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Certificate of Origin (Customs Glossary)

Last updated 14 July 2026

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This article is part of the Customs Glossary Guide
An example of a Certificate of Origin.

In cross-border trade, a Certificate of Origin (CO) is a document or certification used to identify the country where goods were produced, manufactured, grown, or otherwise qualified as originating. Customs authorities and importers use origin information to determine tariff treatment, admissibility requirements, trade-remedy measures, marking requirements, and eligibility for preferential duty rates under a free trade agreement.

The term is used in two related ways:

  • A non-preferential certificate of origin is commonly issued or certified by a chamber of commerce or other recognized authority to identify where goods originate.
  • A preferential certification of origin is used to claim reduced or duty-free treatment under a trade agreement when the goods meet the agreement's rules of origin.


Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin

A non-preferential certificate of origin certifies the country of origin for reasons other than a free trade agreement preference. It may be needed for:

  • Customs clearance in the country of import
  • Trade remedy measures, such as anti-dumping or countervailing duties
  • Quota or safeguard controls
  • Country-of-origin marking review
  • Government procurement or contractual origin requirements
  • Letters of credit or customer documentation requirements

These certificates are often prepared by the exporter and certified by a chamber of commerce or another recognized issuing body. They should not be confused with a preferential certification of origin, which is used to support a free trade agreement claim.

Preferential Certifications of Origin

A preferential certification of origin supports a claim that goods qualify for reduced or duty-free treatment under a free trade agreement. The document must show that the goods meet the agreement's rules of origin, which may depend on where the goods are produced, the tariff classification of the materials, regional value content, or other agreement-specific criteria.

For Canada, the United States, and Mexico, the current agreement is CUSMA in Canada and USMCA in the United States. CBSA states that the CUSMA certification of origin has no prescribed format and instead consists of minimum data elements set out in Annex 5-A of the agreement.[1] CBP similarly states that any format is acceptable for USMCA certification if it contains the nine minimum data elements in Annex 5-A.[2]

Trade.gov notes that FTA certifications are optional and are not required for shipments to clear customs, but goods shipped without one may be assessed the standard tariff rate instead of a preferential rate.[3]

CUSMA / USMCA Minimum Data Elements

A CUSMA/USMCA certification of origin generally includes the minimum data elements required by the agreement.[1][2] These include:

  • Whether the certifier is the importer, exporter, or producer
  • Certifier name, title, address, telephone number, and email address
  • Exporter name, address, telephone number, and email address, if different from the certifier
  • Producer name, address, telephone number, and email address, if different from the certifier or exporter
  • Importer name, address, telephone number, and email address, if known
  • Description of the goods and six-digit Harmonized System tariff classification
  • Origin criterion or rule of origin used to qualify the goods
  • Blanket period, if the certification covers multiple shipments of identical goods for up to 12 months
  • Authorized signature and date, along with the required certification statement

The importer must have the certification when making a preferential tariff claim and must provide it to customs upon request.

Common Uses

Free Trade Agreement Claims
An importer may use a certification of origin to claim preferential tariff treatment under CUSMA/USMCA or another free trade agreement. The broker uses the information to support the tariff treatment declared on the customs entry.
Anti-Dumping and Trade Remedy Review
A non-preferential certificate of origin can help document that goods are not from a country subject to specific anti-dumping, countervailing, or safeguard measures.
Country-of-Origin Marking
Country of origin may also affect marking requirements. CBP explains that, unless an exception applies, foreign-origin articles imported into the United States must be marked to indicate the country of origin to the ultimate purchaser.[4]
Government Procurement and Customer Requirements
Some contracts or procurement programs require proof of origin to show that goods meet domestic content or country-of-origin requirements.
Document Verification
Customs authorities can request origin records after release. The certifier and importer should retain supporting documentation showing that the goods qualify for the origin claim.

Country of Origin in BorderConnect

In BorderConnect, country of origin information may be used as commodity-level data, depending on the shipment type, customs program, and import requirements. For most standard PARS and PAPS shipments, the carrier usually does not transmit the certificate of origin itself as part of the eManifest; the certificate or certification is normally provided to the customs broker as a supporting document.

Country of origin can still matter in BorderConnect because the carrier's shipment data should match the commercial paperwork sent to the broker. For example, if the invoice or certificate of origin says the goods are made in Mexico, the commodity description and supporting paperwork should not conflict with the details entered on the ACE or ACI shipment.

BorderConnect documentation also identifies Country of Origin as a commodity field in certain workflows, including ACE Shipment CSV Upload, where it is described as the country where the commodity was manufactured, grown, or otherwise produced and is required for Section 321 and Section 321 with FDA shipment data.[5]

Users may also keep a certificate of origin with the shipment paperwork in BorderConnect where document upload or send-to-broker tools are used. This can help the carrier keep the invoice, bill of lading, certificate of origin, and related broker paperwork together for the shipment, even though the broker or importer is responsible for making the origin claim.

Carrier and Broker Notes

The certificate or certification of origin is normally handled by the importer, exporter, producer, and customs broker. It is not usually transmitted as part of the carrier's ACE or ACI eManifest. However, carriers may receive it as part of the document package sent to the broker.

For BorderConnect users, a certificate of origin should be treated as a supporting document. If it is needed for clearance, it should be sent to the customs broker with the invoice, bill of lading, and other shipment paperwork.

Carriers should not change country-of-origin information based on assumptions. If the paperwork is unclear, the carrier should confirm the correct origin with the shipper, importer, or customs broker before sending documents or transmitting shipment data.

See also

Official Resources

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Canada Border Services Agency, Certifying the origin of goods.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
  3. ↑ International Trade Administration, FTA Certificates of Origin.
  4. ↑ U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Country of Origin Marking.
  5. ↑ BorderConnect, ACE Shipment CSV Upload Feature.
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