Delivery note and packing slip generator: create a template for free
Create a clean delivery note or packing slip as a print-ready PDF in seconds. No registration required; works immediately on smartphones and desktop computers.
1. Document & numbers
2. Sender
3. Recipient (customer)
4. Line items
5. Comments / notes
Packing slip
LS-2026-001
for Max Mustermann
Free & anonymous · PDF is created locally in your browser. The generated PDF uses German headings.
The delivery note is an accompanying document and does not replace an invoice under section 14 UStG. Observe retention requirements. This is not legal advice.
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Delivery note vs. invoice: Important legal differences
A delivery note (also known as an accompanying note or packing slip) is purely a document accompanying goods. It records which goods were handed over or shipped to the recipient and in what quantities. Unlike an invoice under § 14 UStG, a delivery note contains neither a request for payment nor separately stated VAT amounts.
| Feature | Delivery note / packing slip | Invoice (§ 14 UStG) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Goods inspection & proof of completeness | Request for payment & tax document |
| Legal requirement | Voluntary (customary in shipping) | Legally required for B2B / eBay |
| Tax information | No VAT, no tax number | Tax rate, tax amount, tax number / VAT ID |
| Prices | Optional (often omitted for gifts) | Mandatory (net, tax, gross) |
Retention periods under commercial and tax law
Under § 257 HGB and § 147 AO, a merchant retains business correspondence for six years and accounting records for eight years. The period that applies to your delivery note depends on its role:
- Delivery note as business correspondence (usual case): It concerns a commercial transaction (§ 257 para. 2 HGB). A copy of the dispatched delivery note is among the documents covered by § 257 para. 1 no. 3 HGB and must be retained for six years (para. 4). The period begins at the end of the calendar year in which it was created (§ 257 para. 5 HGB).
- Delivery note as an accounting record: If the invoice refers to the delivery note (e.g. for consolidated invoices) or it documents an accounting transaction (§ 257 para. 1 no. 4 HGB), the period is eight years. The Fourth Bureaucracy Relief Act reduced the period from ten to eight years from 2025.
- Private sellers: Anyone who is not a merchant is not subject to this commercial-law obligation.
Legal provisions last checked on .
Recommended essential details on the delivery note
- Full name and address of the shipping retailer (sender)
- Name and address of the recipient (customer)
- Unique delivery note number for internal reference
- Delivery or shipping date
- Related eBay order number or order reference, if applicable
- Clear list of all included items with SKU and quantity
- Note on subsequent deliveries for partial shipments
Formulas, assumptions and worked example
How the calculator works
- Line items = number of rows on the packing slip
- Total quantity = sum of the quantities in all rows
- Each quantity is a whole number of at least 1
Assumptions
- The packing slip has no prices and no VAT; it is not an invoice under § 14 UStG.
- Retention for merchants: commercial correspondence six years, accounting records eight years (§ 257 HGB, § 147 AO).
- The PDF is generated locally in the browser.
Worked example: three rows
Cable 2 units, Adapter 1 unit, Case 5 units.
- Line items
- 3
- Total quantity
- 8 units (2 + 1 + 5)
Edge cases
- A quantity of 0 or 1,5 is rejected: only whole numbers of at least 1 are valid.
Sources and review dates are listed below under “Sources and review dates”.
Sources and review dates
All values come from the official pages below. We review them regularly and show the date of the last review.
Common questions
No, German commercial law does not impose a general requirement to include a delivery note with a shipment of goods. However, it is standard practice in commercial trade and shipping to enable recipients to check that the delivery is complete.
For merchants: A delivery note relating to a commercial transaction is a commercial letter (section 257(2) HGB). You must retain a copy of the delivery note sent for six years (section 257(1), no. 3 and (4) HGB, and likewise section 147(3) AO). If it serves as an accounting voucher, the retention period is eight years. The period begins at the end of the calendar year in which the delivery note was created. Private sellers who do not have merchant status are not subject to this obligation.
A delivery note documents the goods, items and quantities delivered, but contains neither a request for payment nor the tax details required under section 14 UStG. An invoice is the payment document containing a tax number and VAT.
A complete delivery note contains the sender, the recipient’s address, the delivery note number, the delivery date, an optional order or invoice number, and a clearly laid-out table with line items, item descriptions, SKUs and quantities delivered.