Certificate of Origin

A Certificate of Origin (CO) is a document that attests to the country of origin of imported goods. COs come in two main flavors: non-preferential (a generic origin declaration, often required by the importing country for marking or quota purposes) and preferential (used to claim a reduced duty rate under a Free Trade Agreement).

Under USMCA, the rules changed materially from NAFTA: there is no longer a specific form. Instead, the importer, exporter, or producer makes a certification of origin containing nine required data elements:

1. Identifying who is certifying (importer, exporter, or producer)
2. Certifier's name and contact information
3. Exporter's name and contact information
4. Producer's name and contact information
5. Importer's name and contact information
6. Description and HS classification of the goods
7. The origin criterion (A, B, C, or D)
8. Blanket period (if applicable)
9. Authorized signature and date

The certification can appear on a commercial invoice, packing list, or standalone document — any format works so long as the data elements are present.

Other FTAs (KORUS, CAFTA-DR, and others) have their own certification regimes. Some — like the EU GSP under the REX system — use registered exporter statements instead of formal COs.

For non-preferential origin, importers and exporters frequently use a generic CO issued by a chamber of commerce. These are required by some destination countries for marking, quota, or substantial transformation verification but are not used in U.S. imports under FTAs.