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Export invoice format: what it is
An export invoice is the tax invoice for goods or services supplied to a buyer outside India. It is zero-rated: issued under a letter of undertaking (LUT) without IGST, or with IGST paid and refunded later, and it carries the export declaration rule 46 requires. Zero-rated export under LUT, with the required endorsement.
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Example: a filled export invoice format
- The title says what the document is: an export invoice.
- A unique number from a continuous series, allocated when you issue it.
- Your name, address and GSTIN.
- Who it is for.
- Each line: description, HSN/SAC, quantity, rate and taxable value.
- GST split by component: CGST and SGST in the same state, IGST across states.
- The total in the document's currency and format.
Worked example: the numbers behind the export invoice above
| Item | Qty | Rate | Taxable value | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black pepper, whole, MG-1 grade, 25 kg bags (HSN 0904) | 40 | ₹16,500.00 | ₹6,60,000.00 | ₹0.00 |
| Green cardamom, 8 mm bold, 10 kg cartons (HSN 0908) | 12 | ₹26,000.00 | ₹3,12,000.00 | ₹0.00 |
| Taxable value | ₹9,72,000.00 | |||
| IGST 0% | ₹0.00 | |||
| Total | ₹9,72,000.00 | |||
No tax is charged on these lines, so the total equals the value of the supply.
How to fill in the export invoice format
- Add your business, GSTIN and IEC, and the overseas buyer.
- List the goods or services with HSN or SAC, and set GST to zero.
- Put the LUT endorsement and its reference in the notes.
- For goods, add ports, Incoterms and later the shipping bill, then save.
Export invoice format
- Title "Tax invoice" with the LUT endorsement
- Exporter name, address, GSTIN and IEC
- Invoice number and date
- Buyer name and full address abroad, and country of destination
- Description, HSN or SAC, quantity, unit and value
- Invoice currency and the rupee value for GST
- IGST at 0% under LUT, or at the applicable rate if paid
- Port of loading, port of discharge and final destination, for goods
- Shipping bill number and date, once available
- Incoterms and payment terms
- Signature
LUT or IGST paid?
| Under LUT | On payment of IGST | |
|---|---|---|
| IGST on the invoice | Zero | Charged at the applicable rate |
| Cash flow | No tax paid up front | Tax paid, then refunded |
| Refund claimed | Unutilised input tax credit | IGST paid; for goods, processed through the shipping bill |
| Endorsement | Under bond or LUT without payment of integrated tax | On payment of integrated tax |
India GST rules for an export invoice
- Contents are set by rule 46 of the CGST Rules: supplier name, address and GSTIN; a consecutive serial number of up to 16 characters, unique for the financial year; date; recipient details and GSTIN if registered; HSN or SAC; description, quantity, taxable value; rate and amount of CGST, SGST/UTGST or IGST; place of supply for inter-state supplies; a reverse-charge statement where it applies; and a signature.
- HSN digits: businesses with aggregate turnover up to ₹5 crore show 4 digits on B2B invoices; above ₹5 crore, 6 digits on every invoice.
- Timing: for goods, on or before removal or delivery; for services, within 30 days of supply.
- E-invoicing (an IRN from the Invoice Registration Portal) applies to B2B invoices of businesses whose aggregate turnover crossed ₹5 crore in any year since 2017-18.
- Unregistered or composition sellers do not issue tax invoices: they issue a bill of supply and charge no GST.
Mistakes to avoid
- Editing or deleting an issued invoice instead of issuing a credit note.
- Gaps or duplicates in the number series.
- Charging the wrong tax type (for India: IGST on an intra-state sale, or CGST and SGST across states).
- Leaving out the due date and payment details, which is the commonest reason invoices are paid late.
- Rounding each line's tax differently from the total; LuckPanda computes tax per line and keeps the components adding up.
Export invoice vs other sales documents
| Document | When | Asks for payment | Tax document | In the books |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quotation / estimate | Before the order | No | No | No |
| Proforma invoice | After the order, before supply | Advance only | No | No |
| Invoice / tax invoice | On supply | Yes | Yes | Yes: sale and receivable |
| Receipt | When paid | No, confirms payment | No (receipt voucher for advances in India) | Yes: payment |
| Credit note | After an invoice, to reduce it | No, reduces what is owed | Yes | Yes: reverses part of the sale |
Questions people ask
What is an LUT?
A Letter of Undertaking filed online in Form GST RFD-11 for each financial year. It lets you export goods or services without paying IGST, instead of paying IGST and claiming it back as a refund.
What wording must an export invoice under LUT carry?
Rule 46 requires the endorsement "Supply meant for export under bond or letter of undertaking without payment of integrated tax", commonly written as "Supply meant for export under LUT without payment of IGST", with the LUT reference. Exports with IGST paid say "on payment of integrated tax" instead.
Can I invoice in US dollars?
Yes. Export invoices are normally raised in the buyer's currency, and LuckPanda lets you choose it; the value is converted to rupees for GST returns. This page shows rupees so the GST fields are easy to follow.
When is an export of services zero-rated?
When the supplier is in India, the recipient is outside India, the place of supply is outside India, payment is received in convertible foreign exchange (or in rupees where RBI permits), and the two are not merely branches of the same person.