Certificate of origin
A certificate of origin is a document certifying the country in which the goods were manufactured. It is used for preferential tariff treatment under trade agreements (USMCA, EU FTAs, others) and for general customs clearance.
Certificates are issued by chambers of commerce, exporters under self-certification, or government authorities, depending on the country and the agreement. The format varies — USMCA Certificate of Origin, EUR.1 Movement Certificate, generic Form A — but the data on the document is largely the same.
Under a preferential trade agreement, presenting a valid certificate of origin reduces the duty rate, sometimes from a 5-25% MFN rate to zero. Missing or invalid certificates cost real money on every entry where the goods would have qualified.
Self-certification (where the exporter signs the certificate without third-party validation) is common under USMCA but requires the exporter to keep substantiating records — bill of materials, supplier statements, and production data — for several years.
Related terms
- Commercial invoiceA commercial invoice is the seller's bill to the buyer for an international shipment, listing goods, quantities, prices, and terms. It is the central document for customs valuation in most jurisdictions.
- HTS code (Harmonized Tariff Schedule)An HTS code is the standardised classification number assigned to a commodity for customs purposes. The first six digits are globally harmonised under the WCO Harmonized System; further digits are country-specific.
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