Instructions to complete the Canada Customs Invoice

• Indicate the name and address of: a) the person selling the goods to the purchaser; or b) the person consigning the goods to Canada.

• Indicate the date the goods began their continuous journey to Canada.
• Use to record other useful information (e.g., the commercial invoice number, the purchaser's order number).
• Indicate the name and address of the person (company) in Canada to whom the goods are shipped.
• The person to whom the goods are sold by the vendor.
• The country through which the goods were shipped in transit to Canada under customs control.
• The country of origin of invoiced goods is the country where the goods are grown, produced, or manufactured. Each manufactured article on the invoice must have been significantly transformed in the country specified as the country of origin to its present form ready for export to Canada. Certain operations such as packaging, splitting, and sorting may not be considered as sufficient operations to confer origin.
• Indicate the mode of transportation and the place from which the goods began their uninterrupted journey to Canada.
• Describe the terms and the conditions agreed upon by the vendor and purchaser.
• Indicate the currency in which the vendor's demand for payment is made.
• Indicate the number of packages.
• The following information must be provided:
  • Kind of packages - Indicate the kind of packages (e.g., cases, cartons).
  • Marks and numbers - Indicate the descriptive marks and numbers imprinted on the packaged goods. The marks and number must be legibly placed on the outside of all packaged goods if possible. However, the following classes of shipments do not require marks and numbers:
    • shipments forwarded by parcel post;
    • goods shipped in bulks, that are not packaged, but merely wire-bound, tagged, or fastened together in lots.However, the number of pieces, bundles, bushels, etc., must be shown on the invoice; and
    • agricultural equipment and machinery, or machinery parts, when shipped loose. However when in packages,the invoices must show the numbers and descriptions of same.
  • General description and characteristics - Give, in general terms, a description of the merchandise (.g., textiles, auto parts) and show a proper identifying description in commercial terms (i.e., style or code numbers, size, and dimensions) as known in the country of production or exportation. The condition of the goods, if other than new, must be given on the invoice, and, if applicable, the following information shown:
    • other than prime quality goods;
    • remnants;
    • job lots;
    • close-outs;
    • discontinued lines;
    • obsolete goods; and The Strength To Carry Your Reputation TM
    • used goods.
• Indicate the quantity of each item included in the description field in the appropriate unit of measure.
• Provide a value in the currency of settlement (as defined under Field 10) for each item described in the description field.
• Indicate the price paid or payable in the currency of settlement (as defined under Field 10) for the number of items recorded in the quantity field when they were sold by the vendor to the purchaser. Where there is no price paid or payable for the items recorded in the description field, N/A should be indicated.
• Show both net and gross weight.
• The total price paid or payable for goods described on the invoice or on the continuation sheet if used.
• Self-Explanatory
• Indicate the name and address of the person or organization shipping the goods to the consignee/purchaser.
• Where the invoice is completed on behalf of a company, the company's name and address must be indicated. The name of the person completing the invoice may also be indicated. Invoices completed on behalf of individuals must indicate the name and address of the person completing the invoice. This field may be left blank if this information is provided elsewhere on the invoice.
• Give the number and date of any ruling applicable to the shipment.
• Indicate the currency used when Field 23 or 24 is applicable.
• Indicate any transportation charges, costs for construction and/or export packing charges included in Field 17.
•  Indicate any transportation charges, costs for construction and/or export packing charges not included in Field 17.
•  Check boxes if any royalty payments were paid or payable by the purchaser; and/or the purchaser supplied to goods or services used in the production of these goods.