What is actually inside this parcel, and what should the declaration say?
Build an itemised list, group it by category, and flag anything a line may refuse.
Parameters last checked · defaults are templates, not quotes.
Declarations fail for boring reasons: three items become one line, quantities do not match, or a category that a line refuses quietly rides along.
This list builder keeps the parcel itemised, groups the contents, totals the declared value and marks the categories that need a decision before dispatch.
Only three categories are flagged: battery, liquid and magnetic. Several air lines publish acceptance rules for exactly those, which is why they are tracked, but a parcel can be refused for reasons the flags do not model — aerosols, alcohol, blades, or a branded item whose declaration invites a rights check. A blank flag therefore means the three tracked categories were not selected, nothing more. Treat it as a prompt to read the chosen line’s own restricted-goods page and to record the answer next to the list.
Declared totals are simple sums of the figures typed into the quantity and unit-price boxes, and neither box rejects a zero or a negative. No range check stands between a typing slip and a total that reads plausible, so a price entered as 3.50 instead of 35.00 shifts the declaration by an order of magnitude without a warning. Compare the total with the order invoice before copying the list, and keep one row per item: a grouped line is harder to defend if the parcel is opened.
Packing and declaration list
Items in the parcel
Grouped list
Declared total
$87.00
2 item lines across 2 categories
| Category | Items | Value |
|---|---|---|
| textile | Hoodie, black, size L ×1 | $35.00 |
| shoes | Sneakers, size 42 ×1 | $52.00 |
No battery, liquid or magnetic items flagged.
How to read the result
- Group by category because restricted categories are assessed per item, not per parcel.
- A declaration should describe what is inside, in ordinary words, at a value you can defend.
- Batteries, liquids and magnets each carry their own acceptance rules and are flagged separately.
- Keep the list: it is the only document that ties the parcel to what you expected to receive.
- The total is arithmetic on the values typed in, with no range check on quantity or price, so reconcile it with the order invoice before the list is used.
Formula, source and caveat
declared total = Σ(unit price × quantity)
- Source
- Your own entries.
- Caveat
- This is a planning total, not a customs valuation.
category flags from a fixed list (battery · liquid · magnetic)
- Source
- Common line restrictions.
- Caveat
- Rules differ per line and change without notice.
Questions this tool raises
- Does this decide the declared value for me?
- No. It totals what you enter. The value you declare remains your responsibility.
- Why flag liquids separately?
- Liquid categories are refused by many air lines and need a route that publishes acceptance for them.
- Can I put several items on one declaration line?
- You can, but a grouped line is harder to defend if a parcel is inspected. Keep items separate where it is practical.