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Glossary

Commercial Invoice

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A Commercial Invoice is a document used for Customs declaration, along with the Packing List

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What is a Commercial Invoice?

A commercial invoice is a document used for customs declaration that identifies the value and quantity of the shipped products.

What must be included in a Commercial Invoice?

  • Country of origin / manufacture (where the products were made) 
  • Full name and address of the **supplier / manufacturer **
  • Full name and address of the business or person buying the products (noting if this person or business is different from the importer)
  • Full name and address of the **person or business to whom the goods are being shipped **
  • Quantity of units for each product
  • Unit value for each product (both in US dollars and the supplier’s currency) 
    • Note: a declared value for every product imported is required, so a $0 value is not acceptable for Custom purposes. We suggest the fair market value of the product to be declared, even if you are receiving the goods free of charge.
  • A complete description of the product that includes: what the product is, what the product is used for, and what the product is made of

 

Note: A SKU is not a product description.

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Related Help Articles

Commercial Invoice and Packing List: What You Need to Know

Sample Commercial Invoice

Related Glossary Terms

HS/HTS Codes 

Packing List (PL) 

Resources

CBP's Commercial Invoice Requirements

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