The customs office in the buyer’s country use the information provided within a commercial invoice to determine what tariffs, duties, or other fees may apply. The document serves as proof of sale and is the basis for the exporters’ customs declaration, clearly describing the goods in a shipment and their value. Put simply: a business cannot ship its products to customers or distributors overseas without a commercial invoice. What are Commercial Invoices Used for and Why are They Important?Ī commercial invoice is a legal document required to conduct international trade. Rather, the governments involved in an export transaction should specify what information must be included, what language should be used to fill out the commercial invoice, and how many copies must be made. Not all commercial invoices look the same or follow the same format. Customs officials in the buyer’s country use this information to confirm the shipment is legal, among other things. Unlike typical business invoices, it includes additional details relevant to items sold across international borders. More specifically, it’s a legal document that lays out the details of the goods being sold and the total amount the buyer should pay for them. At a high level, a commercial invoice is a bill for exported goods from seller to buyer. What Is a Commercial Invoice?Ĭreated for international shipments, a commercial invoice is a document that contains important information about the exported goods and their sale. While many export businesses opt to have a customs broker or freight forwarder prepare these documents, it’s ultimately the exporter’s responsibility to not only understand the essentials of a commercial invoice, but to ensure its accuracy. Acting as a legal agreement between exporter and foreign buyer, this document is crucial for clearing customs, avoiding delays, and getting your goods to global patrons. But before you can send your goods abroad, you first should produce a number of documents, one such being the commercial invoice. Now you just need to get your goods to them by air, land, or sea. Your products are safely packed and new international customers are eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Template of commercial invoice