Create your commercial invoice

A commercial invoice generator is built for businesses that move goods across borders. When a shipment leaves one country for another, customs authorities want to see a structured document that describes the goods, their value, the parties, and the terms of sale — and a regular domestic invoice rarely carries enough detail to satisfy them. This commercial invoice generator lets you put all of that on a single page: shipper and consignee, item descriptions with quantities and unit prices, currency, country of origin, Incoterms, and totals (you can also choose from our commercial invoice templates for pre-formatted export layouts). The live preview updates with every change so what you see is exactly what customs will see. No signup, no watermark, no software to install — just a clean PDF you can attach to a shipping email in under a minute.

What is a commercial invoice?

A commercial invoice is the primary trade document used in international shipping. It records the sale between the exporter and the importer, describes each item being shipped, and states the value on which customs duties and taxes will be assessed. Unlike a domestic invoice, a commercial invoice usually includes the country of origin, Incoterms (such as FOB, CIF, or EXW), the currency of transaction, the parties' tax IDs, the gross and net weight, the number of packages, and shipping references. Carriers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and border authorities all rely on it. Get the details wrong and you risk delays, fines, or returned shipments; get them right and the goods move through customs smoothly.

What to include on a commercial invoice

• Shipper and consignee: Full name, address, and contact information for the exporter and the importer.
• Commercial invoice number and date: A unique reference and the issue date.
• Product descriptions: A clear, customs-friendly description of each shipped item, ideally aligned to your HS tariff codes.
• Quantity and value: Number of units, unit price, currency, and total value per line and overall.
• Country of origin: Where each good was manufactured, which drives duty assessment.
• Trade terms and shipping info: Incoterms, mode of transport, port of loading and discharge, and shipping references such as AWB or B/L number.
• Packaging and weight: Number of packages, gross weight, and net weight where relevant.
• Payment and notes: Payment terms, currency of settlement, and any free-text notes for customs or the buyer.

How to create a commercial invoice online

1. Open the commercial invoice generator above and pick a template.
2. Enter the shipper/exporter details in the From section.
3. Add the consignee/importer details in the To section.
4. Fill in the commercial invoice number, issue date, and any shipping references.
5. Add a line for each shipped item with description, quantity, unit price, and total value.
6. Select the currency of the transaction and set the tax rate if applicable.
7. Add Incoterms, country of origin, ports, and packaging details in the notes area.
8. Preview the live document and download the PDF ready to attach to the shipping paperwork.

Commercial Invoice vs Proforma Invoice

A commercial invoice and a proforma invoice share a layout but appear at different points in an international sale. The proforma is sent before the deal is final, so the buyer can arrange payment, secure foreign exchange, or apply for an import licence; it shows what the buyer will pay and what they will receive if they accept. The commercial invoice is issued when the goods are actually shipped and the sale is completed; it records what was supplied, at what price, and on what terms, and it is the document customs uses to assess duties. The two often appear in sequence on the same trade: proforma first to confirm the deal, commercial invoice second to settle and clear customs. Keeping both accurate and consistent prevents delays at the border.

Frequently asked questions