Books and printed matter commercial invoice template
Books and printed matter commercial invoice template: titles, picture books and catalogues with ISBN, printing country and HS code per line.
Templates by industry
- Hardcover art books, 240 pages, per copy
- Children’s picture books, per copy
- Trade catalogues, 48 pages, per copy
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Describe the goods
Example: describe "Hardcover art books, 240 pages, per copy" precisely enough for customs, with HS code, origin, quantity and unit value.
Add the shipment details
Enter the Incoterms, ports of loading and discharge, gross and net weight and packages, and check "Trade catalogues, 48 pages, per copy" matches the packing list.
Sign and send
Sign the declaration and send the invoice to the importer and your freight forwarder or customs broker with the other shipping documents.
Books are priced by the copy but moved by the pallet, and customs treats them as printed matter with its own tariff lines: bound books, children’s picture books and advertising catalogues are not the same heading. The commercial invoice also has to say where the books were printed, because origin is normally judged by where they were printed and bound, not by the publisher’s address. This template lists each title group with ISBN and weight, so the carton count and the paperwork agree.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Hardcover art books, 240 pages, per copy, Children’s picture books, per copy, Trade catalogues, 48 pages, per copy: give each line a precise description, its HS code, country of origin, quantity and value.
- Hardcover art books, 240 pages, per copy
- Give the title group, binding, page count and ISBN range; a heavy art book and a paperback weigh differently per carton, and the importer sorts the pallet by these.
- Children’s picture books, per copy
- State the age band and that the books are bound; children’s picture books are listed apart from general titles because the tariff names them separately.
- Trade catalogues, 48 pages, per copy
- Say whether the catalogues are sold or sent free of charge; free material still needs a value on the invoice, usually the printing cost.
- Parties and terms
- Name the exporter, the importer and, if the goods go to someone else, the consignee, with the Incoterms, the currency and the payment terms.
- Shipment
- Give the ports of loading and discharge, the shipping method, the gross and net weight, the number of packages and the reason for export.
- Scope to agree
- List titles or title groups with ISBN or catalogue code, say where each was printed since that usually decides the origin, give the weight per carton, and state whether the copies are for sale or free.
Before sending
- Does “Hardcover art books, 240 pages, per copy” have the HS code and country of origin customs will check?
- Is the value of “Children’s picture books, per copy” the price actually paid, in the invoice currency?
- Do the quantity and weight of “Trade catalogues, 48 pages, per copy” match the packing list?
Show 3 more
- Check the Incoterms, ports, weights and package count against the shipping documents, and the importing country's customs requirements.
- Check each HS code and country of origin with your freight forwarder or customs broker; QuoteBill does not look them up.
- Check the tax rate: it starts at 0% because exports are often zero-rated, so change it if your sale is taxed.
Worked example with sample figures
The figures below are invented to show how the template adds up: 3 lines in USD, with no tax added.
- Hardcover art books, 240 pages, per copy (HS 4901.99, origin IT): 1,500 × $9.50 = $14,250.00
- Children’s picture books, per copy (HS 4903.00, origin CN): 3,000 × $2.80 = $8,400.00
- Trade catalogues, 48 pages, per copy (HS 4911.10, origin DE): 2,000 × $1.20 = $2,400.00
Value of the goods $25,050.00, tax $0.00, invoice total $25,050.00.
- Sales order SO-BK-7740.
- Shipment: CIF Halifax, from Genoa, IT to Halifax, CA; gross weight 4,300 kg, net weight 3,700 kg, 9 PLTS.
What the document must show
These details make a commercial invoice easier to approve and to file.
- Exporter and importer names and addresses, and the consignee if different
- Invoice number and date
- Each item with description, HS code, origin, quantity, unit price and value
- Incoterms, currency and payment terms
- Ports of loading and discharge, shipping method
- Gross and net weight, number of packages
- A signed declaration
A commercial invoice starts at 0%, because exports are often zero-rated; change the rate if your sale is taxed. The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending.
Official rate reference: US government: state and local taxes
Frequently asked questions
Is the origin the publisher’s country or the printer’s?
Customs usually looks at where the books were printed and bound, so write that country on each line and put the publisher’s country in the notes if the buyer wants it. Where a title was printed in two countries, ask the importer’s broker which one to show.
How do I invoice books sent on consignment?
The importer still declares them at a value, so give a price per copy, say they are sent on consignment, and add the date by which unsold copies are paid for or returned.
How is the sales tax worked out on this commercial invoice?
A commercial invoice starts at 0%, because exports are often zero-rated; change the rate if your sale is taxed. The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending. With nothing added, the total in the worked example above stays at the net amount of $25,050.00.
Is this template free?
Yes. You can fill in this template and print it or save it as a PDF without an account, and there is no payment step and no watermark on the document. Saving it to your account and downloading Excel or Word files need a free account.
Can I change the layout and colour?
Yes. The editor offers other layouts and a document colour for the printed page. Changing them moves no figure: the lines and totals stay as they are, and the PDF, Word and Excel files follow the layout you pick.
Read next
Reading for the Books and printed matter commercial invoice template: Proforma vs invoice and down payment invoice and International invoice payment: currency, IBAN and SWIFT. The currency converter converts the amounts when you invoice in another currency.