Triplicate Meaning in Trade: What "In Triplicate" Means for Invoices and Letters of Credit

Duplicate, triplicate and quadruplicate

The words come from Latin verbs for doubling, tripling and quadrupling: a document "in duplicate" is made twice, "in triplicate" three times and "in quadruplicate" four times. In trade they appear in letters of credit, buyers' instructions and some official forms, for example "signed commercial invoice in triplicate" or "packing list in 3 copies". Triplicate, the free document generator on this site, takes its name from this phrase.

The phrase says how many documents are needed, not how many must be originals. Under a letter of credit, UCP 600 answers that question; outside a letter of credit, the contract or the instruction does.

Originals and copies under a letter of credit (UCP 600 Article 17)

Most letters of credit are issued subject to the ICC Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP 600). Article 17 sets the rules on originals and copies:

• At least one original of each document stipulated in the credit must be presented.
• A bank treats as an original any document bearing an apparently original signature, mark, stamp or label of its issuer, unless the document itself indicates that it is not an original.
• Unless a document indicates otherwise, a bank also accepts it as an original if it appears to be written, typed, perforated or stamped by the issuer's hand, appears to be on the issuer's original stationery, or states that it is an original, unless that statement appears not to apply to the document presented.
• If a credit asks for copies of a document, either originals or copies may be presented.
• If a credit asks for several of a document with terms such as "in duplicate", "in two fold" or "in two copies", this is satisfied by at least one original and the remaining number in copies, except when the document itself indicates otherwise. "Commercial invoice in triplicate" is therefore met by one original and two copies, or by more originals.

Bills of lading and insurance: the full set

Carriers often issue a bill of lading in a set of three originals, shown on the bill as "3/3" or as the number of originals issued. Once one original is surrendered to take delivery at destination, the others are void, which is why a buyer or bank holding only part of the set does not control the goods. Under UCP 600 Article 20(a)(iv), a bill of lading presented under a letter of credit must be the sole original or, if issued in more than one original, the full set as indicated on the bill. Article 28(b) applies the same rule to insurance documents: if a policy or certificate shows that it was issued in more than one original, all originals must be presented.

If a credit asks for only part of the set, for example two of three originals with the third sent directly to the buyer, follow the credit exactly, and remember that the original sent to the buyer can be used to take delivery. Telex release and sea waybills avoid paper originals altogether; see Triplicate's note on telex release, sea waybills and original bills of lading.

How to make an original and a copy

An original does not need a special form. Under Article 17, a document signed or stamped by hand, printed on the issuer's letterhead or marked "Original" is normally treated as an original, unless it says it is a copy. A commercial invoice under a letter of credit need not be signed (Article 18(a)(iv)), but signing and stamping the originals removes any doubt. Mark the copies "Copy".

Make every original and copy from the same final version, so that numbers, dates, quantities and amounts match. Triplicate's generator makes the proforma invoice, commercial invoice and packing list from one form and can print each page marked "ORIGINAL" or "COPY", for example one original and two copies for "in triplicate".

Outside letters of credit

UCP 600 applies only to credits that incorporate it. For documentary collections, open account sales and customs formalities, the number of originals and copies is whatever the contract, the buyer, the collection instruction or the authority asks for. Ask exactly how many originals and copies of each document are needed, and whether scanned or electronic documents are accepted, before you print and courier them.