Certificate of origin against declaration of origin
Both say where the goods were produced. A certificate is stamped by a chamber of commerce. A declaration is your own signed statement. The destination country and the buyer decide which one you need. It is not your choice.
If the destination, the buyer or a letter of credit asks for a certificate of origin, your own declaration will not do. You need the chamber stamp. If nobody has asked for a certificate, a declaration is faster, free, and usually enough.
| Certificate of Origin | Declaration of Origin | |
|---|---|---|
| Who certifies | A chamber of commerce, after checking your documents. | You, on your own letterhead. |
| Cost and time | A fee, plus turnaround. Days, sometimes longer. | Neither. Signed and sent. |
| Accepted where | Everywhere, including destinations that require certification. | Where the destination and the buyer accept self-certification. |
| Letter of credit | What a credit naming a certificate expects. | Discrepant if the credit says certificate. |
| Legalisation | Can be legalised by a consulate on top of the stamp. | Generally cannot. |
| Preferential duty | No. Non-preferential only. | No. Non-preferential only. |
Neither one claims a duty preference
This is the mistake that costs money. Both documents are non-preferential. They state origin, but they do not claim a reduced duty rate under a trade agreement. A preference claim needs that agreement's own form: a USMCA certification for North America, an EUR.1 or origin declaration for EU preferential trade, a Form A under GSP. If you present a general certificate for a preference claim, the claim is refused and the duty saving is lost.
Self-certified does not mean informal
A declaration of origin carries the same risk as a certificate. You are stating a fact that a customs authority relies on. If it is wrong, you are liable, whoever stamped it. The chamber checks that your paperwork is consistent. It does not check where the goods were actually made. That is your responsibility.
Some destinations need a third step
Several Middle Eastern countries require consular legalisation as well as the chamber stamp. After the chamber has signed the certificate, it goes to the destination country's embassy. This takes longer than most people expect, and it cannot be started after the goods have shipped. If your destination requires it, find out when you quote.
Certifies where goods were produced. Usually stamped by a chamber of commerce and required to claim tariff treatment or satisfy a letter of credit.
A self-certified origin statement made by the exporter, used where a full chamber-stamped certificate of origin is not required.
+How do I know which one my buyer needs?
Ask, and be specific. “Certificate of origin” is used loosely to mean either. The useful question is whether it must be stamped by a chamber of commerce.
+Can I issue a declaration if I did not make the goods?
Yes, but you are declaring origin based on what your supplier told you. If they were wrong, you carry the consequences. Get their declaration in writing.
+Does a declaration of origin need to be notarised?
Not normally. If someone asks for notarisation, they usually mean a chamber-stamped certificate.
Try it with a real shipment.
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