Free Commercial Invoice Generator
| Description | HS code | Origin | Net/gross kg | Qty | Rate (USD) | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD 0.00 |
"Commercial invoice" splits into two very different intents
Search for "commercial invoice generator" and the results split roughly in half. The top result, commercialinvoiceform.org, is a genuine customs document — shipper/consignee, HS numbers, terms of freight, bill of lading — but it only prints via your browser and has no PDF or Excel download button of its own. UPS explains what a commercial invoice is without generating one. The other half of the results (Wise, Zoho, invoice-generator.com) interpret "commercial" as simply "business invoice" and hand you the same generic PDF form as every other keyword in this space.
That leaves a real gap for anyone who actually needs the customs version: a single tool that generates the declaration-grade document — HS codes, country of origin, freight and insurance breakdown, a signed declaration line — and also exports it as a reusable file, which none of the results we reviewed do.
The fields a customs broker expects
Shipper and consignee (with an optional notify party), transport mode (ocean, air, truck, rail, or multimodal), port of loading and port of discharge, and a bill of lading or air waybill number — all captured on the form, alongside the same HS code / country of origin / net-gross weight fields per line item that the proforma version uses, plus your Incoterm and invoice currency.
The document header switches to "COMMERCIAL INVOICE" in both the PDF and the exported Excel file, so it reads as the shipment record it needs to be rather than a generic sales invoice with different words at the top.
Started with a proforma? Switch without retyping
If you quoted the order with our Proforma Invoice Generator first, the "Switch to proforma" link on this page takes you back to that tool with the same field set, so you're not re-entering HS codes and weights from scratch once the order ships and you need the final commercial invoice.
What to double-check before you send it to customs
A commercial invoice that's missing or wrong on any of a handful of fields is the single most common reason a shipment gets held at the border: mismatched HS codes between the invoice and the customs declaration, a country of origin that doesn't match the certificate of origin, or an Incoterm that contradicts what's written in the bill of lading. None of that is something a generator can catch for you — but having every field on one form, instead of scattered across a proforma quote and a separate freight document, at least means there's one place to check them against each other before you print.
Keep a copy of every commercial invoice you issue; customs authorities and freight forwarders can ask for it well after the shipment has cleared. The Excel export exists for exactly that — a record you can file, reopen, and hand to a broker without asking us for a copy, because we never had one to begin with.
Track every invoice you send
This tool generates one invoice at a time and nothing is stored on our servers. If you want a running record of every invoice, payment, and outstanding balance across all your clients, our Bookkeeping for Small Business template adds an invoice log, an accounts-receivable aging view, and a monthly P&L — built in Excel and Google Sheets, tested to the cent.
See the Bookkeeping template — $19Frequently asked questions
Is a commercial invoice the same as a regular sales invoice?
No. A commercial invoice is the customs declaration for an international shipment — it needs shipper/consignee, HS codes, country of origin, Incoterm, and transport details that a domestic sales invoice doesn't require. Many search results for this term actually show generic business invoices; this tool is built specifically for the customs version.
What's a notify party and do I need one?
The notify party is who the carrier alerts when the shipment arrives — often a customs broker or the consignee's freight forwarder. It's optional on the form; leave it blank if your shipment doesn't require one.
Do I need a bill of lading number before I create the invoice?
Not necessarily — you can generate and send the commercial invoice before the B/L or AWB number is issued and add it later. The field is there because most customs paperwork expects it once shipping is confirmed.
How is this different from the proforma invoice generator?
A proforma invoice is a preliminary quote used before the goods ship (for financing or import licensing); a commercial invoice is the final, legally binding document created once the shipment is confirmed and moving. This page adds shipper/consignee, transport mode, and port fields on top of the proforma's Incoterm/HS code/weight fields.
Does the exported Excel file include the transport and customs details?
Yes — shipper, consignee, transport mode, ports of loading and discharge, and Incoterm are written into the header rows of the workbook alongside the formula-driven line items and totals.