The Commercial Invoice is prepared by an exporter of goods. It is a document required by the foreign buyer to prove ownership of the goods and arrange for payment. As an importer of goods, you will require at minimum a commercial invoice for your shipment from an exporting supplier. As an exporter of goods to other countries, you will be required to complete a commercial invoice to provide to the importer.
The Commercial Invoice is the primary document from which all other shipping documents are created when shipping across international borders. The information on all shipping documents such as the air waybill, bill of lading or shipping label must correspond to the Commercial Invoice.
Why is it needed by a carrier?
The carrier requires a commercial invoice to present to foreign customs agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for import control, valuation and duty determination.
When is it required?
The Commercial Invoice is required for all product or commodity shipments (excluding documents) for international trade. Without a commercial invoice, your goods will not clear customs of the country you are shipping to, resulting in shipment delays and possible monetary penalties.
When importing into Canada, if you or your supplier require a commercial invoice template, you can use the Canada Customs Invoice which is a fillable pdf you can also download to manually type.