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Trade Documentation

Packing List

Also known as: Shipping List

A packing list itemizes exactly how a shipment is packed — the number and type of packages, their contents, and the net and gross weights and dimensions of each — without repeating the pricing found on the commercial invoice. Carriers use it to plan loading and verify what they receive, customs uses it to target examinations and reconcile quantities, and the consignee uses it to check the delivery against the order. A clear, accurate packing list speeds inspection and reduces disputes, because it lets any party confirm the physical shipment against the paperwork at a glance.

The JFS takeLicensed customs broker · Filer 82G

Ignored until there is an examination, and then it decides whether that takes two hours or two days. Piece counts and marks that match the cargo let an officer find what they are looking for without unpacking everything you own.

Related terms

Commercial InvoiceThe commercial invoice is the seller's formal bill for the goods and the single most important document in the customs entry, since it establishes the transaction value on which duty is usually assessed.Bill of LadingA bill of lading is the foundational document of ocean freight, issued by a carrier to a shipper, that serves three distinct functions at once: a receipt confirming the carrier has taken the described goods into its custody, evidence of the contract of carriage setting out the terms of transport, and — when issued in negotiable form — a document of title whose holder controls delivery of the cargo.

Reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Definitions are general information, not legal or customs advice for a particular shipment. Duty rates, tariff programs and agency requirements change frequently.