template fills in the document in your browser and saves it as a PDF, which looks the same on every computer and cannot be changed by accident. If someone asks for an editable copy, copy the text from the preview into Word.
How many copies of a commercial invoice do I need?
It depends on the carrier. FedEx, for example, asks for three signed copies placed on the package with the air waybill unless you upload the invoice electronically (checked October 2026). Confirm the number with your carrier before you ship.
Related tools
- Packing list template — cartons, weights and CBM, package by package.
- Proforma invoice template — the pre-shipment invoice with Incoterms, ports and HS codes.
- Certificate of origin template — the exporter’s origin declaration for a chamber to certify.
- Bill of lading template — a straight bill of lading for truck shipments.
- Invoice generator — invoices with tax, discounts, shipping, payments and balance due.
- Shipping label generator — address labels for boxes and pallets, numbered 1 of N.
- USMCA certificate of origin template — the nine data elements for a USMCA / CUSMA preference claim.
- Delivery order template — the D/O that releases cargo from a terminal or warehouse.