Free Packing Slip Template (Packing List)
Invoice × Tariff editorial
A packing slip (packing list) itemizes what is physically in the shipment — carton numbers, contents, quantities, net and gross weights and shipping marks, with no prices. The warehouse checks deliveries against it, the carrier plans handling from its weights, and customs uses it to match the goods to the invoice. It accompanies — never replaces — the commercial invoice. Download the free template below.
Download the blank template
Free, no sign-up. Carton-level detail rows with weight and dimension columns, totals that roll up, and marks fields consistent with your B/L.
The generator opens on the packing-slip tab and exports a PDF in your browser — nothing is uploaded to a server. The same line items can be exported as a commercial invoice or proforma.
What a packing slip includes
Ten fields cover freight and formal entries alike. All are pre-labeled in the template:
- 1Packing list number and date. A PL- series reference linking to the related commercial invoice number.
- 2Shipper and consignee. The same legal names and addresses as the invoice — mismatches trigger questions.
- 3Carrier and B/L or AWB number. The transport document this packing list travels with.
- 4Ports and mode. Port of loading, destination port or city, and ocean / air / courier.
- 5Carton numbers and marks. C/No. 1-12 style numbering plus the shipping marks stenciled on the boxes.
- 6Contents per carton. SKU and description per carton — what the receiver checks against on arrival.
- 7Quantity per carton. Pieces, pairs or sets per carton, in the same units as the invoice.
- 8Net and gross weight per carton. Carton-level weights roll up to the totals customs and the carrier check.
- 9Carton dimensions. L×W×H per carton — what forwarders need for volume and container planning.
- 10Totals. Total packages, total net and gross weight, total volume.
Packing slip vs commercial invoice vs proforma
One shipment, three documents, three jobs — the full comparison is here. The short version:
| Packing slip | Commercial invoice | |
|---|---|---|
| Shows prices / values | No — quantities and weights only | Yes — declared values per line |
| Who uses it | Warehouse receiving, carrier, customs matching | Customs valuation, payment, accounting |
| Drives duty | No | Yes — duty is computed on its declared value |
| Required at U.S. entry | Requested by brokers; kept with the goods | Always — the entry document (19 CFR 141.86) |
Quoting before the deal closes? That is the proforma invoice template. Clearance paperwork: the commercial invoice template.
Keep the numbers consistent — everywhere
The packing slip is a cross-check document, so its numbers only help when they match the other paperwork: carton counts and weights equal on invoice, packing list and airway bill; net weights matching the invoice lines; marks matching what is actually stenciled on the boxes. A weight on the packing list that disagrees with the B/L is one of the fastest ways to earn a customs exam — and weight matters twice over when an HTS line carries a per-kg specific rate, which the tariff calculator computes from net weight.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a packing slip include prices?
- No. A packing slip lists cartons, contents, quantities and weights — prices are intentionally omitted because the document travels with the goods and is handled by warehouse staff, carriers and customs officers. Values belong on the commercial invoice.
- Is a packing slip the same as a commercial invoice?
- No. The commercial invoice records the sale with declared values and is the document U.S. customs relies on at entry; the packing slip describes what is physically in the boxes. They travel together, and quantities must match across both — mismatches are a classic inspection trigger.
- Do I need a packing slip for every shipment?
- Couriers generate their own waybill-level documents for single parcels, so a separate packing slip is optional for one-box e-commerce orders. For multi-carton freight and formal entries, your broker and forwarder will ask for one — it is how they and CBP match the goods to the invoice.
- What are shipping marks on a packing list?
- The markings stenciled or labeled on each carton — typically buyer code, destination port and carton numbering such as C/No. 1-12. They let anyone handling the goods tie a physical box to a line on the packing list and the B/L without opening it.
- Who actually reads the packing slip?
- Three audiences: the consignee's warehouse, which checks received cartons against it; the carrier and forwarder, which plan handling from weights and dimensions; and customs officers, who use it to verify that a selected shipment matches its paperwork.
Templates are provided free, without warranty. Estimates only — not customs, tax or legal advice. Duty is finally determined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at entry. See the disclaimer.