Commercial Invoice Requirements Under a Letter of Credit
What a commercial invoice must show under UCP 600 Article 18 and the invoice errors that cause discrepancies.
Reviewed by LCCheck team (owner-approved) · 2026-10-12
Short answer
Under UCP 600 Article 18, a commercial invoice under a Letter of Credit must appear to be issued by the beneficiary, be made out in the name of the applicant, be in the same currency as the credit, and describe the goods in a way that corresponds with the credit. It need not be signed unless the credit requires it.
| Rule | UCP 600 Article 18 |
|---|---|
| Issuer / addressee | Beneficiary → applicant |
| Amount | Within credit amount and tolerance (field 39A, Art. 30) |
Invoice errors that cause discrepancies
- Goods description not corresponding with field 45A.
- Amount over the credit amount or outside tolerance.
- Wrong currency.
- Not issued by the beneficiary.
- Incoterm or unit prices different from the credit.
- Missing statements required by 46A or 47A.
Tolerance
Words like 'about' or 'approximately' before the amount or quantity allow 10% more or less (Art. 30(a)). Field 39A can state a specific percentage tolerance.
Sources
General guidance, not legal advice. Your bank examines documents independently.
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