Printer-Friendly Shipping Documentation


If you're not sure which documents you need for your cross-border shipment, use Find International Documents for assistance determining which documents are required and recommended for your shipment.

You can prepare, store and reuse your shipping documents online with the document preparation center. Your shipment information is even transferred right into FedEx Ship Manager® at fedex.com so you can quickly complete your shipping label.

Harmonized Tariff Schedule Codes
Whether you're importing, exporting or both, you need to properly classify your products under the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes to meet the U.S. and foreign governments' customs requirements.

All of the import and export codes used by the U.S. are based on the HTS. The HTS assigns six-digit codes for general categories. Countries that use the HTS are allowed to define commodities at a more detailed level than six digits, but all definitions must be within that six-digit framework.


Commercial Invoice 
The Commercial Invoice is the basic statement of the seller to the buyer for goods shipped; it ideally represents a complete record of the business transaction between the exporter and the importer with regard to the goods sold. It is used as one of the primary documents in the collection process and is the main document used by customs officials for control, valuation and duty determination. It is also a document of content; it must fully identify the shipment as well as serve as the basis in preparing all other documents covering the shipment. All data contained in the invoice must conform to the particular entry requirements of the country to which the goods are being shipped.

  • FedEx Express® shipments: A Commercial Invoice is typically required when you ship nondocument commodities. You must submit one signed original and two copies. For shipments from the U.S. to Canada, use either the Commercial Invoice or a Canada Customs Invoice.
  • FedEx International Ground® shipments: A Commercial Invoice is required for all shipments to Canada — one signed original and four copies. In addition, you must include broker information for the importer of record on the Commercial Invoice.
  • FedEx Freight® and FedEx National LTLSM shipments: For shipments from the U.S. to Mexico, submit a Commercial Invoice. For shipments to Canada, if the shipment is valued at CAD$1,600 or more, submit a Canada Customs Invoice; if the shipment is valued at less than CAD$1,600, submit the Commercial Invoice.


NAFTA Certificate of Origin
Canada, Mexico and the U.S. developed a uniform Certificate of Origin to certify that originating goods imported into their territories qualify for preferential treatment accorded by NAFTA. The uniform Certificate of Origin is used in all three countries and is printed in English, French and Spanish. At the exporter's discretion, the certificate can be completed in the language of the country of export or the language of the importing country; importers submit a translation to their own customs administration upon request.

A NAFTA Certificate of Origin can cover a single importation of goods or multiple importations of identical goods. Certificates that cover multiple shipments are called "blanket certificates" and can apply to goods imported within any 12-month period specified on the certificate. Although a Certificate of Origin can only cover goods imported over a 12-month period, it remains valid for NAFTA preference claims made up to four years from the date signed.

The Certificate of Origin must be completed and signed by the exporter of the goods. When the exporter is not the producer, the exporter can complete the certificate on the basis of:

  • Knowledge that the good originates.
  • Reasonable reliance on the producer's written representation that the good originates.
  • A completed and signed Certificate of Origin for the good voluntarily provided to the exporter by the producer.
If the value of a Mexico-bound shipment is less than US$1,000, or the value of a Canada-bound shipment is less than CAD$1,600, a Certificate of Origin is not required. Instead, you can write the following statement on the Commercial Invoice:

"I certify that the goods referenced in this invoice/sales contract originate under the rules of origin specified for these goods in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and that further production or any other operation outside the territories of the parties has not occurred subsequent to production in the territories."

Be sure to include a copy of your NAFTA Certificate of Origin both inside and outside the shipment. U.S. Customs regulations require that you keep this certificate and the backup documentation for five years from its issuance. Failure to do so could invalidate the Preferential Duty Claim.

Electronic Export Information
The Electronic Export Information (EEI) form, formerly known as the Shipper's Export Declaration or SED, serves the dual purpose of providing export statistics and export control. This document reports all pertinent export data of a transaction.

The EEI must be submitted with shipments from the U.S. to Mexico or from the U.S. to Canada if any of the following requirements apply:

  • A shipment of merchandise under the same Schedule B commodity number is valued at more than US$2,500 and is sent from the same exporter to the same recipient on the same day. (Note: Shipments to Canada from the U.S. are exempt from this requirement.)
  • The shipment contains merchandise, regardless of value, that requires an export license or permit.
  • The merchandise is subject to the International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR).
  • The shipment contains rough diamonds, regardless of value (HTS 7102.10, 7102.21 and 7102.31).

If your shipment requires EEI data, you or your agent must file it electronically through the U.S. government's automated export system (AES), AESDirect. AESDirect is the U.S. Census Bureau's free Web site where customers can register and file EEI data.

Whether you self-file through AES or authorize FedEx to file on your behalf via FedEx Export AgentFile®, you'll receive an internal transaction number (ITN), which acts as proof that export information has been filed, received, accepted and approved by AES. If your shipment does not require EEI filing, the new regulations require that you provide the proper Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR) exemption legend.

Whether you process your shipments via a FedEx® electronic shipping solution or do it manually via FedEx® International Air Waybills or Bills of Lading, you must ensure that your shipping label includes either the AES proof of filing citation (this is usually the IITN) or the FTR exemption legend before tendering your shipment to FedEx.

Please note: FedEx International Ground Service to Canada prohibits EEI shipments.

Bill of Lading
A Bill of Lading is a type of document that is used to acknowledge the receipt of a shipment of goods. A transportation company or carrier issues this document to a shipper. In addition to acknowledging the receipt of goods, a Bill of Lading indicates the particular vessel on which the goods have been placed, their intended destination, and the terms for transporting the shipment to its final destination. A uniform straight Bill of Lading states that the goods are consigned to a specified person and transfer is not negotiable. An order Bill of Lading includes express words that make it negotiable — meaning, the recipient can order that delivery be made to another party.

For FedEx Freight and FedEx National LTL shipments: Prepare a uniform straight Bill of Lading for shipments to Canada; prepare a Mexico Bill of Lading for shipments to Mexico.

You can create, view, e-mail and print formatted FedEx Freight Bills of Lading for shipments to Mexico with the interactive Bill of Lading Generator. You can do the same thing for FedEx National LTL shipments to Canada with their interactive Bill of Lading Generator.

Document Resources

  • Forms for shipping internationally with FedEx Express and FedEx Ground
  • Forms for shipping internationally with FedEx Freight
  • Forms for shipping internationally with FedEx National LTL
  • Forms for shipping internationally with FedEx Custom Critical
  • Forms for shipping internationally with FedEx Trade Networks