Free Commercial Invoice Template — Word & PDF

A commercial invoice is the primary document customs uses to clear an international shipment and assess duty and tax. It states who is shipping the goods, who is receiving them, exactly what is inside, what each item is worth, and where it was made. This free commercial invoice template gives you that layout in Word or PDF — with per-line HS codes and country of origin, Incoterms, shipment and port details, and a signed declaration — so a parcel crossing a border carries the paperwork a customs officer expects.

You need a commercial invoice whenever goods of value cross an international border for sale: it is the document freight carriers, customs brokers and the destination authority all read to value the shipment. A short commercial invoice example: a US supplier ships 50 barcode scanners and accessories to a buyer in Germany. The invoice lists each item with its HS code, country of origin, quantity and unit price, states the total in USD, shows the agreed Incoterms (say CIF Hamburg), and is signed by the exporter. German customs clear the goods against those declared values, and the same invoice is the bill the buyer pays.

It is easy to confuse the three trade documents. A proforma invoice is the estimate sent before shipment, so the buyer can approve the order or arrange payment; it commits to nothing. A packing slip lists the contents of each carton and carries no prices at all. The commercial invoice is the definitive record of the completed sale — it shows the real transaction value customs needs, which is why it travels on the outside of the box in a documents pouch while the packing slip goes inside. Get the value or the HS code wrong and the shipment can be held, re-valued, or charged the wrong duty.

Fill every line with a plain description of the goods, the HS (Harmonized System) code, the country where each item was made, the quantity and the unit price — customs classify and rate duty from the HS code, so match it to the destination country's tariff or ask your broker. State the currency and the total transaction value, add the Incoterms (2020) that fix who pays freight and insurance and where risk passes, and note the country of final destination, the ports, the reason for export (sale, sample, repair, return) and the number of packages with gross weight. Sign the declaration that the information is true — most authorities require it. Number commercial invoices in their own sequence (CI-0001) and keep a copy with your export records. Download the commercial invoice template Word file to edit freely, or build one in the online generator, which totals the values and exports a clean PDF ready to pouch on the box.

Create a commercial invoice free · Open the invoice software

What This Template Includes

• Exporter / shipper — your business name, address and tax or EORI number as the seller
• Consignee (importer) — the receiving business name and address; add a separate buyer or notify party if they differ
• Commercial invoice number and date, plus the buyer's PO or order reference
• A plain description of the goods on each line — enough for customs to identify what is shipping
• The HS / HTS tariff code for every line, used to classify the goods and rate duty
• Country of origin for every line — where each item was actually made
• Quantity, unit price and line total, with the currency clearly stated (e.g. USD)
• Total invoice value — the transaction price actually paid or payable for the goods
• Incoterms 2020 (e.g. FOB, CIF, DAP), setting who pays freight and insurance and where risk passes
• Country of final destination, ports of loading and discharge, reason for export, number of packages and gross weight
• A signed declaration that the information is true and correct, with the exporter's signature and date

Worked Example: Invoice #

Northwind Trading Co. billing Bremen Handels GmbH · Bremen, Germany:

All values in USD. Goods of US and Chinese origin as marked per line. This commercial invoice is issued for customs clearance and payment of the completed sale.

How to Use It

1. Open the template

Click "Create a commercial invoice free" to open the commercial invoice template pre-loaded in the generator.

2. Add exporter, consignee and goods

Enter the shipper and consignee, then itemize each product with its HS code, country of origin, quantity and unit price.

3. Add the shipment and customs details

Set the Incoterms, currency, ports, reason for export and package count so customs can value and clear the goods.

4. Sign, download or send

Sign the declaration, export a clean PDF, print it for the documents pouch, or attach it to your own email — no sign-up required.

Informational only, not customs, legal or tax advice. HS/HTS codes, duty rates and required fields vary by destination country — confirm each code against the importing country's tariff schedule or with a licensed customs broker before you ship. US exporters can check Schedule B codes and Electronic Export Information (EEI) rules at the U.S. Census Bureau and CBP (cbp.gov). Last reviewed August 2026.