Skip to content
Customs Check
Sign upCreate an account

Commercial invoice for customs: what to check before importing

The commercial invoice is the central document of customs clearance: the declared value, currency, quantities and often origin all come from it. An incomplete or inconsistent invoice almost always results in a weak declaration.

Updated Sep 23, 2026

Free tools

EU VAT number checker

Options: proof of consultation and details to compare

VIES then issues a consultation number: proof, in an audit, that you checked this number on that day.

Details to compare — optional. Some Member States say whether each detail matches their register, even when they do not publish it.

Enter an EU VAT number to check its format.

The format is checked in your browser. Validity comes from VIES on the day of the check.

Essential details

  • Full identity of the seller and the buyer (company name, address, country).
  • Invoice number and date.
  • A precise description of each product, ideally with its material and use.
  • Quantity and unit for each line (pieces, pairs, kilograms…).
  • Unit price, line amount and total amount.
  • Invoice currency.
  • Incoterm and named place (for example FOB Shanghai, DAP Lyon).
  • Country of origin of the goods.

Strongly recommended details

  • Net and gross weight, per line or in total.
  • HS or CN code provided by the supplier (to be checked on your side).
  • Payment terms and order references.
  • EORI or tax identification numbers of the parties.

Inconsistencies to look for

Before sending the invoice to your customs broker or preparing the declaration, compare it with the other documents in the file.

  • Does the invoice total match the sum of the lines?
  • Are the quantities the same as on the packing list?
  • Is the weight consistent with the transport document?
  • Is the country of origin the same on the invoice and on the certificate of origin?
  • Is the Incoterm compatible with transport costs invoiced separately?

Pro forma invoice and final invoice

A pro forma invoice can accompany a shipment with no sale (sample, warranty replacement) or precede the final invoice. It must then show a realistic value and state that no payment is made: a “symbolic” value is not the customs value.

Check your invoice in a few minutes

Our free checker runs these checks: enter the invoice lines, total, currency and Incoterm, tell us which documents you have, and get the list of points to fix.

Is your file ready?

Check it for free in a few minutes, before you prepare your declaration.

Check my file for free