Export Documents Required for Door to Door Shipping
Export documents required for Door to Door shipping are limited to the original commercial paperwork: the sales contract, the commercial invoice, the packing list, and any permit or specialised inspection certificate if the goods fall under regulated categories. The forwarder handles the booking, the customs declaration, the bill of lading and supports the C/O application under your authorisation. Most delayed shipments trace back to errors in this original paperwork.
Door to Door lets a business hand over most of the operational work to the forwarder, but the business remains legally responsible for the accuracy of its documents. If you are not sure whether your shipment suits an all-inclusive service, read our article on when a business should choose Door to Door.
Table of contents
I. Export documents to prepare: who does what, shipper vs forwarder
Under a Door to Door service, responsibilities are usually split as follows:
Document | Prepared by | Notes |
Sales Contract | Shipper | The basis for every other document |
Commercial invoice | Shipper | Part of the export customs file |
Packing list | Shipper | Used by the forwarder for booking, stuffing and declaration |
Permit / specialised inspection | Shipper (forwarder advises) | Only for goods under regulated categories |
Booking confirmation | Forwarder | Per vessel or flight schedule |
Export customs declaration | Forwarder (as customs broker) | Filed electronically under authorisation |
Bill of lading (B/L, AWB) | Forwarder / carrier | Shipper approves the draft before release |
C/O | Shipper applies; forwarder supports the file | Depends on buyer requirements and the applicable FTA |
1. Door to Door documents the business prepares itself
These documents are issued by the business itself, so a forwarder cannot draft them on your behalf. The forwarder's job is to check that they agree with one another: product name, quantity, weight, value and buyer details must match across the contract, the invoice and the packing list.
2. What the forwarder handles: authorised export customs declaration
Once authorised by the business, the forwarder acts as the customs broker and files the declaration in the system. Under Article 20 of the 2014 Customs Law, a broker exercises the rights and obligations of the declarant within the scope of the authorisation granted. Under Clause 2, Article 18 of the same law, the customs file for cleared goods must be retained for 05 years. Businesses should therefore keep the originals or electronic copies themselves, ready to produce during a post-clearance audit.
On EXW terms, the buyer is in principle responsible for export formalities. In practice the buyer usually nominates a forwarder in Vietnam to handle them, but the declaration is still filed in the name of the Vietnamese exporting company, under the seller's authorisation. One example is an EXW export shipment to Busan, where H-Cargo handled the trucking, export customs and ocean freight in full.
II. What the export document set contains: mandatory customs file and records you must retain
Under Article 16 of Circular 38/2015/TT-BTC (as amended by Circular 121/2025/TT-BTC, effective 01/02/2026), the customs file for export goods comprises:
The customs declaration;
The commercial invoice, where the buyer is required to pay;
Permits, specialised inspection results and certain other documents, where applicable.
If the invoice was already issued electronically under e-invoice regulations before the declaration, the business does not need to submit it again to customs.
The contract and packing list are not required submissions for a standard export declaration. Even so, the business must retain both, and the forwarder needs them to declare correctly. In practical Door to Door terms, without a packing list the forwarder cannot book or stuff the cargo.
1. What must match between the commercial invoice and the packing list
The goods description must be specific enough to determine the HS code, not vague wording such as "samples" or "accessories".
Quantity, unit of measure, net/gross weight and number of packages must be identical on both documents.
Value, currency and delivery terms (Incoterms) must match the contract.
Seller and buyer names and addresses must match what will appear on the bill of lading.
2. Documents that depend on the commodity and the market
These are not required for every shipment. But if your goods are regulated and the document is missing, the shipment cannot clear customs.
Export permit or written approval: only for goods on a regulated list.
Specialised inspection certificate: quarantine, food safety, quality and similar, depending on the commodity.
C/O (Certificate of Origin): not part of the mandatory export declaration file, but buyers commonly request one to claim preferential duty under an FTA in the importing country. The type of C/O required depends on the destination market.
Dangerous goods (DG) documentation: dangerous goods declaration, UN labels and compliant packaging. For example, on an air export shipment of hand sanitiser gel, H-Cargo handled UN labelling and packing, supported the preparation and filing of the DGD (the dangerous goods declaration signed by the shipper), and cleared the cargo under UN 1983, Class 3.
III. 5 document errors that delay a Door to Door shipment
The goods description on the invoice is too generic, which drags out HS code determination and the check on applicable regulations.
Figures on the invoice, the packing list and the actual cargo do not agree, forcing an amended declaration.
A permit or specialised inspection requirement is discovered only once the cargo is ready to ship.
Shipper/consignee details do not match the contract, requiring the draft bill of lading to be corrected and the C/O to be redone.
Documents are sent too close to cut-off. Carriers typically close SI/VGM 24-48 hours before vessel departure; in addition, under Point b, Clause 1, Article 25 of the 2014 Customs Law, an export declaration must be filed no later than 04 hours before the means of transport departs (02 hours for express consignments). Missing either deadline risks a rolled shipment.
Problems that occur in the importing country, such as cargo held at destination customs, fall outside this scope and are covered in a separate article.
IV. Document checklist before handing the shipment to your forwarder
Contract signed, with Incoterms and the party bearing origin charges clearly stated
Commercial invoice and packing list agree with each other and with the contract
Determined whether the goods require a permit or specialised inspection
Asked the buyer whether a C/O is needed, and if so which type
Sent the forwarder the delivery instructions and consignee details
Signed the customs declaration authorisation for the forwarder
Approved the draft bill of lading before release
Planned how the document set will be retained after clearance
Related articles:
Door to Door vs Port to Port: which should you choose?
V. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Does the Door to Door price include import duty?
It depends on the agreed delivery terms. Under DAP, a Door to Door quotation normally covers transport to the consignee's warehouse but excludes import duties and charges, which the buyer pays. Under DDP, the seller bears the import duty as well. When receiving a quotation, ask explicitly whether it is quoted DAP or DDP and request the list of charges included.
How does DDP differ from DAP in documentation terms?
Under ICC Incoterms 2020, with DAP the buyer handles import clearance, so the seller only needs the export document set and the transport document. With DDP the seller also handles import clearance, which additionally requires details of the importer of record in the destination country and a power of attorney for the customs broker there. Before agreeing to DDP terms, check whether the importing country permits a foreign party to act as importer of record.
Does LCL Door to Door require the same full document set as FCL?
Yes. The customs file does not depend on whether the cargo moves as a full container or as consolidated freight. The difference is that LCL cargo must be delivered into a CFS warehouse against an earlier cut-off, and the packing list must state the exact volume (CBM) and weight, because freight and consolidation planning are based on those figures. The bill of lading for LCL cargo is usually a house bill (HBL) issued by the forwarder.
What happens if documents are missing on a Door to Door shipment?
The cargo cannot be declared or cleared until the file is complete. If a permit or specialised inspection certificate is missing, the shipment may miss the vessel schedule and incur storage and container detention charges. Send the document set to your forwarder for review before the stuffing date.
On EXW terms, who files the export declaration?
Under Incoterms 2020, EXW places export formalities on the buyer. In practice in Vietnam, the forwarder nominated by the buyer usually files, but the declaration is still made in the name of the Vietnamese exporting company, under the seller's authorisation. The seller therefore still needs to supply the invoice and packing list and remains responsible for the declared information.
Is a C/O mandatory, and does a Door to Door service include obtaining one?
A C/O is not required to clear export customs. A business needs one when the buyer requests it, or to claim preferential duty under an FTA in the importing country. Under Decree 31/2018/ND-CP, the exporting trader is the party that applies for the C/O. A forwarder can support the application and file it under authorisation if that falls within the agreed scope of service. Ask your buyer which type of C/O is needed and confirm this at quotation stage.
VI. Conclusion
The export document set for a Door to Door service splits into two parts. The business handles the original paperwork: the contract, the commercial invoice, the packing list, and any permit or specialised inspection certificate. The forwarder handles the booking, the customs declaration, the bill of lading, and supports the C/O file under authorisation. Even after delegating most of the operational work, the business remains responsible for the accuracy of its documents and must retain the file for 05 years after clearance.
Before stuffing, make sure of four things:
Invoice, packing list and contract agree on goods description, quantity, weight and value.
You have determined whether the goods require a permit, a specialised inspection or a C/O.
You have agreed whether the shipment moves DAP or DDP, that is, who bears duty and formalities in the importing country.
You have sent the documents to your forwarder for review ahead of the carrier's cut-off, rather than waiting until departure.
From the shipper's warehouse to the consignee's warehouse, the business deals with a single point of contact. H-Cargo handles documentation and door-to-door transport as one package. Contact: hcargovn.com | +84 287 301 3639
Preparing your first Door to Door shipment? Send H-Cargo the commodity, destination market, delivery terms and your draft invoice and packing list. Our team will identify the missing documents, flag goods that require a permit or C/O, and issue an all-inclusive quotation with the included charges clearly stated for your specific shipment.
Author: Navy Ngo - Marketing Specialist
Contact us for a free consultation:
H-Cargo International Logistics
· 113-115 Ung Van Khiem St., Ward Thanh My Tay, Ho Chi Minh City
· Tel: +84 888 909 186
· Email: jack.tran@hcargovn.com
· Web: www.hcargovn.com
Legal instruments cited in this article: the 2014 Customs Law; Circular 38/2015/TT-BTC (as amended by Circular 39/2018/TT-BTC and Circular 121/2025/TT-BTC); Decree 31/2018/ND-CP; ICC Incoterms 2020. Verify the validity of each instrument at the time of application.
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