Export Packing List Format (Free PDF Template)
A packing list template is a ready layout for the document that shows how an export shipment is packed: marks and numbers, number and kind of packages, the goods and quantity in each, net and gross weights, and dimensions or CBM. It carries no prices and must match the commercial invoice and the bill of lading.
The template
Every field, in the order most banks and customs officers expect to read it. Use it as a checklist even if you build the document in another tool.
Export Packing List Format (Free PDF Template)
PACKING LIST
Packing list No. & date: ______________________
Commercial invoice No. & date: ______________________
Buyer's order No. & date: ______________________
Exporter (Seller)
Name: ______________________
Address: ______________________
IEC (India): ______________________
Consignee
Name: ______________________
Address: ______________________
Notify party
Name / address: ______________________
Shipment reference
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel / flight No. | |
| Port of loading | |
| Port of discharge | |
| Final destination | |
| Country of origin of goods | |
| Container No. / seal No. | |
| FCL or LCL |
Packages & goods
| Package marks & nos. | No. & kind of pkgs | Description of goods | HS code | Qty | Net wt (kg) | Gross wt (kg) | Dimensions / CBM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total packages: ______________________
Total quantity: ______________________
Total net weight: ______________________
Total gross weight: ______________________
Total volume (CBM): ______________________
Notes
Prepared by: ______________________
Date: ______________________
Quantities, descriptions and marks must match the commercial invoice. Weights and package counts should agree with the bill of lading or air waybill. Prices are usually omitted unless the buyer requires them.
Template for reference only — not legal, banking, or customs advice. Confirm the final document set with your bank or broker before sending.
Filled sample
A completed example with fictional parties, so you can see what goes in each box.
Export Packing List Format (Free PDF Template) — sample
PACKING LIST — SAMPLE
Packing list No. & date: PL/2026-27/0142 · 18 Sep 2026
Commercial invoice No. & date: EXP/2026-27/0142 · 18 Sep 2026
Buyer's order No. & date: PO-88213 · 02 Sep 2026
Exporter / Consignee
Exporter: Sample Textiles Pvt. Ltd., Surat, India · IEC 0512345678
Consignee: Example Home Goods LLC, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, UAE
Shipment reference
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel | MSC ANYA · V.238W |
| Port of loading / discharge | Mundra → Jebel Ali |
| Country of origin | India |
| Container / seal | MSCU1234567 / 004512 · FCL 20' |
Packages & goods
| Package marks & nos. | No. & kind of pkgs | Description of goods | HS code | Qty | Net wt (kg) | Gross wt (kg) | Dimensions / CBM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EHG/DXB/1–160 | 160 cartons | Cotton bath towels, 70×140 cm (20 pcs/ctn) | 6302.60 | 3,200 pcs | 1,920 | 2,080 | 60×40×40 cm · 15.36 |
| EHG/DXB/161–240 | 80 cartons | Cotton hand towels, 40×70 cm (50 pcs/ctn) | 6302.60 | 4,000 pcs | 800 | 880 | 60×40×40 cm · 7.68 |
Total packages: 240 cartons
Total quantity: 7,200 pcs
Total net weight: 2,720 kg
Total gross weight: 2,960 kg
Total volume: 23.04 CBM
Fictional sample for illustration. Quantities, marks and packages match the sample commercial invoice.
Every field explained
| Field | What goes in it | Who requires it |
|---|---|---|
| Packing list No. & date | Your reference and date | Buyer; LC (if a packing list is called for) |
| Invoice No. & date | The commercial invoice it belongs to | Links the two documents for customs and banks |
| Exporter, consignee, notify party | As on the commercial invoice | Must match the invoice and B/L |
| Vessel, ports, final destination | As booked | Must match the B/L or AWB |
| Container and seal No., FCL / LCL | From the stuffing report | Carrier; customs examination |
| Marks & numbers | Exactly what is printed on each package | Customs examination; B/L |
| No. & kind of packages | e.g. 160 cartons, 12 pallets | B/L or AWB package count |
| Description, HS code, quantity | Same wording and quantity as the invoice | Customs; LC |
| Net and gross weight | Per line and in total, in kg | B/L gross weight; freight booking |
| Dimensions / CBM | Carton size and total cubic metres | Freight booking; container planning |
How to fill it in
- Start from the final commercial invoice — same goods lines, same descriptions and quantities.
- Split each line by package: marks range, number of cartons, quantity per carton.
- Weigh and measure: net and gross weight and carton dimensions per line.
- Total packages, weights and CBM, and check them against the booking.
- Leave prices off unless the buyer or LC asks for them.
The export packing list format, part by part
Whatever the layout, an export packing list has four parts. The template above follows this order.
- Header: exporter, consignee, notify party, packing list and invoice numbers and dates, and shipment details (vessel or flight, ports, container and seal).
- Package lines: for each line, the marks range, number and kind of packages, description, HS code, quantity, net and gross weight, and dimensions.
- Shipment summary: total packages, total net and gross weight, and total CBM. These are the figures the B/L or AWB will repeat.
- Declaration and signature: a statement that the contents are as listed, signed by the exporter.
FCL, LCL and air shipments
The fields barely change between modes, but what the carrier relies on does.
- FCL (full container): list container and seal numbers. The packing list often becomes the stuffing reference for the whole box.
- LCL (shared container): the forwarder consolidates your cargo with others, so clear marks and accurate dimensions per package matter most. Mis-measured cartons are re-measured and re-billed at the warehouse.
- Air freight: show dimensions for every package. Airlines charge on the higher of actual and volumetric weight, so the packing list drives the freight bill.
Packing lists under a letter of credit
If the LC calls for a packing list, the bank examines it. The goods description doesn't have to repeat the LC word for word, but it must not conflict with the credit or the invoice. Package counts and weights must agree with the transport document, and the document title must match what the LC asks for (for example 'packing list' or 'weight list'). Any LC instruction on content, such as 'showing net and gross weight per carton', is a hard requirement.
Making a packing list in Excel
A spreadsheet works for occasional shipments. Put one row per package line with columns for marks, packages, quantity per package, net and gross weight per package, and dimensions. Use formulas for line totals and CBM (length × width × height in metres × number of packages). Keep the goods columns linked to, or pasted from, the final commercial invoice rather than retyped. Most packing list errors are quantities or descriptions that drifted between the two files.
Proforma (preliminary) packing list
Some buyers and LCs ask for a proforma packing list before shipment, with estimated packages, weights and CBM so they can book freight or apply for an import permit. Label it 'proforma' or 'preliminary' and replace it with the final packing list once goods are packed and weighed. The final one is the document customs and banks rely on.
Download the packing list template
The blank template above as a print-ready PDF. Enter your email and we'll send it straight away.
Template / checklist for reference only. Adapt to buyer and LC requirements, and confirm the final set with your bank or broker before sending.
Frequently asked questions
What is an export packing list template?
A ready layout for the document that lists how an export shipment is packed — marks, packages, contents, weights and dimensions — prepared alongside the commercial invoice.
Does a packing list show prices?
Usually not. Prices belong on the commercial invoice; add them to the packing list only if the buyer or LC specifically asks.
What is the difference between net and gross weight on a packing list?
Net weight is the goods alone; gross weight includes packaging such as cartons and pallets. The total gross weight should agree with the bill of lading or air waybill.
Can I make a packing list in Excel?
Yes, but keep it in step with the invoice — most packing list errors are quantities or descriptions retyped differently from the commercial invoice.
How do I create a packing list for export?
Start from the final commercial invoice, split each goods line by package with its marks range, add quantity, net and gross weight and dimensions per package, total everything, then check the totals against the booking and the invoice.
What is required in a packing list?
Exporter and consignee, packing list and invoice references, shipment details, marks and numbers, number and kind of packages, description and quantity, net and gross weight, and dimensions or CBM. Add anything the buyer or LC specifically asks for.
What is the format of a packing list?
A header with parties and references, a table of package lines, a summary of total packages, weights and CBM, and a signed declaration. The template above follows that layout.
Who prepares the packing list for an export shipment?
The exporter, because only the seller knows how the goods were packed. Forwarders and customs brokers use it, but they don't create it.
Is a packing list required for customs clearance?
Most countries expect one with the commercial invoice, and customs uses it to find and examine specific packages. Even where it isn't strictly mandatory, missing one usually slows clearance.
What is a proforma packing list?
A preliminary packing list with estimated packages, weights and CBM, sent before shipment so the buyer can plan freight or apply for permits. It's replaced by the final packing list once goods are packed.
Informational only — not legal, banking, tax, or customs advice. Always verify document and LC requirements with your bank, CHA / customs broker, and buyer before presentation.