What Is the Difference Between Domestic and International Shipping Labels?

Each package, regardless of whether it is domestic or international, requires a shipping label to get to its to destination. A shipping label provides information about the sender and the recipient, as well as serves as proof of postage, the package’s identification, and sometimes other purposes. Is there any difference between domestic and international shipping labels or are they identical?

A shipping label is an identification label that contains crucial information about a package: the sender’s and recipient’s names, addresses and phone numbers, the shipping method, a tracking barcode, etc. This information is critical for delivering the package to its destination. You can have a shipping label issued at a post office/the courier company’s location when mailing your package, or you can generate it online, print the label, and attach it to the package yourself.

Domestic shipping labels are pretty simple and straightforward: all you need to do when filling out a domestic label is to specify the sender’s and recipient’s information (first and last name/company name, full address, complete with the ZIP code/postal code, phone number) and choose the preferred shipping method. If your package is not commercial, a shipping label is pretty much the only document it needs, whereas commercial shipments also require a commercial invoice.

International shipping is more complicated than domestic shipping because international packages go through customs and therefore require export paperwork. One of the essential documents each international package needs, regardless of whether it is commercial or not, is a customs declaration that contains information about the package contents and their value (keep in mind that we’re only talking about packages here; envelopes with correspondence or non-negotiable documents do not require a customs declaration form).

A customs form typically contains the following information:

• Sender’s name and address.
• Shipment type: commercial sample, documents, gift, merchandise, returned goods, other.
• Description of contents: names, quantity, value, weight. If the shipment is commercial, you also need to specify HS codes and country or countries of origin, as well as provide a detailed description of each item.
• Total quantity, weight, and value of the items.
• Date and signature.

In most cases, an international shipping label doubles as a customs declaration form, which means that you don’t have to fill out and submit a separate customs declaration. It also means that you should be very careful when filling out the shipping label form because the customs declaration is crucial for customs clearance. If it contains any inaccuracies or errors, your package may get delayed at customs or even confiscated.

So, the main difference between a domestic shipping label and an international one is that an international shipping label contains information about the package contents and their value that is required for customs clearance. It should be noted, however, that “the main difference” doesn’t mean “the only one”.

There’s one more difference between domestic and international shipping labels: language. When you’re shipping domestically, the shipping label will be in the language of the country where the package is delivered. When you’re shipping internationally, it’s best to write everything in English, since it is an internationally recognized language.

Another thing about the difference between domestic and international labels that should be mentioned is addressing conventions. When you’re shipping domestically, the recipient’s and the sender’s addresses should be written in the format of the country where the package is delivered. When you’re shipping internationally, the recipient’s address should follow the address format of the destination country, but it must be written in Latin characters and Arabic numbers even if the destination country uses another alphabet or writing system.