Commercial Invoice Generator
Customs-ready invoices for exports and international courier shipments.
Preview
Print / Save as PDF uses your browser: choose “Save as PDF” as the printer and turn off “Headers and footers”. Download PDF builds an A4 file directly.
Tax rules and rates change. This calculator follows the rules described on this page and may not cover every situation. Check the official source or a qualified tax professional before filing or invoicing.
About the Commercial Invoice Generator
A commercial invoice is the document customs uses to see what is being shipped, what it is worth, where it was made and who is selling it to whom. This generator lays one out for an export or an international courier shipment: exporter, consignee and buyer with their IEC, GSTIN, EORI or tax numbers, the Incoterms® 2020 rule, and each line with its HS code, country of origin, quantity, unit value, net and gross weight and package marks. Freight, insurance and other charges are printed by name and amount, the total is written in words, and a declaration and signature close it.
Exporting from India under GST? Turn on India export to print the endorsement that rule 46 of the CGST Rules, 2017 requires — export under a letter of undertaking (LUT) or bond without IGST, or on payment of IGST, with the IGST worked out in rupees at the exchange rate you enter. Everything stays in your browser.
How to use it
- Fill in the exporter once — name, address, IEC and GSTIN (India), EORI or other tax numbers, and a logo if you like. It is kept for your next invoice.
- Add the consignee (who receives the goods) and, if someone else pays, the buyer. Add a notify party for sea freight if your carrier needs one.
- Set the shipment: country of origin and destination, Incoterms® rule and named place, payment terms, transport, ports, packages and marks.
- Enter each item with a clear description, HS code, quantity and unit, unit value and weights. Add freight, insurance or other charges the buyer pays on this invoice.
- For an export from India, tick India export and choose under LUT / bond or on payment of IGST (enter the customs exchange rate for IGST). Then Download PDF or Print, and Save file to reuse it.
Examples
1,200 cotton T-shirts × USD 3.85 and 600 cotton towels × USD 4.10, CIF Hamburg, freight USD 380, insurance USD 45
Value of goods USD 7,080.00 · Total invoice value USD 7,505.00 — Seven Thousand Five Hundred Five US Dollars Only Gross weight 588 kg · Endorsement: “SUPPLY MEANT FOR EXPORT … UNDER BOND OR LETTER OF UNDERTAKING WITHOUT PAYMENT OF INTEGRATED TAX”
Goods worth USD 2,000 taxed at 18%, exchange rate entered as ₹85.00 per USD
Taxable value ₹1,70,000.00 · IGST ₹30,600.00 (shown in rupees) · the buyer still pays USD 2,000.00
Rupee values are worked out line by line (value × exchange rate) and IGST per rate, the same way the GST invoice generator rounds.
Reason for export: Commercial sample (no charge), unit value 0
The tool warns that customs still needs a value — enter what the goods are worth even if the buyer pays nothing.
Common uses
- Exporters preparing the invoice that goes with the shipping bill and the bill of lading or air waybill.
- Small businesses and makers sending orders abroad by courier or post.
- Sending samples, gifts, returns or goods for repair across a border, with the reason for export stated.
- Indian exporters issuing a GST export invoice under an LUT, or on payment of IGST to claim a refund.
What customs expects on a commercial invoice
Requirements differ by country, but they are similar. The US list is in 19 CFR §141.86 (eCFR). Each invoice should show:
- the port of entry the goods are going to
- when, where and by whom the goods were sold, and to whom (or, if not sold, the shipper and receiver)
- a detailed description of each item, with the marks and numbers of the packages
- the quantities, and the purchase price of each item in the currency of the sale
- every charge on the goods by name and amount — freight, insurance, commission, packing
- any rebates, drawbacks or bounties allowed on export
- the country of origin, and any goods or services supplied free for making the goods ("assists")
- what each package contains — and the invoice must be in English or come with a translation
The tool has a field for each of these. Check with the customs authority or your courier what the destination country asks for.
Exports from India: the rule 46 endorsement
Under the proviso to rule 46 of the CGST Rules, 2017, an export invoice carries one of two endorsements, printed as the rule words them:
- “SUPPLY MEANT FOR EXPORT/SUPPLY TO SEZ UNIT OR SEZ DEVELOPER FOR AUTHORISED OPERATIONS ON PAYMENT OF INTEGRATED TAX”, or
- “SUPPLY MEANT FOR EXPORT/SUPPLY TO SEZ UNIT OR SEZ DEVELOPER FOR AUTHORISED OPERATIONS UNDER BOND OR LETTER OF UNDERTAKING WITHOUT PAYMENT OF INTEGRATED TAX”.
Instead of the usual recipient details, it shows the recipient’s name and address, the delivery address and the country of destination. It is still a tax invoice, so it carries your GSTIN, a serial number of up to 16 characters (letters, digits, “-” and “/”), the HS code, quantity, value, the rate and amount of tax, and your signature.
Under an LUT, rule 96A(1)(a) expects the goods to be exported within three months of the invoice date; otherwise the IGST is payable with interest — the tool shows that date. On payment of IGST, rule 34 values the goods in rupees at the exchange rate CBIC notifies under the Customs Act for the date of supply, so enter that rate. Rule texts checked on CBIC’s tax information portal. DGFT issues the IEC, which since GST is the firm’s PAN.
HS codes and country of origin
The World Customs Organization’s Harmonized System identifies goods by a six-digit code, for example 6109.10 for cotton T-shirts. Countries add their own digits: India’s ITC(HS) uses eight, which the shipping bill needs. The tool checks that a code has digits only and at least six of them; it cannot tell you which code is right for your goods — use your country’s tariff or ask your customs broker.
The country of origin is where the goods were made, not where they ship from. Set it once for the shipment, and on an item when that item comes from somewhere else; the origin column appears automatically.
Incoterms® 2020, charges and weights
The Incoterms® rule says where the seller delivers and who pays for what, and is always written with a named place, such as CIF Hamburg or FCA Mumbai. FAS, FOB, CFR and CIF are for sea and inland waterway transport; for air, road and courier shipments the tool suggests the any-mode rules. Under CIF and CIP the seller arranges insurance, so show its cost if you charge it. Incoterms® is a trademark of the International Chamber of Commerce; the rule names are used only to describe your agreement.
Net weight is the goods alone; gross weight includes packing. Enter both for each line — the totals, the number of packages and the marks go into the shipment details.
Limitations
- The tool lays out the invoice; it does not choose HS codes, GST rates, Incoterms® or the export route for you. Check them with the official rules, your customs broker or your accountant.
- It is not a shipping bill, customs declaration, certificate of origin or preferential-origin statement (such as a REX or EUR.1), which have their own forms and wording.
- If your business must issue e-invoices, the invoice also needs to be reported on the Invoice Registration Portal, with its IRN and QR code printed — this tool does not connect to the IRP.
- Exchange rates are not fetched: enter the rate you must use (for IGST, the customs rate CBIC notifies).
- The downloadable PDF draws Latin-script text (with ₹, €, £ and accented letters). For other scripts, use Print / Save as PDF. The first PDF download needs a connection to fetch the PDF engine and fonts.
Privacy
Everything happens in your browser. The invoice, the parties’ details, your logo and signature are not uploaded or stored by MySmartCoPilot; the draft stays in this browser’s local storage until you press Clear saved data on this device, and Save file writes a copy only to your device.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a commercial invoice and a proforma invoice?
A proforma invoice is an offer sent before the sale, often to collect an advance or open a letter of credit. The commercial invoice goes with the shipment: it states what is actually being shipped and its value, and customs uses it to assess duty.
Do I need a commercial invoice for a gift or a free sample?
Usually yes — courier and postal shipments of goods normally need a commercial invoice or a customs declaration, whatever the reason. Choose the reason for export (gift, sample, repair, return…) and enter a realistic value even when nobody pays; the tool warns if the value is zero.
What declaration goes on a commercial invoice?
The tool prints a common wording — “We declare that this invoice shows the actual price of the goods described and that all particulars are true and correct.” — which you can edit. Some importing countries or programmes require their own wording (for example origin statements for preferential duty), so add that text if it applies.
How is IGST worked out when I export on payment of IGST?
Each line’s value is converted to rupees at the exchange rate you enter, freight and other charges on the invoice are taxed at the rate you choose (by default that of the first item), and IGST is calculated per rate. The invoice shows the taxable value, rate and IGST in rupees; the total the buyer pays stays in the invoice currency.
How long do I have to export goods under an LUT?
Rule 96A(1)(a) of the CGST Rules gives three months from the date of the export invoice, or a longer period the Commissioner allows; otherwise you pay the IGST with interest. With India export on, the tool shows that date for your invoice.
Which currency should the invoice be in?
The currency of the sale, as agreed with the buyer. Choose from 22 currencies; the amount in words follows it (for example “US Dollars and … Cents”). For an Indian export on payment of IGST, the rupee figures are added using the exchange rate you enter.