By the Ebbrate editorial team · checked 18 October 2026 against the sources at the end
What a packing list is
Maersk defines a packing list as a list of packages for each shipment, showing the weight, measure and quantity of each. It is usually drawn up by the supplier along with the commercial invoice.
Is a packing list required?
US customs regulations do not require a separate packing list, but they require the invoice to state in adequate detail what is in each package. If the paperwork does not give weights or measures, the importer pays for customs to weigh or measure before release. A packing list is the usual way to give that detail, and most brokers, carriers and warehouses ask for one.
What it should show for each carton
- Each carton or pallet with its number or marks.
- What is in it: the product, quantity and, for Amazon, the SKU.
- Gross and net weight per carton and in total.
- Dimensions per carton, so the volume can be checked. See the CBM calculator.
- The invoice number it belongs to.
Mismatches that hold goods
- Carton count different from the one on the B/L.
- Total weight different from the invoice or the carrier’s weighing.
- Products on the packing list that are not on the invoice.
Packing lists on Ebbrate
The shipment page asks for the commercial invoice and packing list after you accept a bid, for most shipments. See commercial invoice.
Sources
A guide, not legal advice: rules change, and your customs broker has the last word on your entry.