Purpose: To learn the difference between customs documents, generated within Sendcloud.
As we learned in the Help center article How to create an international shipment in Sendcloud, customs documents will be automatically generated at label creation. TThe type of document needed depends on the chosen carrier and shipment details. Some documents are created by Sendcloud, while others are generated by the carrier. This could be either a commercial invoice, Proforma invoice, CN22, or CN23 form.*
*In addition to the commercial invoice, Proforma invoice and/or the CN22/CN23 forms, some international shipments outside the EU also require a Certificate of Origin (CO). This article will mainly discuss the commercial invoice for international shipping and the CN22 or CN23 forms.
When you are shipping internationally (outside the European Union), a commercial invoice, a Proforma invoice, a CN22 document, or a CN23 document are always required for customs clearance purposes. Parcels sent with a commercial carrier need the commercial invoice. Parcels sent with a postal service need the CN22 or CN23 form. Parcels that contain gifts, regardless of the type of carrier used, require a Proforma invoice. Always fill out these documents in English.
Whether you need the CN22 or CN23 document will depend on the weight and value of your package:
- CN22 customs declaration: packages weighing up to 2 kilograms with a value of up to €425.
- CN23 customs form: packages weighing more than 2 kilograms and/or valued at more than €425.
*Shipping from the UK: Please note that when shipping internationally with Royal Mail via Sendcloud, Intersoft Intelligent Shipper® only produces a CN23 customs form. Although CN22 is not supported, this does not cause any delivery delays. The CN23 form includes all the necessary content required for CN22 and CN23 documents, simplifying the customs process and ensuring smooth delivery.
Carrier Custom Documents Generated by Sendcloud
Asendia, Bpost, BRT, Chronopost, Correos*, Correos Express, CTT Express, Delivengo, DHL, DHL DE, DHL Parcel, DPD, DPD local, Evri international, Fedex, Fedex crossborder, GLS, Hermes, Letter suive, MHI. Poste Italiane, Poste delivery, Seur, Spring, TNT, Yodel*For Correos, Sendcloud generates the CN23, while Correos generates the CN22 themselves.
Custom Documents Created by the Carrier
Colissimo, Correos*, DHL Express, DP, ATPostNL, Royal Mail, UPS
*For Correos, Sendcloud generates the CN23, while Correos generates the CN22 themselves.
CN22 and CN23 forms
CN22 and CN23 custom declarations and are required customs documents for international shipping with postal carriers. They contain information about the goods you are shipping: content, value, who the shipper and receiver are, and which parties are involved in the shipping. They are required documents that customs authorities use to keep track of which goods are entering and exiting their countries, and to determine whether import duties must be paid for the goods you are shipping.
Proforma invoices
The proforma invoice explicitly states that the shipment is a gift, ensuring proper customs procedures for duties and taxes. It primarily includes details about the package contents and applicable Incoterms. When shipping a gift internationally, always declare its true value, as customs authorities will reject any shipment with a declared value of zero.
Commercial invoices
The commercial invoice is a binding customs document issued by the merchant (exporter) to the buyer (importer) that serves as a contract and a proof of sale between the buyer and seller. It mainly contains information about the contents of the package and the Incoterms. Based on the commercial invoice, the customs authorities determine whether import duties have to be paid on the goods.
For instructions on how to fill the export documents in and how to attach them to your package, read our Step-by-step Guide to CN22 and CN23 Customs Declarations for International Shipping and our guide Commercial Invoices: Everything You Need To Know.
Important Update for Shipments to the U.S.
Effective November 12, 2024: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin rejecting any U.S. import shipments with vague descriptions. Shipments into the U.S. must have clear and precise descriptions on the commercial invoice to avoid delays or rejections by CBP.
Examples of acceptable descriptions:
- "children’s toys made of plastic"
- "women’s dresses made of 60% cotton, 40% polyester"
Unacceptable descriptions include terms such as "parts," "daily necessities," "see commercial invoice," "part number 123456," "accessories," or "personal use". For more information please visit: Unacceptable vs Acceptable Cargo Descriptions.
Example of a commercial invoice/Proforma invoice/CN22 form/CN23 form
The commercial invoice, Proforma invoice, CN22 form, and CN23 form look exactly the same. See example below:
Page 1
Page 2
Please note: The amount of items you can include differs depending on the type of carrier:
- Postal carriers (e.g. PostNL, Correos, Royal Mail, bpost, Deutsche Post) allow a maximum of 5 items per commercial invoice.
- Carriers (e.g., DPD, DHL, UPS) allow a maximum of 99 items per commercial invoice. To create more than 99 items, you must create a new shipment.
Related articles
→ Things to take into account when shipping internationally