Free Commercial Invoice Template (PDF, Word & Excel)
A commercial invoice is the document customs officers actually read. When a shipment crosses a border, this is the paper that declares what the goods are, where they were made, and what they are worth — and duties are assessed by customs from the declared values, so the invoice's job is accurate declaration. This free commercial invoice template lays out every field a border crossing asks for: full exporter and importer details, country of origin, an HS code for each line, goods described specifically enough for a stranger in a customs hall to picture them, the currency, the Incoterm, the total declared value, the reason for export, and a signed declaration line. Download it below as PDF, Word or Excel. No sign-up needed; the files are yours to edit and reuse for every shipment.
Download the commercial invoice template
Commercial Invoice Template (PDF / Word / Excel)
**Commercial invoice template (PDF, Word, Excel).** The header block holds the exporter’s and importer’s full names, addresses and contact details, the invoice number and date, and the reason for export. The line table gives each product its own row: a specific description, the HS code, quantity, unit value and line total, with the total declared value at the bottom. Below the totals sit the country of origin, the Incoterm, and the declaration line with space for a signature and date. The Word version edits like any document; in the Excel version the line totals and declared-value total are live formulas. There is deliberately no tax line — this is a customs declaration, not a bill, and duties are worked out on the other side of the border from what you declare here.
All files print on US Letter and A4. The PDF is fixed-layout for quick fill-and-print; the Word and Excel files are fully editable, so you can brand the header once and save a copy per shipment. None of the files ask for an email address.
Commercial invoice vs proforma invoice
The two documents look almost identical, and the difference is entirely about timing. A proforma invoice quotes the shipment before it is final: it tells the buyer what the goods, values and terms are expected to be, so they can arrange payment or permits. A commercial invoice is the customs document for the actual shipment — issued when the goods are packed and leaving, describing exactly what is in the crates, at the values really agreed. Customs clears goods against the commercial invoice, not the quote that preceded it.
In practice one follows the other on the same order: the proforma opens the conversation, the commercial invoice for export travels with the finished shipment. If you are still at the quoting stage, use the proforma invoice template instead — same skeleton, different moment, different legal weight.
What goes on a commercial invoice
Customs forms differ by country, but the fields they expect an invoice to answer are remarkably stable:
- Exporter and importer, in full. Legal names, complete addresses, phone and email for both parties — not trading names alone.
- Invoice number and date. Every shipment gets its own number; the date is the issue date.
- Country of origin. Where the goods were manufactured — which is not always the country they ship from.
- HS code, per line. The Harmonized System code is a numeric classification — six digits shared worldwide, often extended locally — that tells customs what category each product belongs to. Classifying a borderline product is a judgement call, and your freight forwarder or customs broker can confirm the right code before the shipment leaves.
- The goods lines. For each product: a description specific enough for customs, the quantity, the unit value, and the line total.
- Currency. State it once and use it for every line.
- Incoterm. The agreed shipping term — for example FOB, plus the named port — recorded exactly as it appears in the sales agreement.
- Total declared value. The sum of the line totals, in the stated currency.
- Reason for export. Sale, sample, repair and return, gift — one plain phrase.
- Declaration and signature. A line stating that the details are true and correct, signed and dated by the exporter.
How to fill in each field
Use this as a common-field guide, not a universal destination checklist. If a field, code or supporting document is unclear for your shipment, confirm it with the importer, freight forwarder, customs broker or relevant authority before shipping.
| Template field | What to enter | Why it matters | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exporter / seller | Your full legal name, address and contact details. | Identifies who is sending the goods. | Using only a trading name. |
| Sold-to / ship-to | The buyer and delivery details; show both when they differ. | Connects the transaction and destination. | Treating payer and recipient as the same by default. |
| Invoice number / date | A unique shipment reference and issue date. | Lets parties match the document to the shipment. | Reusing a reference from another shipment. |
| Goods description | Plain product facts: item, material, size, model or relevant use. | Makes goods identifiable beyond an internal SKU. | Vague labels such as "parts" or "samples". |
| Quantity / unit value | Actual quantity, unit value and line total for each item. | Supports a consistent transaction record. | Totals or quantities that differ from the order. |
| Currency | The currency actually agreed for the transaction. | Makes every value interpretable. | Mixing currencies across lines. |
| Country of origin | Where the goods were manufactured. | This can differ from the shipping country. | Copying the exporter address as origin. |
| HS code | A code only when confirmed for the goods. | Records a product-classification reference. | Guessing a borderline classification. |
| Incoterm | The agreed term exactly as recorded in the sales agreement. | Preserves the agreed shipment reference. | Selecting a term you do not understand. |
| Reason / declaration | The truthful reason for export and signed declaration where required. | Explains the transaction context. | Using a reason that does not match the shipment. |
Filled example
Here is the template filled in for a small wholesale export — two products, one crate:
Invoice #EXP-2041 · Date: July 30 · Currency: USD · Incoterm: FOB Oakland · Country of origin: United States · Reason for export: Sale
Two things make this example clear enough to survive a border. First, the descriptions: not “mugs” and “trays” but the material, size and finish — enough for an officer who has never seen your catalogue to check each line against its HS code and against the crate. Second, the values: $740.00 and $480.00 are the real transaction prices, and they add to the real total. Understating declared values to shave the buyer’s duties is the classic seizure trigger — a value that does not match the payment trail commonly leads to delays or penalties. Declare what was actually paid, sign the declaration, and the invoice does its job quietly.
Notice also what the example does not have: no tax line, no payment terms, no amount due. Those belong on the sales invoice between you and your buyer. This document talks to customs.
| Description | HS code | Qty | Unit value | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic coffee mugs, 12 oz, glazed stoneware | 6912.00 | 40 | $18.50 | $740.00 |
| Bamboo serving trays, 40 × 30 cm, food-grade finish | 4419.19 | 15 | $32.00 | $480.00 |
| Total declared value | $1,220.00 |
When the shipment gets held
The email usually arrives three days after the crate does: the shipment is held at customs, “pending clarification of goods description.” Somewhere on the invoice a line says “household items” or “product samples,” and an officer who cannot tell from those words what the goods are — or whether the HS code fits them — has set the crate aside until someone explains. Now the importer is watching a delivery date slip, and every day in the bonded warehouse is billed to someone.
Almost all of that is prevented at the desk where the invoice is written. A description that names the material, the product and its use; an HS code checked against that description; values that match the order — ten extra minutes on the day of packing. The template puts the description and HS columns side by side for exactly that reason: if the words and the code do not obviously belong together, fix one of them before the goods leave.
Frequently asked questions
Is a commercial invoice the same as a proforma invoice?
No — the proforma quotes the shipment before it is final; the commercial invoice declares the actual shipment to customs. If you are still quoting, use the proforma invoice template.
Who fills in the HS codes?
Usually the exporter, since they know the goods best — but classification can be a judgement call, and your forwarder or customs broker can confirm the code for anything borderline before the shipment leaves.
What currency should the invoice use?
The currency of the actual transaction — whatever the buyer is really paying in — stated once and used for every line.
Is a commercial invoice the same as a packing list?
No. The commercial invoice declares values for customs; a packing list describes contents — items and quantities, no values — for whoever opens the box.
How many copies do I need?
Practice varies by destination and carrier; ask whoever is arranging the freight what the destination expects.