A commercial invoice is necessary when shipping something internationally so that your package can get through customs. This document is used by customs authorities to decide which taxes and import duties apply to your shipment. Failure to provide a commercial invoice can lead to delays or your shipment never being delivered to the end buyer.
A commercial invoice must contain the following:
- Shipper and receiver details (name, address, phone number)
- Terms of sale (amount paid and currency information)
- Description of items sold and country of origin
- HS Tariff codes for items
- Weight of items sold
A sample commercial invoice template is shown below. If you are buying your International shipping labels with FedEx or UPS they can also help you generate a commercial invoice.