Commercial Invoice Format: Complete Guide for Indian Exporters

If your international package is going to be held, returned, or charged extra duty, 80% of the time it's because of a flawed commercial invoice. This single document is the basis on which customs assesses your shipment. Let's get it right.

What is a Commercial Invoice?

A commercial invoice is a legal document issued by the exporter (you) to the importer (your customer), detailing the goods being shipped, their value, and the terms of the sale. Both the origin country's customs and the destination country's customs use it.

Mandatory Fields (Indian Exporters)

1. Invoice number and date — must be unique per shipment
2. Exporter (Sender) details — name, full address, IEC code, GSTIN, PAN, phone, email
3. Importer (Receiver) details — name, full address, phone, country-specific tax ID (EORI, ABN, EIN)
4. Description of goods — clear, specific (avoid "miscellaneous" or "gifts")
5. HS Code per line item
6. Country of Origin — usually "India"
7. Quantity and unit of measurement
8. Unit price in invoice currency (usually USD)
9. Total value per line + grand total
10. Currency code (USD, GBP, EUR, AUD)
11. Terms of sale — typically DDU or DDP (incoterms)
12. Reason for export — "Sale of goods", "Gift", "Sample"
13. Signature of the exporter

Sample Format

Here's a simplified layout you can adapt:

COMMERCIAL INVOICE
Invoice No: INV-2026-00045    Date: 12 May 2026

FROM (Exporter):              TO (Importer):
ShipReward Seller Pvt Ltd     John Doe
123 MG Road, Surat            456 Maple St, Brooklyn
Gujarat 394101, India         NY 11201, USA
IEC: 0805049571               EIN: 12-3456789
GSTIN: 24AABCS1234N1ZK        Phone: +1-718-555-0100

Description | HS Code  | Qty | Unit Price | Total
T-shirt (Cotton, Blue, Size M) | 6109.10 | 2 | USD 12.00 | USD 24.00
Necklace (Silver-plated)       | 7117.19 | 1 | USD 18.00 | USD 18.00
                                                Total: USD 42.00

Country of Origin: India
Reason for Export: Sale of Goods
Terms: DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid)

Signature: ____________
      

Common Mistakes That Get You Held

• Vague descriptions — "Goods", "Items", "Gift" all trigger inspection
• Under-declaration — customs cross-checks marketplace listings. Penalty + duty back-tax.
• Wrong HS code — see our HS Code Guide
• Missing IEC — required for shipments above ₹50,000 from India
• Currency mismatch — if the invoice says USD but the value field reads INR, expect a hold

Generate Invoices Automatically with ShipReward

Manually generating a compliant commercial invoice takes 10-15 minutes per order. ShipReward auto-generates a PDF invoice the moment you create an order — with HS code suggestions, currency conversion, and your IEC/GST pre-filled. Try it free.