Commercial Invoice (CI) - Definition, Customs Value Record & Shipment Support Document Updated Mar 2026
Source: customs documentation practice, freight forwarding workflows, importer filing requirements, and WinsBS Research (2026). This page was created to complete an internally linked term node for "Commercial Invoice".
Industry Standard Definition
View Official Definition
Commercial Invoice is the primary trade document used to describe the transaction value and product details of a shipment. It identifies seller and buyer, item descriptions, quantity, declared value, country of origin, and commercial terms used by customs, brokers, and logistics providers.
- It supports customs value declaration and duty assessment.
- It is not interchangeable with a packing list.
- Air, ocean, and parcel shipments all rely on it for import processing.
In air freight, missing or weak commercial invoice data can delay release, create classification errors, or increase customs review risk.
Key Commercial Invoice Fields
View Core Data Fields
- Seller and buyer legal details
- Item description and quantity
- Unit price and total declared value
- Country of Origin and tariff-related notes
- Invoice number, date, currency, and Incoterms if applicable