1 2 Commercial invoice 3 A 4 B A guide to completing your export commercial invoice 5 6 As one of the world's largest customs brokers, UPS has created this guide to help ensure fast and efficient 7 customs clearance by breaking down the commercial invoice into easy-to-understand sections.
The commercial invoice (or pro forma invoice) is copies — are required. Place a copy inside your C D the customs document that you’ll use most often package, or in one package if shipping several. when shipping outside the U.S. Required for all non-document shipments, it is the primary form Always be accurate in your declaration. State as 1 2 1 2 3 used for importation control, valuation and duty much as you know about the goods being exported. Make sure your documentation clearly communi- E F G H determination. I cates the reason for your export. Supplied by the shipper, the commercial invoice identifies the products being shipped, including Don’t worry if you don’t have some of the infor- a description and value of the goods, as well as mation at hand like a Harmonized Tariff code or 1 shipper information. It may be used by customs Schedule B number. By choosing UPS, we can 2 J 4 3 authorities to assess applicable duties and taxes. help you determine those entries. 5 L 6 7 K 8 If you choose not to use UPS Paperless® Invoice, Explore this guide and uncover some tips from 9 1 2 10 three signed copies — one original and two our top compliance experts.
Ensure all your packages move smoothly! Some shipping systems such 1. Select the Pending Pickup group in the Shipment History window. ® as UPS CampusShip and UPS Internet Shipping submit shipment data to 2. On the Home tab, select End of Day. UPS once you select the Ship Now button. Other shipping systems such as 3. Confirm you wish to proceed. WorldShip will print the End of Day reports. WorldShip® require end-of-day processing to electronically transmit your shipment details to UPS. In this case, once you have finished processing For more information, see http://www.ups.com/media/en/worldship_ packages, complete the following steps prior to your pickup: user_guide.pdf.
Our expert brokerage knowledge combined with UPS® logistics will help you master exporting. Find out how to prepare each section of your invoice step-by-step.
A: FROM TIP: Getting the date of sale/transaction Please include full details, including Tax ID, correct is particularly important when goods UPS Paperless Invoice simplifies your paper- contact name, address with postal code and are being purchased under a letter of credit. work by eliminating the need for paper com- country, and phone number (very important). mercial invoices. It allows you to integrate order and shipment processing electronically, and 4 Invoice number B: SHIPMENT DETAILS it reduces customs holds by streamlining the The invoice number is assigned customs clearance process through transmitting 1 Waybill number by the shipper, if applicable. information digitally. The waybill number is the tracking 5 Purchase order number number shown on your shipping label Learn more about UPS Paperless Invoice or Purchase order number is assigned (automatically generated when you register at http://www.ups.com/content/us ® by the shipper, if applicable. create your shipment in UPS shipping /en/bussol/browse/paperless_invoice.html systems). If there is more than one 6 Terms of sale (Incoterms) • Enroll on ups.com® package, this should be the lead, Terms of sale (Incoterms) refers to the or first, tracking number. billing terms on the invoice. The terms • Allows you to turn on/off by lane or shipment 2 Shipment ID state who (seller or buyer) is responsible • Streamlines shipping preparation processes The shipment ID is the 11-digit version for paying various costs — shipping, and reduces associated labor costs of the tracking number when using UPS® insurance, import tax and duty charges — • Eliminates redundant data entry, reducing technology to complete the invoice and clarify the point at which the goods the chance of error change ownership. See the Incoterms (i.e., 1YE595012345678901 becomes • Minimizes the risk of paperwork lost in transit Shipment ID E5950123456). section at the end of this guide for more information. • Reduces customs holds 3 Date • Allows for faster shipment processing Not necessarily the date that the ship- 7 Reason for export • Helps ensure customs values remain confiden- ment is handed to UPS. This should be The shipper will include the reason for tial when shipping directly to customer the date the transaction took place in the export. For example, whether the ship- seller’s records. (The date on the shipping ment is a sale, a gift, an item for repair, etc. • Decreases need for ink and paper, promoting label should show the date the shipment environmentally friendly workplace practices is handed to UPS.)
UPS International Customer Service Center 1-800-782-7892 ups.com/international C: SHIP TO I: UNIT VALUE/TOTAL VALUE L: FINAL COST/VALUE INFORMATION Please include full details, including Tax ID, 1 Unit Value 1 Invoice line total contact name, address with postal code and Unit value is the value of the items Invoice line total is the total value of all country, and phone number (very important). individually (e.g., 15 shirts at $10 contents, excluding packaging, included each, the unit value is $10). in the shipment. D: SOLD-TO INFORMATION 2 Total Value 2 Discount/Rebate Please include full details, including Tax ID, Total unit value is the value of all items Discount/Rebate is the discount contact name, address with postal code combined (e.g., 15 shirts at $10 each or rebate given by the shipper. and country, and phone number. have a total value of $150). 3 Invoice sub-total E: UNITS/U/M 3 Currency Invoice sub-total is the total amount 1 Units Currency indicates what currency after any discount or rebate. the values are listed in (e.g., USD, Units refers to the quantity of the mer Freight GBP, EUR, etc.). 4 chandise, i.e., the number of individual Freight is the cost to transport
items per description type being sent. the shipment. TIP: Include a valuation figure that is com 2 U/M pletely accurate to your knowledge. If 5 Insurance Abbreviation for Units of Measure, customs officials at the destination country Insurance is the amount the shipper or whether the items are listed as indi- have reason to believe the valuation of receiver pays to cover the cost of replacing vidual, bundle, roll, etc. your goods is not correct, this can be a the shipment if it is lost or damaged. reason for them to hold a package for DESCRIPTION OF GOODS F: further investigation. It’s important to rec- 6 Other This is where you need to provide a detailed ognize that all materials have an intrinsic Other is for any other charges placed on the shipment by the shipper (e.g., handling description of what items are in the package(s). value, too. For example, even if you’re sending a product sample, your valuation charge). The details of the description should include: should at a minimum represent the cost 7 Currency • What it is of the materials it took to produce it. Currency indicates what currency • What materials it’s made of the values are listed in (e.g., USD, GBP, EUR, etc.). • What the item is used for J: ADDITIONAL COMMENTS • What the item’s serial or part number is, Indicate if you filed Electronic Export Information 8 Total invoice amount if applicable (EEI), or if you wish for UPS to file the EEI on Total invoice amount is the total after all discounts are taken off and all For example, an accurate description would be: your behalf. (EEI is required when the value at charges are added up. ½ inch diameter carbide steel drill bit for machin- the commodity line level is greater than $2500, or when the shipment requires an export license ing metal, part 123-456. The detailed descriptions 9 Total number of packages regardless of value.) you provide are used by the destination brokerage Total number of packages is the number department to assess and apply the import coun- Also add any other information that could be of packages included in the shipment. try’s duty and tax on the goods being sent. useful here. 10 Total weight Total weight (kg or lbs) is the shipment G: HARMONIZED TARIFF CODE K: DECLARATION STATEMENT, SHIPPER weight, including packaging. OR SCHEDULE B NUMBER AND DATE If available, include this to assist the clearance A Declaration Statement could be required of your goods. This global system of classification on the invoice for commodities that require Finish your shipment! Be sure to speeds up exports, reduces delays and avoids a license or license exemption. If applicable, complete your End of Day process- potential additional fees and charges. provide your export license number and type, ing prior to pickup. This will ensure ECCN number if required, or exemption if a UPS has your package data and TIP: Don’t worry if you do not know some license is not required. minimize delay. or all of the Harmonized Tariff codes or Schedule B numbers for the goods in your TIP: If needed, the purpose for the export shipment. UPS has a team of expert customs should be included here in order to ensure brokers that can provide assistance for you that your goods are considered appropriately and ensure there is no customs delay. during clearance — such as when the goods are not being sold but entering a country temporarily for repair or for an event. H: COUNTRY OF ORIGIN (CO) This is the country where the goods were manu- 1 Shipper factured or assembled, NOT the country they are Enter your title and signature here. being shipped from (e.g., if goods made in Italy 2 Date are being shipped from the U.S., the CO is Italy, The date you (the shipper) made not the U.S.). the statement.
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