Certificate of Origin
A certificate of origin is a document or statement certifying the country where goods were produced, used to claim preferential duty rates under trade agreements or to meet an importing country's requirements.
Why it matters for ecommerce brands
A valid certificate or certification of origin is what lets you claim a trade agreement's lower duty rate, and without one you pay the full rate. Under USMCA, the certification can appear on the invoice or a separate document if it has the required data elements, and it can cover one shipment or a blanket period of up to 12 months. For example, if $200,000 of Mexican-made goods would otherwise owe 10% duty, a valid USMCA claim saves $20,000. If CBP later asks and you cannot support the claim, that duty plus interest comes due.
Common questions
- Do I need a certificate of origin to import into the US?
- Not for every shipment. The US generally requires origin to be declared and marked, but a certificate or certification of origin is typically needed only when you claim a preferential rate under a trade agreement such as USMCA.
- What does a USMCA certification of origin need to include?
- It needs nine minimum data elements: who is certifying, the certifier, exporter, producer, and importer, a description and HTS classification of the goods, the origin criterion, any blanket period, and an authorized signature and date. No set form is required.
- How long must I keep certificate of origin records?
- For USMCA claims, importers must keep the certification and supporting records for at least five years after the date of importation. Other agreements and countries can set different periods.
Laws and regulations
- Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement1989–1994 · 1989 US-Canada trade pact later folded into NAFTA
- ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)1992 · ASEAN free trade area cutting intra-regional tariffs
- North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)1994–2020 · 1994 to 2020 North American trade pact replaced by USMCA