A commercial invoice is the document customs authorities use to clear a shipment and assess duty. It is not the same as a sales invoice: it travels with the goods, and errors on it hold consignments at the border rather than merely delaying payment.
Below are 6 free commercial invoice templates in MS Word, including proforma and export versions with space for HS codes, country of origin and shipping terms. All fields are editable. Requirements differ by destination country, so check what your importing country and carrier ask for before relying on any template.
1. Standard Commercial Invoice
Exporter and consignee details, invoice number and date, goods description, quantities, unit prices and total value. The baseline document, suitable for most straightforward shipments.
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2. Commercial Invoice with HS Codes
Adds a harmonised system code and country of origin against each line. Customs use the HS code to set the duty rate, so getting it right is usually what determines whether a shipment clears quickly or gets queried.
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3. Proforma Invoice
Issued before shipment as a formal quotation, so the buyer can arrange payment, a letter of credit or an import permit. Mark it clearly as proforma — it is not a demand for payment and should not be entered as one.
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4. Commercial Invoice with Shipping Terms
Carries the agreed delivery terms, port of loading and discharge, freight and insurance charges. The delivery term decides who pays freight and duty and where risk passes, so stating it on the invoice prevents an expensive misunderstanding at arrival. Pairs with a transportation arrangement where you are also organising the freight.
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5. Multi-Item Export Invoice
A long line-item table with package marks, numbers, net and gross weights. For consolidated shipments where several products travel together and each needs describing separately for customs.
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6. Blank Commercial Invoice
Field labels with everything left empty, so you can add any boxes a particular destination or carrier requires. Set your company header once and save it as your master copy.
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What Must Appear on a Commercial Invoice
Customs authorities and carriers generally expect all of the following. An incomplete invoice is one of the most common reasons shipments are held.
- Exporter and consignee — full legal names, addresses and contact details for both, plus a notify party if different from the consignee.
- Invoice number and date — unique and sequential, matching the number on the shipping documents.
- Description of goods — specific and plain. “Samples”, “parts” or “gifts” are the descriptions most likely to get a consignment inspected.
- HS tariff code — for each line, since it determines the duty rate applied.
- Country of origin — where the goods were manufactured, which is not necessarily where they are being shipped from.
- Quantity, unit price and total value — with the currency stated explicitly.
- Delivery and payment terms — the agreed delivery term, and how and when payment is due.
- Weights and package details — number of packages, marks, net and gross weight.
- Declaration and signature — a statement that the details are true and correct, signed by the exporter.
How to Complete a Commercial Invoice
- Check the destination country’s requirements first. Some require additional fields, specific wording, certificates of origin or a set number of copies. Your freight forwarder or the importer usually knows exactly what is needed.
- Describe the goods as a customs officer would need to. Material, function and purpose — “cotton men’s shirts, woven, long sleeve” rather than “clothing”.
- Look up each HS code rather than reusing an old one. Codes are revised periodically and a product that changed specification may now classify differently. Your national customs authority publishes the current tariff.
- Declare the true transaction value. Under-declaring to reduce duty is customs fraud in most jurisdictions, carries penalties and can invalidate insurance. Declare what was actually paid or payable.
- State the currency on every figure. An unlabelled number on a cross-border document is an invitation to a query.
- Make the invoice match the other documents exactly. Packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin should agree on weights, quantities and descriptions. Discrepancies between documents are a frequent cause of delay.
- Send it as a PDF and include copies with the shipment. Most carriers want the invoice both attached electronically and physically with the goods.
Commercial Invoice, Proforma Invoice or Sales Invoice?
Proforma Comes First
A proforma invoice is issued before shipment so the buyer can confirm the order, arrange financing or apply for an import licence. It is a formal quotation, not a request for payment, and should be labelled as such.
The Commercial Invoice Travels With the Goods
It records the actual transaction and is the document customs assess duty against. It needs to match the physical shipment precisely.
A Sales Invoice Is a Domestic Document
For transactions inside one country, a standard sales invoice is all that is required. There is no customs element, so the HS codes, country of origin and shipping terms are unnecessary. For service businesses, the hourly service invoice templates or consultant invoice templates are the better fit.
They Can Share a Format
Many exporters produce a proforma, then convert the same document into the commercial invoice once the order is confirmed. Just make sure the heading changes and the final version reflects what actually shipped.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a commercial invoice and a packing list?
The commercial invoice states the value and is used to assess duty. The packing list states what is physically in each carton — quantities, weights and dimensions — with no prices. Most international shipments need both, and they must agree with each other.
Where do I find the right HS code?
Your national customs authority publishes a searchable tariff, and most have a classification helpline. Codes share the first six digits internationally, with further digits set nationally. If a product is difficult to classify, a customs broker or a formal ruling is worth the cost — misclassification means wrong duty and potential penalties.
What happens if the invoice is wrong?
The shipment can be held while customs raise a query, which takes time and may incur storage charges. Serious errors such as understated values can result in fines, seizure or loss of trusted-trader status. Correcting an error before arrival is far cheaper than after.
Do I need a commercial invoice for samples or gifts?
Usually yes. Goods crossing a border generally need a declared value even when nothing is being charged, in which case a nominal value for customs purposes is stated along with the reason. Rules on sample and gift allowances vary by country, so check the destination’s thresholds.
How many copies are needed?
Three is common — one for the carrier, one for customs and one for the consignee — but some countries and letters of credit specify more. Confirm with your freight forwarder before despatch.
Can I edit these templates in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the .docx file to Google Drive, right-click it and choose Open with → Google Docs. Export to PDF before sending so the table layout holds for customs and the carrier.
