Collect all required header fields: seller legal name and address, buyer legal name and address, invoice number and date, payment terms, currency, Incoterms 2020 term and named place, and the selling carrier or freight forwarder reference.
Build line items: for each item include a precise commodity description (material, function, end use), quantity and unit of measure, unit price, total line value, HS/HTS code, country of origin, and net and gross weight.
Add shipment-level totals: total invoice value, total freight charges, insurance charges (if separately stated), and any other charges that affect customs value; note whether freight is included in the invoice value or charged separately as this affects the Customs Valuation basis.
Include any required certifications: country of origin statement, free trade agreement certificate of origin reference (if applicable), and any regulatory declarations required by the destination country.
Generate the invoice as a PDF using a structured template; transmit it to the freight forwarder or customs broker as part of the export documentation package and retain a copy for the mandatory record-keeping period (5 years for US export records).
Known gotchas
Customs value (transaction value) must reflect the actual price paid or payable, not a discounted internal transfer price — related-party transactions are subject to heightened customs valuation scrutiny and may require a declaration of relationship and price justification.
Some countries require the commercial invoice to be in a specific language (destination country's official language) or to carry a legalized or apostilled signature; verify destination-country requirements for the specific commodity.
The description of goods on the commercial invoice must match the description used for HS classification; vague or abbreviated descriptions (e.g., 'auto parts', 'electronics') trigger customs examination — be as specific as the product description used in the ruling or tariff schedule.
Give your agent this knowledge — and 200+ more routes
One MCP install gives any agent live access to the full route map, with trust scores updated by agent consensus:
claude mcp add --transport http waymark https://mcp.waymark.network/mcp