When shipping internationally, you’ll be required to fill out some paperwork to clear your goods through customs. This includes a Commercial Invoice (which acts as a customs declaration for goods being shipped across international borders, and helps authorities calculate the duties and taxes due), and an Air Waybill (which tells customs authorities important details about the shipment.) Depending on the goods being shipped, you may also need an Import/Export License.

Use this guide as a documentation checklist to ensure your goods make their way through customs without delay! 

A Commercial Invoice is a key part of the shipping documentation you’ll need when shipping internationally. It acts as a customs declaration for goods being shipped across borders, and contains information – such as the value and country of origin – that will help customs authorities calculate the taxes and duties due, and who is responsible for paying them. 

Commercial Invoices record completed transactions and serve as official documents for payment. Pro-forma Invoices serve as estimates or bids and give potential customers a general idea of projected prices.

When shipping internationally, you’ll need to generate an Air Waybill (also known as a Waybill or AWB). This important document contains integral information and instructions about the contents of your shipment so that machines, couriers and customs officials can process and track it. Just as importantly, the AWB is the document that proves ownership of the package – based on the details of the sender and recipient.

You’ll need to provide some key pieces of information including the shipper’s and receiver’s details, a description of the contents, and whether the shipment is Duties & Taxes Paid (DTP), meaning you, the shipper, incurs the full costs of the shipment, or Duties & Taxes Unpaid (DTU), whereby all duties and taxes incurred at the destination country will be borne by the consignee.

This guide will help you fill in an Air Waybill correctly so that it is not delayed at customs. 

A Harmonized System (HS) code (or Tariff Code/Tariff Number) is a unique, six to ten-digit code used to classify the exact type of goods being shipped. As an internationally recognized system for traded products, it helps customs authorities accurately calculate taxes and duties and apply any necessary restrictions.

You can find the correct HS Code for your shipment via DHL’s MyGTS (My Global Trade Services) – a free, user-friendly platform designed to help you navigate all international shipping regulations, seamlessly. It leverages AI to give you the correct classification for your shipment every time, making customs clearance faster. Search for HS codes using keywords or the code directory.

A Certificate of Origin declares to customs authorities where goods within a shipment were manufactured. The Certificate indicates whether there is a free trade agreement established between the shipper’s country and the destination country and thus whether the goods are eligible for reduced taxes and duties.

Yes! With DHL’s Paperless Clearance service, you can easily create Certificates of Origin, Commercial or Pro-forma Invoices as you prepare Air Waybills online. If additional Customs documentation is required, you can simply upload the completed forms with one simple click. Find out more here. 

Landed Cost is the total cost of getting your product from the factory to a customer’s door, and includes shipping fees, insurance, and any customs and duties due if it crosses borders.

You can get a Landed Cost estimate through DHL’s MyGTS (My Global Trade Services), a free, user-friendly platform that will help you navigate all aspects of international shipping.

It depends – each country has its own list of restricted items to regulate goods crossing its borders. It might include things like certain liquids, hazardous materials, and medicines. You’ll need to check the rules for your shipment’s origin and destination countries. Each separate shipment will require an individual license. 

When a shipment enters or leaves a country, Customs authorities review the accompanying paperwork to ensure the shipper has followed all the appropriate rules and regulations.

Before handing over your shipment(s) to DHL, ensure you’ve filled out the paperwork properly and completely to avoid delays in the Customs process.

To help ensure faster Customs clearance:

• Provide all necessary documents
• List each commodity separately with accurate descriptions
• Check for consistency across all documents
• Make sure documents are clearly written, typed or electronically submitted
• Provide as much detailed information as possible
• Confirm that all associated costs are correct
• Ensure that receiving country or person is not on a Denied Parties List  

An Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number is needed by a business that is sending shipments to and from Europe.

• The EORI number will be stated on the customs declaration paperwork when sending parcels into Europe. When you have an account, DHL capture this as part of the booking process. The EORI number will be visible on your Proforma or Commercial Invoice [VCV(I1] (the customs declaration paperwork).

• A shipper’s EORI number is required when exporting on all of DHL’s international services.

• When a shipment is going from a business (anywhere in the world) to a European customer (B2C), a recipient EORI is not mandatory.

• When a shipment is going from a business (anywhere in the world) to another business that is based in Europe (B2B), a recipient EORI number is mandatory.

• When you set up a DHL business account, your dedicated Account Manager will request your EORI number and add it to your shipping account.

This guide explains the international shipping documents required for exports – including a list of the information you’ll need to fill out an Air Waybill.