Certificate of Origin (CoO)
A Certificate of Origin (CoO) is a document that evidences that the goods in your export shipment were produced, manufactured, or processed in a particular country.
It requires standard information, like the exporter, consignee, shipment routing, and goods description. It also includes two additional sections specific to the document:
- Exporter Declaration – A declaration by the exporter to the inspector vouching for product details and the country of manufacture.
- Inspection Certificate – A certificate completed by a state employee or an outsourced agency signifying that the goods were inspected.
- Each shipped good requires its own CoO.
Why do I need a CoO?
Most countries need a CoO for customs clearance, to determine what duties may be relevant, and for advance cargo reporting (eg, for government import statistics).
Many freight forwarders require that it is provided with the Shipper’s Letter of Instruction, just in case the goods are banned from import or additional documentation is required.
