A commercial invoice is an essential part of international shipping. When shipping outside the European Union, you have to deal with customs regulations. We have noticed that sometimes information is missing, which is necessary on a commercial invoice for the smooth processing of the shipment. In this article, we list the information that must be included on a commercial invoice.
There is no standard format for a commercial invoice, but there are several mandatory components that the document must contain. Below are the essential components.
Please note: A commercial invoice must not be handwritten and must always be in English.
- Sender’s details (Name, address, contact information, VAT number, and EORI number)
An EORI number is a unique identification number that is required for companies exporting goods outside the EU.
If you do not yet have an EORI number, you can apply for one via this link - Receiver’s details (Name, address, contact information, VAT number, and EORI number)
An EORI number for the recipient is not required if the shipment is sent under Incoterms DDP - Invoice number
- Shipping date (the date on which the order is dispatched, not the order date)
- Incoterms (You can read more about the different Incoterms via this link.) The most commonly used Incoterms for parcel shipments are:
DAP – The recipient is responsible for paying import duties, VAT, and any other charges.
DDP – The seller is responsible for paying import duties, VAT, and any other charges. - Description of the items (clear, complete, and specific)
Specify exactly what the item is (do not use a general category name).
Indicate the material the item is made of (e.g., cotton, plastic, metal). - Quantity of items (state the number of pieces after the product description)
- Value per item (state the unit price after the quantity)
- Total price of items (state the total price after the unit price)
- Currency (all internationally recognized currencies are accepted)
- HS code (state the HS code after the product description)
An HS code is an internationally used goods classification code that defines the type of product you are exporting.
An HS code consists of at least six digits and can be extended to eight or ten digits.
You can find information on how and where to look up an HS code via this link.
You can often also request the HS code from your supplier.
- Country of origin of the goods (the country where the products were manufactured)
- Signed by the sender
A template of a commercial invoice is attached to this article.