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A small exporter ships 500 mugs to Los Angeles. The carrier asks for a commercial invoice. The exporter sends a normal invoice. Customs asks for the country of origin and the itemized freight. The shipment waits.
This page gives you a free commercial invoice template in Word and Excel, with an online form for a PDF. You also get the commercial invoice format with the fields US customs and UK government guidance list, a worked export sample, and how a commercial invoice differs from a proforma or a non-commercial invoice.
A commercial invoice is the document an exporter issues for goods that cross a border. It names the seller, buyer and goods, states the value and currency, and gives customs what it needs to value and clear the shipment. A commercial invoice template is the layout you fill in for each shipment.
People search for it as an export invoice template, commercial invoice format, commercial invoice sample, customs invoice template, international commercial invoice template or blank commercial invoice template. A commercial invoice is for a sale. A non commercial invoice (also written non-commercial invoice) covers goods that are not sold, such as samples or gifts.
Refrens gives you three routes. Pick by how you work.
The Word and Excel files download at once, with no signup and no email. They carry a small Refrens branding at the bottom of the page, and you can remove it. The PDF comes from the online form on this page, which needs a free account. If 15 documents are not enough to judge the product, a Refrens sales person or account manager can extend your trial.
Use a free commercial invoice template in three steps:
Customs rules differ by country. The fields below come from two official sources, checked on 10 November 2026: US Customs regulation 19 CFR 141.86 and UK government export invoice guidance. A customs broker should confirm the rules for your route.
Each row says where the requirement comes from. These are summaries, not legal advice. Other countries set their own rules, and this page does not cover them. Check the destination customs authority or ask your freight forwarder.
Sources: US eCFR, 19 CFR 141.86 and UK business.gov.uk, how to create an export invoice, both checked on 10 November 2026.
This commercial invoice sample charges a US buyer for 500 ceramic mugs and gift boxes, shipped CIF Los Angeles, in USD. The exporter, the buyer and every number are illustrative. Country of origin: your country. Add an HS code for each item.
The sum: 500 × 3.20 = 1,600.00; 500 × 0.45 = 225.00; 1 × 80.00 = 80.00. Subtotal 1,905.00. Add 240.00, add 30.00. Total 2,175.00.
The goods and packing make a subtotal of 1,905.00. Freight (240.00) and insurance (30.00) appear as itemized charges, so the total is 2,175.00. Match the totals to your packing list before you send.
Pick by what is happening to the goods, not by what the buyer prefers.
Incoterms say who pays for freight and insurance and who carries the risk at each step. The term you choose changes which charges appear on the invoice. Write the term and the named place, such as CIF Los Angeles, and make the itemized charges match it. Agree the term with the buyer before the invoice.
The US rule also asks for the contents of each package. A packing list carries that detail. Send one with the invoice. Keep the quantities identical on both. A mismatch is a common reason customs holds a shipment. See a delivery note template for the goods side.
State the currency of the sale on the invoice. The US rule asks for the purchase price in the currency of the purchase and the kind of currency. If you quote in your home currency and your buyer pays in another, say which currency applies and keep the figures in one currency on the document. Refrens lets you invoice in 150+ currencies with an exchange rate shown on the document.
The two official sources overlap but do not match. The US rule covers goods entering the United States. It asks for English, consecutive numbering and a responsible contact, and it treats goods sold in transit with extra paperwork. UK guidance speaks to exporters. It lists an HS code, Incoterms, transport details and any certification the destination requires. Use the stricter set if you ship to both. Confirm the exact requirements with your customs broker or freight forwarder.
The template builds the invoice. It does not file a customs entry, calculate duties or taxes, classify your goods or produce a certificate of origin. Those steps sit with your broker, the carrier and the relevant authority. Refrens does not check the invoice against customs rules.
Sign and date the invoice if your carrier or the destination requires it. Keep a copy with the shipment records.
A template handles one shipment. An exporter with regular orders repeats the same buyer details, item list and charges each time.
Refrens invoicing software for small business takes that work over:
Send a quotation software first, then turn it into an invoice in one click. The free plan covers 15 documents a year, and Refrens branding appears on free documents. An exporter with a few shipments a month can stay on templates. If you ship weekly, use the software. Refrens helps with the invoice. It does not file customs entries or calculate duties.
Related layouts: a proforma invoice template for pre-shipment quotes, a delivery note template for the goods side, and free invoice templates for domestic sales.
Ready to ship? Download the free commercial invoice template and check each field against your route.
A commercial invoice is the document an exporter issues for goods that cross a border. It names the parties and goods, states the value and currency and gives customs what it needs to clear the shipment.
It depends on the country. US Customs regulation 19 CFR 141.86 lists the parties, a detailed description, quantities, price, currency, itemized charges, discounts, country of origin and a responsible contact. UK government guidance adds the HS code and Incoterms. Check the destination rules.
Yes. Refrens offers a free commercial invoice template in Word and Excel with no signup. The PDF comes from the online form with a free account, and the free plan covers 15 documents a year across all document types.
You issue a commercial invoice for a sale, and customs uses it. A proforma invoice is a preview you send before the sale. Use the proforma to agree terms and the commercial invoice to ship.
A non-commercial invoice covers goods that are not sold, such as samples or gifts. The US rule asks for the value of each item when goods are not purchased.
UK government guidance lists an HS code on an export invoice. The US regulation does not list it in the invoice requirements. Ask your customs broker for the code your route needs.
Yes. Save the Word or Excel file as a PDF, or use the online form on this page for a PDF invoice.
About Refrens - Refrens is invoicing and quotation software for small businesses, freelancers and service businesses. Create invoices, send quotations and collect payments in one place.
