Packing List Template: Build, Check and Print for Export
A packing list is the shipping document that shows what is in each package of an export consignment: marks and numbers, kind and number of packages, description and quantity of the goods, dimensions, and net and gross weight — without prices, which stay on the commercial invoice. Net mass is the weight of the goods without any packaging; gross mass adds the packaging but not containers or other transport equipment. The package count and gross weight must match the invoice and the CMR or bill of lading. In Logistivo's Export Documents module the packing list is produced from the same data as the commercial invoice, and the package, weight and volume totals are calculated by the system.
Source: GOV.UK (HMRC) · legislation.gov.uk · EPAL · NIST.
Data last updated:
.
Your packing list, package by package
Your packing list, package by package — Enter packages line by line; CBM, net and gross totals and nine checks update instantly — then print the A4 packing list or export it to Excel.
Each line is a group of identical packages: enter the number of packages and the dimensions and weight per package, and the line totals and package numbers follow. The calculation, the sheet and the CSV are built in your browser; this page does not store the list you enter.
New package line
Description of goods — Use the same trade description as the invoice; general terms such as 'parts' or 'general cargo' do not describe goods.
Kind of package (code) — The smallest external packing unit: carton, case, bag… Codes from UN/ECE Recommendation 21.
Number of packages — How many identical packages on this line — not the number of pieces inside.
Quantity — Quantity of goods in the selling unit (pieces, sets, kg, m …).
Unit
Length
Width
Height
Net weight
Gross weight
Number of pallets — If the packages are loaded on pallets, enter the number of pallets and the tare of one pallet; the pallet tare is added to the gross separately. If the pallet itself is the package (PX), leave this empty.
Pallet tare (one pallet)
Packages on invoice / CMR
Gross on invoice / CMR — Compared after rounding to the nearest kilogram; the total without pallets is tried first, then the total with pallets.
Document header and printable packing list — A packing list refers to its commercial invoice by number and date; marks and numbers are written exactly as on the transport document.
Packing list no.
Date
Commercial invoice no.
Invoice date
Exporter / shipper
Consignee
Marks and numbers
Transport: vehicle or container, seal
These are the package type codes of UN/ECE Recommendation 21. On a UK or EU customs declaration the kind of packages is declared with these codes, for the smallest external packing unit. The common ones are listed here; the full list is HMRC's Appendix 18.
CT · Carton — Carton
BX · Box — Box
CS · Case — wooden or metal case
CR · Crate — Crate
PX · Pallet — when the load is secured on the pallet and not otherwise packed
BG · Bag — Bag
SA · Sack — Sack
JB · Jumbo bag (big bag) — flexible bulk bag for powder and granules
Pallets and loading units — If cartons are stacked and wrapped on a pallet, the pallet's weight is not in the cartons' gross. HMRC's rule for the gross mass: when the weight of the pallets is included in the transport documents, it is also included in the gross mass — unless the pallet is a separate item on the declaration or the export licence is based on the gross weight of the goods. The tool shows pallets × tare separately and gives the gross including pallets. An EPAL 1 Euro pallet measures 1200 × 800 × 144 mm and weighs approx. 25 kg. — HMRC CDS DE 6/5; EPAL
Which rules does the tool check? — The checks rail re-runs these nine rules on every change; the numbers match the rail.
Required columns filled — Every line needs a description, a kind of package, a number of packages, and net and gross weight. On a UK export declaration these are separate data elements — description (DE 6/8), type of packages (DE 6/9), number of packages (DE 6/10), net mass (DE 6/1) and gross mass (DE 6/5) — so a gap on the packing list becomes a gap on the declaration. The rail names the incomplete line. — HMRC CDS DE 6/1, 6/5, 6/8–6/10
Gross ≥ net — Net mass is the weight of the goods themselves without any packaging; gross mass is the goods and packaging, excluding containers and other transport equipment. So net can never exceed gross on a line — the tool treats that as an error. If net equals gross and the kind of package is not 'unpacked', it warns: the packaging weight may be missing. — HMRC CDS DE 6/1, 6/5
Quantity fits the packages — In countable units (pieces, sets, pairs) every package holds at least one item: a quantity lower than the number of packages means one of the two figures is wrong (error). If the quantity does not divide evenly across the packages the tool warns — mixed packages are easier to count on a line of their own. Kilograms, metres, m² and litres are not checked.
Marks and numbers written — The CMR consignment note must state the number of packages and their special marks and numbers (Art. 6(1)(g)); on a UK declaration shipping marks are DE 6/11, where the container number can replace them for containerised goods and 'Unpackaged' is entered for unpacked goods. The tool numbers the packages from 1 in line order; write the common mark (buyer, destination, order no.) in the header. — CMR Art. 6(1)(g); HMRC CDS DE 6/11
Every package has dimensions — Line volume is length × width × height (cm) ÷ 1,000,000 × number of packages; a line without dimensions is left out of the total CBM. Volume is for the carrier and the consignee rather than the declaration: groupage and LCL freight are charged on volume as well as weight — see the CBM calculator. — NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8
Description precise enough — General terms such as 'consolidated', 'general cargo', 'parts' or 'freight of all kinds' are not accepted as a description of goods on a UK declaration; the description must be precise enough to identify and classify the goods. Write the same trade description as on the commercial invoice. — HMRC CDS DE 6/8
Pallet tare counted once — Pallets entered with a tare are added to the gross once. If a line in the same list already uses the kind of package 'PX · Pallet', the pallet weight may be counted twice — the tool warns. A pallet carrying separately counted cartons is a loading unit, not a package. — HMRC CDS DE 6/5
Package total matches the invoice — When taking over the goods the carrier must check the number of packages and their marks and numbers, and enter reasoned reservations if it cannot (CMR Art. 8); without reservations the packages are presumed to have matched the consignment note (Art. 9(2)). At sea, where packages are enumerated in the bill of lading as packed in a container or on a pallet, each counts as a package for the carrier's liability limit; otherwise the container is one package (Hague-Visby Rules, Art. IV(5)(c)). — CMR Arts 8–9; COGSA 1971 Schedule, Art. IV(5)(c)
Gross total matches the invoice — The CMR consignment note carries the gross weight of the goods (Art. 6(1)(h)), and the sender may require the carrier to check it (Art. 8(3)). The tool rounds the figure you enter to the nearest kilogram (0.5 and above up) and compares it with the total without pallets, then with pallets; if neither matches, it shows the difference in kilograms. — CMR Arts 6(1)(h), 8(3)
Calculations
Line volume (m³) — Length × Width × Height (cm) ÷ 1,000,000 × number of packages — 100 × 100 × 100 cm = 1 m³. Forty 60 × 40 × 40 cm cartons: 0.096 × 40 = 3.84 m³. The packing list in Logistivo's Export Documents calculates line volume with the same formula. — NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8
Line totals from weight per package — line net = net per package × packages · line gross = gross per package × packages — To enter line totals instead, switch 'Weight entry' to 'line total'; values already entered are converted by the number of packages. Example: 40 cartons × 10.4 kg = 416 kg gross.
Totals — Σ packages · Σ net · Σ gross · Σ m³ · quantity unit by unit — Pieces, sets, kilograms and metres are never added together; each unit keeps its own total. The package breakdown gives packages per code (70 CT and 2 CS in the example).
Gross including pallets — Σ gross + pallets × pallet tare — In the example 876 kg + 4 × 25 kg = 976 kg.
Rounding to the kilogram (comparison) — 0.001–0.499 down · 0.5–0.999 up — HMRC's rule for net and gross mass above 1 kg; below 1 kg the weight is entered with decimals. The tool rounds this way when comparing and keeps decimals on the list. — HMRC CDS DE 6/1, 6/5
Paste from Excel — Select and copy rows in Excel or Google Sheets. Column order: description · package code (e.g. CT) · number of packages · quantity · unit · length · width · height (cm) · net · gross (kg, per the selected weight entry). A header row is skipped; up to 40 lines.
Export to Excel (CSV) — The CSV opens in Excel and Google Sheets (comma-separated). 'Print / PDF' opens only the packing list in a new window, where you can choose 'Save as PDF'.
CBM calculator — Carton m³, sea W/M, air volumetric weight.
How many pallets fit in a container — 20ft, 40ft and 40ft HC loading plan.
VGM calculation — From the packing list's gross to the container's verified gross mass.
CMR form — Packages, marks and gross weight appear on the CMR too.
Bill of lading example — At sea, package count and weight go on the B/L.
Commercial invoice template — Prices go on the invoice: same parties, lines and total weights.
All free logistics tools — Logistivo tool directory.
Produce this packing list in Logistivo from the same data as the invoice — In Logistivo's Export Documents, paste your customer's order e-mail or upload an Excel/CSV file: the commercial invoice and the packing list open as drafts from the same data. The system calculates the package, net and gross weight and volume totals, a line whose net weight exceeds its gross cannot be saved, and no price is printed on the packing list; documents come out as English, Turkish or bilingual PDFs.
Export Documents — Commercial invoice and packing list from one entry; nine export documents in all — /en/customer
Load management — A PDF dropped into the load chat is split by document type, packing list included — /en/load-management
The tool applies your figures and the rules on this page; your customs authority, carrier or letter-of-credit bank may ask for more (language, signature, specific wording). The figures are the responsibility of whoever issues the document.
Who reads a packing list, and what do they check? — The same list is read at three desks; each looks for a different figure.
HMRC (UK customs) — The declaration carries the packing list's figures as data elements — gross and net mass, type and number of packages, shipping marks. HMRC's document-code list gives the packing list its own code, N271, and for some additional procedure codes it is a mandatory document (HMRC Appendix 2A). — HMRC CDS DE 6/1–6/11; Appendix 5A (N271)
The carrier — On taking over the goods it checks the number of packages, their marks and numbers, and the apparent condition of goods and packaging, entering reasoned reservations on the CMR if it cannot. At sea, the bill of lading shows the leading marks and the number of packages or pieces, or the quantity or weight, as furnished in writing by the shipper. — CMR Art. 8; COGSA 1971 Schedule, Art. III(3)
The consignee — Counts the packages against the list on delivery. Reservations for apparent loss or damage must be made at delivery, and for loss or damage that is not apparent within seven days (Sundays and public holidays excepted) and in writing; otherwise taking delivery is prima facie evidence that the goods arrived as described in the consignment note. — CMR Art. 30(1)
In Logistivo the packing list sits in the load's chat — Drop your scanned documents into the load's chat as one PDF: Logistivo's AI splits the file by document type — packing list, invoice, CMR, transit document — and files each part under its type (while the shipper's 'AI file analysis' setting is on; it is on by default).
Where else does each packing list field appear? — The same figure repeats on four documents; if it changes on one, it must change on all of them.
Marks and numbers — UK customs declaration (CDS): DE 6/11 shipping marks; container number can replace them | Transport document (CMR / bill of lading): CMR Art. 6(1)(g); B/L leading marks, Art. III(3)(a) | Commercial invoice: —
Number of packages — UK customs declaration (CDS): DE 6/10 — smallest external packing unit; pieces if unpacked | Transport document (CMR / bill of lading): CMR Art. 6(1)(g); B/L packages or pieces, Art. III(3)(b) | Commercial invoice: —
Kind of package — UK customs declaration (CDS): DE 6/9 — UN/ECE Rec. 21 code (Appendix 18) | Transport document (CMR / bill of lading): CMR Art. 6(1)(f): method of packing | Commercial invoice: —
Description of goods — UK customs declaration (CDS): DE 6/8 — precise enough to identify and classify | Transport document (CMR / bill of lading): CMR Art. 6(1)(f): nature of the goods | Commercial invoice: Trade description
Net weight — UK customs declaration (CDS): DE 6/1 — goods without any packaging | Transport document (CMR / bill of lading): — | Commercial invoice: —
Gross weight — UK customs declaration (CDS): DE 6/5 — with packaging, without containers and transport equipment | Transport document (CMR / bill of lading): CMR Art. 6(1)(h); B/L weight | Commercial invoice: —
Volume (m³) — UK customs declaration (CDS): — | Transport document (CMR / bill of lading): Freight for groupage and LCL | Commercial invoice: —
Invoice no. and date — UK customs declaration (CDS): DE 2/3 document codes: N380 invoice, N271 packing list | Transport document (CMR / bill of lading): — | Commercial invoice: Invoice number and date
Data element numbers are HMRC's CDS numbering; the Hague-Visby articles are those of the Schedule to the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1971.
What is a packing list and who needs it?
A packing list is the document that shows how an export consignment is packed: how many packages, of what kind, which goods in which package, and each package's dimensions and weights. Customs, the carrier and the consignee all use it to match the physical packages to the paperwork.
It carries no prices; the commercial invoice does that. Because the declaration, the CMR or bill of lading and the invoice all state the number of packages and the weights, the packing list is where those figures are worked out first.
Packing list vs commercial invoice: what is the difference?
The commercial invoice is the record of the sale — prices, totals, delivery and payment terms; the packing list is the physical breakdown of the same goods, package by package, without prices.
HMRC treats them as separate supporting documents with separate codes: N380 for the commercial invoice and N271 for the packing list. The figures they share — number of packages, marks, weights — must be identical.
In Logistivo prices never reach the packing list — In Logistivo's Export Documents the packing list has no price fields: when it is derived from the commercial invoice, unit prices and amounts are dropped and the package and weight data carry over unchanged.
Header: document number and date, the commercial invoice it belongs to, exporter and consignee, marks and numbers, transport details. Lines: description, kind and number of packages, package numbers, quantity and unit, dimensions, net and gross weight. Totals: packages, net, gross, volume.
Number packages in line order (1–40, 41–70 …) and write the common mark (buyer / destination / order no.) in the header.
Keep mixed packages on their own lines so it is clear what is in each package.
For palletised loads, give the number of pallets and their tare, and know the gross with and without pallets.
Check the package total and gross weight against the invoice and the CMR or bill of lading before loading.
How do I calculate gross and net weight?
Net weight is the goods without any packaging; gross weight is the goods plus their packaging (carton, case, stretch film). Containers and other transport equipment are excluded; the weight of pallets is included when it appears in the transport documents.
Example: 24 T-shirts weigh 9.6 kg and 10.4 kg with the carton, so net is 9.6 kg and gross 10.4 kg per carton; 40 cartons make 384 kg net and 416 kg gross. Four Euro pallets (approx. 25 kg each) add 100 kg to the gross with pallets.
For the declaration HMRC rounds weights above 1 kg to the nearest kilogram (0.001–0.499 down, 0.5–0.999 up); below 1 kg the weight is entered with decimals.
Do customs require a packing list?
The UK declaration itself carries the packing list's data — gross and net mass, type and number of packages, shipping marks — and HMRC has a document code for the packing list, N271, which is mandatory for some additional procedure codes (HMRC Appendix 2A). Whether or not it is declared, it is the document that lets an officer match packages to the entry.
In the EU, supporting documents must be in the declarant's possession when the declaration is lodged and provided where EU legislation requires it or where necessary for customs controls (Union Customs Code, Art. 163).
Packing list template: Excel or Google Sheets?
Either works as a starting point. The tool above builds the list, runs the checks and exports a CSV that opens in Excel and Google Sheets; you can also paste existing rows from a spreadsheet into it.
A spreadsheet does not catch a net weight above the gross or a package total that differs from the invoice unless you build those checks yourself; here they run on every change. Logistivo's Export Documents produces the same list as an English, Turkish or bilingual PDF.
What are the most common packing list mistakes?
What are the most common packing list mistakes? — Each is noticed at the border or on delivery; each can be fixed at the desk before loading.
Counting pieces instead of packages — Forty cartons of 24 T-shirts are 40 packages, not 960; 960 goes in the quantity column. Number of packages is based on the smallest external packing unit.
A package total that differs from the invoice — The invoice, the CMR and the declaration state the number of packages too; a difference becomes a carrier's reservation or a question at the check.
Counting pallet tare twice — If the pallet is entered as the kind of package (PX) and a pallet tare is added as well, the gross is inflated and will not match the CMR.
Putting the net weight on the CMR — The CMR asks for the gross weight (Art. 6(1)(h)); the packing list's net total does not belong on the consignment note.
Mixed packages on one line — If one carton holds two products, the list no longer shows what is in which package. Put mixed packages on separate lines.
'Parts' or 'general cargo' as a description — General terms are not accepted on a declaration; use the invoice's trade description.
Packing lists in Logistivo
Packing lists in Logistivo — Logistivo's Export Documents module does this page's calculation for every shipment.
Invoice and packing list from one entry — Paste the order e-mail or upload an Excel/CSV file; AI reads the fields once and the 'standard export' set opens the commercial invoice and the packing list from the same data.
Totals calculated by the system — Number of packages, package breakdown, net and gross weight, m³ and quantity per unit are recalculated on every save; a line with net above gross cannot be saved.
Nine export documents — Proforma and commercial invoice, packing list, shipper's letter of instruction, delivery note, certificate of origin and movement certificate applications, manufacturer's declaration and cargo insurance request from the same data.
Document splitting in the load chat — A multi-page PDF dropped into the load's chat is split by document type; the packing list is filed as a packing list.
Stop retyping the packing list for every shipment
In Logistivo the commercial invoice, the packing list and the other export documents come from one data entry; drafts are free, a PDF uses one credit per document, once, and regenerating it is free.
Source
GOV.UK (HMRC) — CDS Declaration Completion Instructions for Exports, Group 6 — net mass (6/1), gross mass (6/5), description (6/8), type of packages (6/9), number of packages (6/10), shipping marks (6/11) — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-trade-tariff-cds-volume-3-export-declaration-completion-guide/group-6-goods-identification
GOV.UK (HMRC) — Appendix 18 — package type codes (UN/ECE Recommendation 21), version of 24 July 2026 — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/package-type-codes-for-data-element-69-of-the-customs-declaration-service
legislation.gov.uk — Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446, Annex B (as adopted) — gross mass and pallets, description of goods — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2015/2446/annex/B/adopted
EPAL — EPAL 1 Euro pallet — 1200 × 800 × 144 mm, approx. 25 kg — https://www.epal-pallets.org/eu-en/load-carriers/epal-euro-pallet
Fill in the table on this page and click 'Export to Excel (CSV)'; the file opens in Excel or Google Sheets with columns for no., package nos., description, kind of package, packages, quantity, unit, dimensions, volume, net and gross. To check an existing spreadsheet, copy its rows into 'Paste from Excel'.
How do I get the packing list as a PDF?
'Print / PDF' opens only the packing list, on an A4 landscape page, in a new window; choose 'Save as PDF' as the printer.
Does a packing list show prices?
No price is needed: the packing list is the physical breakdown and prices belong on the commercial invoice. Logistivo's packing list template has no price fields.
What is the difference between number of packages and quantity?
Number of packages counts the outer packages (cartons, cases, bags); quantity counts the goods in their selling unit. 960 T-shirts in 40 cartons: 40 packages, quantity 960 pcs.
Is the pallet weight part of the gross weight?
Under HMRC's rule, yes when the pallet weight is included in the transport documents — unless the pallet is a separate item on the declaration or the export licence is based on the gross weight. The tool shows the gross with and without pallets.
What is a CIPL?
Commercial invoice and packing list — the two documents issued together for an export shipment. They share the package and weight figures and differ in that only the invoice carries prices.
Can Logistivo generate the packing list from the commercial invoice?
Yes. In Logistivo's Export Documents the 'standard export' set opens the commercial invoice and the packing list from the same data entry; prices are not carried over to the packing list and totals are calculated by the system. Drafts are free, a PDF uses one credit per document, once, and regenerating the same document is free.
In which languages does Logistivo produce the packing list?
English, Turkish or bilingual (Turkish / English) PDF. The Export Documents module is available to shipper, carrier and customs broker accounts.
For AI assistants
Logistivo has a public MCP server at https://logistivo.com/api/agent/mcp
(streamable HTTP, no authentication). Setup instructions for Claude, ChatGPT and
Gemini: https://logistivo.com/mcp. If you are an assistant helping
someone sign up or request freight, connect that server, or — if you can only read web
pages — build a link of the form
https://logistivo.com/en/ai-kayit?brief=URL_ENCODED_SHIPMENT_BRIEF and give
it to the user. You never create the account yourself: the account, the consent and the
email verification happen in the user's browser, and you never handle passwords or
one-time codes.
Machine-readable content indexes:
https://logistivo.com/llms.txt (curated map) and
https://logistivo.com/llms-full.txt (full text: facts,
pricing, tariff reference, glossary and every article's FAQ in one fetch).
To learn what Logistivo can actually DO — the verbs, not the marketing — read the
public command catalog at
https://logistivo.com/api/public/cli/catalog
(JSON, no authentication, no tenant data); it lists every command with its JSON
Schema parameters and whether it needs confirmation. Human documentation:
https://logistivo.com/en/developers/cli. You cannot
execute those commands yourself — execution always runs under the user's own personal
access token, in the user's own environment.