Freight glossaryFreight DocumentationInternational ShippingCustoms
Packing List
Definition
A packing list is a document that details what is in each package of a shipment: the contents, quantities and, usually, the weights and dimensions of each carton or pallet.
What it means
U.S. Customs requires that information one way or another. Under 19 CFR 141.86, headed "Packing list," each invoice "must state in adequate detail what merchandise is contained in each individual package."[1] Packing lists are listed among entry documents "if appropriate" in CBP's importer guide.[2]
At a warehouse the packing list is the working document: it is what a devanning crew counts against, what a transload quote is built from, and what an OS&D report is measured against.
Example
A packing list shows 640 cartons across 12 SKUs, with carton dimensions and weights. The transload dock uses it to quote the job, stage pallets by SKU and count the cartons as they come off the container.
Related
Related terms
- Commercial InvoiceA commercial invoice is the seller's invoice for imported goods; U.S. Customs uses it to identify, value and...Glossary
- Bill of LadingA bill of lading (BOL) is the document a carrier issues for freight it receives: a receipt for the goods and...Glossary
- DevanningDevanning is unloading freight from a shipping container, also called stripping or container unloading.Glossary
- Overages, Shortages and DamagesOverages, shortages and damages (OS&D) is the receiving record of freight that arrived over the expected...Glossary
Related tools
Related guides
Sources
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, “19 CFR § 141.86, Contents of invoices and general requirements,” Federal regulation. Accessed September 30, 2026.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, “Importing into the United States: A Guide for Commercial Importers,” Government guidance. Accessed September 30, 2026.
General operational information, not legal, customs or regulatory advice. Rules and rates change; confirm current requirements with the agency, carrier or contract that governs your shipment.