11 Documents Required for Exporting

Once an international sale is made, the hard work is just beginning. You need to ship the goods to your buyer in a timely manner and make sure you get paid in full and on time. The key for both is to provide accurate export documents. Here we explain 11 of the most common export forms.

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The Beginner's Guide to Export Forms:
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Create an electronic certificate of origin:
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You want to be a successful exporter, and part of that is understanding how to use the following 11 shipping documents, all of which are available to download free, in PDF form, on our website.

Proforma Invoice

Great, you received an inquiry about one of your products from an international prospect. The potential buyer requests a quotation. This is where the proforma invoice comes in. International prospects require a proforma invoice so they can arrange for financing, open a letter of credit, apply for the proper import licenses and more.

Commercial Invoice

The commercial invoice includes details of the ENTIRE export transaction, from start to finish. Think order number, purchase order number or some other customer reference number; banking and payment information; and marine insurance information.

Packing List

The packing list identifies the items in your shipment and includes the net and gross weight and dimensions of the packages in both U.S. imperial and metric measurements.

Certificate of Origin

A certificate of origin identifies what country goods originated in. It usually needs to be signed by some semi-official organization, like a chamber of commerce or a country’s consulate office.

Certificate of Free Sale

A Certificate of Free Sale is used when you are registering a new product in a country. It tells the customs authority that, in the country of manufacture, the product is approved by regulatory authorities and legal to sell.

Shipper’s Letter of Instruction

Whether you hire a freight forwarder, or, in the case of a routed export transaction, the buyer hires a freight forwarder, it’s important to provide a Shipper’s Letter of Instruction with all the information needed to successfully move your goods.

Inland Bill of Lading

An inland bill of lading is a contract of carriage between the exporter and the shipper of the goods that states where the goods are going; it also serves as your receipt that the goods have been picked up.

Ocean Bill of Lading

If your goods are shipping by ocean vessel, you’ll need an ocean bill of lading. It can serve as both a contract of carriage and a document of title for the cargo.

Air Waybill

Goods shipped on a plane require an air waybill. It is a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier that is distributed by the International Air Transport Association.

Dangerous Goods Forms

If your products are considered dangerous goods by either the International Air Transport Association or the International Maritime Organization, you’ll need to include the correct dangerous goods form.

Bank Draft

A bank draft is for transferring control of the exported goods from the seller in exchange for funds from the buyer. Usually the seller’s bank will send the bank draft and related documents via the freight forwarder to the buyer’s bank or a bank it has a relationship with in the buyer’s country. When the buyer authorizes payment for the goods, the buyer’s bank releases the documents to the buyer and transfers the funds to the seller’s bank.

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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:49 Proforma Invoice
01:28 Commercial Invoice
02:03 Packing List
02:33 Certificate of Origin
03:29 Certificate of Free Sale
03:51 Shipper's Letter of Instruction
04:25 Inland Bill of Lading
05:01 Ocean Bill of Lading
05:46 Air Waybill
06:03 Dangerous Goods Form
06:37 Bank Draft

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