Ceramic tableware commercial invoice template
Ceramic tableware commercial invoice template: porcelain sets, stoneware and decorative pieces on separate lines with HS code and origin.
Templates by industry
- Porcelain dinner sets, 16 pieces, per set
- Stoneware mugs, 350 ml, per piece
- Hand-glazed decorative vases, per piece
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Describe the goods
Example: describe "Porcelain dinner sets, 16 pieces, per set" 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 "Hand-glazed decorative vases, per piece" 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.
Tableware ships in cartons where packing takes much of the space, and what customs sees is a mix of materials: porcelain, stoneware and glazed decorative ware sit under different tariff lines. This commercial invoice lets a pottery state each line as sold, with its piece count, origin and HS code, so that a set of sixteen is not confused with sixteen loose plates. It also leaves room for the packing and breakage terms the buyer has agreed.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Porcelain dinner sets, 16 pieces, per set, Stoneware mugs, 350 ml, per piece, Hand-glazed decorative vases, per piece: give each line a precise description, its HS code, country of origin, quantity and value.
- Porcelain dinner sets, 16 pieces, per set
- Write the pieces in a set and what they are, such as four dinner plates, four side plates, four bowls and four cups, so the count of a set can be checked at the port.
- Stoneware mugs, 350 ml, per piece
- State capacity, material and decoration; hand-decorated mugs and plain ones are priced apart.
- Hand-glazed decorative vases, per piece
- Say whether each vase is glazed inside and whether it is a one-off; list hand-made decorative pieces by type with the average unit value, never as “assorted ceramics”.
- 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
- Separate porcelain from stoneware and decorative pieces, state sets by pieces per set, and note the packing allowance for breakage and any food-contact test report the buyer asked for.
Before sending
- Does “Porcelain dinner sets, 16 pieces, per set” have the HS code and country of origin customs will check?
- Is the value of “Stoneware mugs, 350 ml, per piece” the price actually paid, in the invoice currency?
- Do the quantity and weight of “Hand-glazed decorative vases, per piece” 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.
- Porcelain dinner sets, 16 pieces, per set (HS 6911.10, origin PT): 300 × $62.00 = $18,600.00
- Stoneware mugs, 350 ml, per piece (HS 6912.00, origin PT): 1,200 × $4.80 = $5,760.00
- Hand-glazed decorative vases, per piece (HS 6913.90, origin PT): 200 × $14.00 = $2,800.00
Value of the goods $27,160.00, tax $0.00, invoice total $27,160.00.
- Sales order SO-CT-2210.
- Shipment: FOB Leixões, from Leixões, PT to Savannah, US; gross weight 4,600 kg, net weight 3,640 kg, 300 CTNS.
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
Should the breakage allowance appear on the invoice?
Only what you actually ship. If the buyer has agreed extra pieces for breakage, list them as a line at no charge or at a stated value, so the pieces are counted at the port and the buyer can tell them from the paid quantity.
Is a food-contact test report part of the invoice?
No, it travels as a separate document. The invoice can mention that a report exists and give its reference, because importers of tableware are often asked for it by their own authorities.
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 $27,160.00.
Is this commercial invoice enough for customs?
It carries the details customs usually ask for, but each country sets its own requirements and some need other documents, such as a certificate of origin. Check with the importing country's customs authority, your freight forwarder or a customs broker before you ship.
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.
Read next
Reading for the Ceramic tableware 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.