Format a CSV for HubSpot Contact Import

HubSpot's contact import accepts CSV files and maps columns to contact properties. If your column names match HubSpot's property names, the mapping is automatic. If they do not match, you have to manually drag-and-drop each column to its property during the import wizard — and re-do it every time you import a new file.

Rename your columns before upload using the CSV Column Mapper and the import becomes a one-click process. This guide covers the exact property names HubSpot expects and the most common column mapping scenarios.

HubSpot Contact Property Name Reference

HubSpot maps CSV columns to contact properties by internal property name. These are the most commonly used default contact properties:

HubSpot Property Name (for CSV header)	Label in HubSpot UI
First name	First name
Last name	Last name
Email address	Email
Phone number	Phone number
Mobile phone number	Mobile phone number
Job title	Job title
Company name	Company name
Website URL	Website URL
City	City
State/Region	State/Region
Country/Region	Country/Region
Zip code	Zip code
LinkedIn Bio	LinkedIn Bio
Lifecycle stage	Lifecycle stage
Lead status	Lead status

HubSpot's import wizard matches case-insensitively, but exact spelling still matters. "Email" alone will not auto-map — it needs to be "Email address."

Mapping From Common Export Sources

The most common HubSpot import scenarios and how to map their columns:

From Salesforce:

• "FirstName" → First name
• "LastName" → Last name
• "Email" → Email address
• "Title" → Job title
• "AccountName" → Company name
• "MobilePhone" → Mobile phone number

From LinkedIn Sales Navigator CSV export:

• "First Name" → First name
• "Last Name" → Last name
• "Primary Email" → Email address
• "Title" → Job title
• "Company" → Company name

From a spreadsheet or manual list:

• "Name" (full name) → split into First name and Last name first
• "Phone" → Phone number
• "Website" or "URL" → Website URL

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Renaming Columns With CSV Column Mapper

Open the CSV Column Mapper and upload your contact CSV.

1. Click the edit icon next to each column name and type the exact HubSpot property name
2. For a full name column, use the split feature to divide it into First name and Last name before renaming
3. Delete columns that do not correspond to any HubSpot property
4. Reorder columns so Email address appears early — HubSpot uses it as the deduplication key
5. Download the updated CSV

When you upload this CSV to HubSpot, all columns will auto-map with no manual matching required.

How HubSpot Handles Duplicates on Import

HubSpot uses Email address as the primary key for contact deduplication. When you import a CSV, HubSpot checks each row's Email address against existing contacts:

• If the email matches an existing contact, HubSpot updates that contact's properties
• If the email is new, HubSpot creates a new contact record
• If a row has no email, HubSpot creates a new contact every time — even if it is a duplicate by name

This means email is the single most important column to have correct and populated before import. Always include Email address in your CSV, and make sure the values are clean (no spaces, no extra characters). If your list has duplicate emails within the CSV itself, HubSpot will process both rows but the second one will overwrite the first.

To deduplicate within the CSV before import, run it through the CSV Deduplicator matching on Email address.

Custom Properties and List Assignment

If you have custom contact properties in HubSpot — fields you created beyond the defaults — you can include them in the CSV import using the internal property name. Find the internal name in HubSpot: Settings > Properties > Contact properties > click the property > the internal name is shown in the details panel.

HubSpot also lets you assign imported contacts to a static list during import. This is useful for segmenting imported contacts by source or campaign without needing to filter manually afterward. The list assignment is set in the import wizard, not via a CSV column.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a paid HubSpot plan to import contacts via CSV?

No. CSV contact import is available on the free HubSpot CRM. The limit on the free plan is 1,000,000 contacts — more than enough for most import scenarios.

Can I import company data and contact data in the same CSV?

Yes. HubSpot can create or update Company records during a Contact import. Include Company name in your CSV and HubSpot will associate the contact with the matching company (or create a new company record if none exists).