Trade and customs
Commercial invoice
Definition
The seller's final invoice for a shipment, used by customs to assess duty and by banks for payment.
The commercial invoice shows seller and buyer, invoice number and date, product description with HS code, quantity, unit price, total value and currency, Incoterm, country of origin, and marks and numbers that link it to the packages.
Customs in the importing country use it to value the goods. Descriptions must match the packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin, especially under a letter of credit.
Related terms
- Packing listA document listing each package in a shipment with its contents, batch numbers, net and gross weights and dimensions.
- Bill of lading (BL)The document a sea carrier issues for cargo, serving as a receipt, evidence of the contract of carriage and, if negotiable, a document of title.
- Certificate of originA document certifying the country where the goods were produced, needed for customs and for preferential duty under trade agreements.