The Certificate of Origin (CO) is required by some countries for all or only certain products. In many cases, a statement of origin printed on company letterhead will suffice. The exporter should verify whether a CO is required with the buyer and/or an experienced shipper/freight forwarder or the Trade Information Center.
Note: Some countries (i.e., numerous Middle Eastern countries) require that certificate of origin be notarized, certified by local chamber of commerce and legalized by the commercial section of the consulate of the destination country. For certain Middle Eastern countries, the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce may also provide such services.
For textile products, an importing country may require a certificate of origin issued by the manufacturer. The number of required copies and language may vary from country to country.
Certificate of Origin for claiming benefits under Free Trade Agreements
Special certificates may be required for countries with which the United States has free trade agreements (FTAs). Watch our FTA webinar for more information. Some certificate of origin including those required by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the FTAs with Israel and Jordan, are prepared by the exporter. Others including those required by the FTAs with Australia; the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) countries; Chile; and Morocco; are the importer’s responsibility). Click on a specific country below to learn details on how to document origin.