ISBP 821 Document Examination Suite
A practical document-examination checklist for presentations under UCP 600, with maturity and insurance calculators.
Document Examination Auditor
Select a document type to launch the dedicated compliance checklist based on ISBP 821 & UCP 600 rules. Check off items to generate an audit report or detect potential discrepancies.
Commercial Invoice Audit Items
Verify each point according to ISBP 821 Section C
Examination Summary
What ISBP 821 is
International Standard Banking Practice (ISBP) is the ICC's guide to how banks examine documents presented under a letter of credit. ISBP 821 was published by the ICC in 2023 and replaced ISBP 745. It does not change UCP 600; it explains how UCP 600 is applied in practice, document by document, so that exporters, importers and banks reach the same answer about whether a presentation complies.
Banks examine documents only on their face: they check the documents against the credit, against UCP 600 and ISBP, and against each other. They do not look at the goods.
The UCP 600 rules every presentation must meet
| Rule | What it says | UCP 600 |
|---|---|---|
| Examination period | The bank has a maximum of five banking days after presentation to decide whether the documents comply. | Art. 14(b) |
| Presentation period | Transport documents must be presented within 21 calendar days after shipment, unless the credit says otherwise, and never after the credit expires. | Art. 14(c) |
| Consistency, not identity | Data in a document need not be identical to other documents or the credit, but must not conflict with them. | Art. 14(d) |
| Goods description | The description in the commercial invoice must correspond with the credit; other documents may describe the goods in general terms. | Art. 14(e), 18(c) |
| On-board evidence | A bill of lading must show that the goods were shipped on board a named vessel, by a pre-printed wording or a dated on-board notation. | Art. 20 |
| Insurance amount | If the credit is silent, cover must be at least 110% of the CIF or CIP value. | Art. 28(f) |
| Tolerance | Words such as "about" or "approximately" allow 10% more or less; bulk quantities may vary 5% unless stated otherwise. | Art. 30 |
Summary for orientation only; always read the credit and the full text of UCP 600 and ISBP 821.
The most common discrepancies
- Late presentation — documents presented more than 21 days after shipment or after expiry.
- Invoice description — goods, quantity or unit price in the invoice that do not match the credit.
- Missing or wrong on-board notation on the bill of lading, or the wrong port of loading or discharge.
- Insurance — cover for too little, in a different currency, or dated after shipment.
- Inconsistent data — weights, marks or consignee details that conflict between documents.
- Missing signatures, endorsements or copies required by the credit.
Obvious typing errors that do not change the meaning of a word or sentence do not make a document discrepant. When a discrepancy is found, the bank may refuse the documents, and the importer can waive it — but the exporter loses the certainty of bank payment until they do.
How to avoid discrepancies
- Read the credit when it is issued and ask for amendments immediately if any condition cannot be met.
- Prepare every document from one checklist with the same figures, names and descriptions.
- Leave time: book shipment so that documents can be collected and presented well inside the 21-day window.
- Check the documents yourself, or through your bank's pre-check service, before presentation.
Work through a credit step by step in the UCP 600 workbench, and see the insurance rules in the cargo insurance portal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between UCP 600 and ISBP 821?
UCP 600 is the set of rules that governs letters of credit; ISBP 821 is the ICC's practical guide to how banks apply those rules when checking documents. ISBP does not amend UCP 600.
When was ISBP 821 published?
The ICC published ISBP 821 in 2023, replacing ISBP 745 from 2013.
How long does a bank have to examine documents?
A maximum of five banking days following the day of presentation, under UCP 600 article 14(b).
Does a spelling mistake make documents discrepant?
Not if it is a typing error that does not affect the meaning of a word or sentence; ISBP treats such errors as acceptable.
What happens if the documents are discrepant?
The bank can refuse to pay and must send a single notice listing all discrepancies. The applicant may waive them, but until then the exporter has no bank payment undertaking.