Declaration of Origin Generator
A declaration of origin is the exporter stating where goods were produced, without a third party certifying it. Under many trade agreements this self-certification is all that is needed to claim preferential duty — which makes it faster and cheaper than a chamber-stamped certificate, provided the agreement actually permits it.
The exporter of the products covered by this document declares that, except where otherwise clearly indicated, these products are of preferential origin. The exporter accepts responsibility for the accuracy of this declaration and undertakes to produce supporting evidence to the customs authorities on request.
Your entries are kept as you move between documents — the parties, ports, container and line items carry across.
Self-certification, and when it is allowed
Newer trade agreements increasingly let exporters certify origin themselves rather than requiring a chamber of commerce. Some make it conditional on being a registered exporter, and some impose a value threshold above which registration is required. Whether you may self-certify depends on the specific agreement between the two countries, so check that before choosing this over a certificate.
Origin is about production, not shipping
Goods originate where they were produced or last substantially transformed, not where they were warehoused or shipped from. Goods made in Vietnam, stored in Singapore and shipped to Hamburg are Vietnamese in origin. Getting this wrong on a preferential claim is not a clerical matter — it is claiming duty relief you are not entitled to.
Keep the evidence
A declaration is a claim you may be asked to substantiate, often years later. Customs authorities audit preferential claims retrospectively, and the exporter is expected to hold bills of materials, supplier declarations and production records supporting the origin claimed. Where the claim fails on audit, the duty is recovered from the importer, who will come back to you.
Want a blank one to complete by hand? Download the declaration of origin template →
Exporters
Issue the invoice, packing list and origin paperwork for a shipment in one sitting, without re-keying the consignee address four times.
Freight forwarders
Produce a clean set of documents for a client who sent you a spreadsheet, and hand back PDFs that a customs broker will accept.
Customs brokers
Rebuild a missing or unusable document from the particulars you already hold, without waiting on the shipper's software licence.
One shipment in, every document out
| FreightStow | Typical alternative | |
|---|---|---|
| Enter the shipment once, every document fills in | Yes | Re-key per document |
| Document types | 33 | Varies |
| Statutory forms (CMR, ISF, USMCA origin) | Included | Often missing |
| Add, rename or remove line-item columns | Yes | Fixed templates |
| PDF built in your browser | Yes | Upload, then download |
| Works before you create an account | Yes | Usually not |
The right-hand column describes the general pattern in this category, not one named vendor. Features and plans change — check any provider’s current terms before deciding.
Commercial documents · 12
- Packing List — DetailedFull itemised packing list with HS codes, marks and numbers, package types and per-item dimensions.
- Packing List — SimpleMinimal packing list: what is in the shipment, how many packages, and what it weighs. No HS codes or dimensions.
- Packing List — ContainerPacking list broken down by container, for FCL shipments where each line must be traced to a container and seal.
- Packing List — ConsolidatedOne packing list covering several orders or invoices consolidated into a single shipment.
- Commercial InvoiceThe primary customs valuation document: what was sold, to whom, on what terms, and for how much.
- Proforma InvoiceA binding quotation in invoice form, issued before shipment so the buyer can open a letter of credit or arrange an import licence.
- Tax InvoiceInvoice showing the tax charged on a supply, in the form required for the buyer to reclaim input tax.
- Credit NoteCancels or reduces a previously issued invoice, for returns, short shipments or agreed price adjustments.
- Purchase OrderThe buyer's formal instruction to supply goods on stated terms, prices and delivery dates.
- QuotationA priced offer to supply, stating validity, lead time and the Incoterms the price is quoted on.
- Request for QuotationInvites a supplier to price a specified list of goods against stated delivery terms and a response deadline.
- Sales ConfirmationThe seller's acceptance of an order, confirming goods, price, terms and shipment schedule back to the buyer.
Declarations & instructions · 10
- Non Asbestos DeclarationCertifies that the goods contain no asbestos in any form — required by Australia, Saudi Arabia and other markets that ban asbestos outright.
- New and Unused DeclarationCertifies that the goods are new and have never been used — required where the destination restricts imports of second-hand goods.
- Packing DeclarationDeclares the timber packaging and container cleanliness of a consignment — required for Australian and New Zealand biosecurity clearance.
- DeclarationA blank declaration on letterhead, for the one-off statements a buyer, bank or customs authority asks for that have no standard form.
- Declaration of OriginA self-certified origin statement made by the exporter, used where a full chamber-stamped certificate of origin is not required.
- Verified Gross Mass DeclarationThe SOLAS VGM certificate. No container may be loaded to a vessel without a signed verified gross mass from the shipper.
- Shipper's Letter of InstructionThe exporter's instructions to their freight forwarder, including the authority to act as agent for customs purposes.
- Shipping InstructionTells the carrier exactly how the bill of lading should read: parties, routing, cargo description and freight terms.
- Forwarding InstructionBooks a consignment with a freight forwarder: collection details, routing, cargo particulars and who pays which charges.
- Sales ContractThe agreement itself: goods, price, delivery terms, payment and the clauses both parties sign against.
Statutory & customs forms · 11
- CMR — Consignment Note (Sender)The sender's copy of the international road consignment note, retained as proof of what was handed to the carrier.
- CMR — Consignment Note (Carrier)The carrier's copy of the road consignment note, evidencing the contract of carriage.
- CMR — Consignment Note (Consignee)The consignee's copy of the road consignment note, travelling with the goods and signed on delivery.
- Bill of LadingThe carrier's receipt for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage, and a document of title the consignee must surrender to collect the cargo.
- Certificate of OriginCertifies where goods were produced. Usually stamped by a chamber of commerce and required to claim tariff treatment or satisfy a letter of credit.
- Certification of Origin (USMCA/CUSMA/T-MEC)The free-trade certification for US–Mexico–Canada shipments. Has no prescribed form, but must carry all nine required data elements.
- Importer Security FilingThe ten data elements a US importer must file with CBP at least 24 hours before cargo is laden aboard a vessel bound for the United States.
- Phytosanitary CertificateCertifies that a consignment of plants or plant products meets the importing country's phytosanitary requirements.
- Form 6 — Transboundary Movement DocumentMovement document accompanying a transboundary shipment of hazardous waste, tracking it from exporter to disposal facility.
- Form 9 — Transboundary Movement DocumentMovement document for transboundary shipments of hazardous recyclable material, tracking custody through to the recovery facility.
- Bill of ExchangeAn unconditional written order requiring the drawee to pay a fixed sum on demand or at a stated future date — the instrument behind documentary collections.
+What is the difference between a declaration of origin and a certificate of origin?
A declaration is made by the exporter alone. A certificate is issued and stamped by a third party, usually a chamber of commerce. Where the trade agreement allows self-certification, the declaration is sufficient and much quicker.
+Can I put the declaration on the invoice?
Often yes — many agreements provide for an origin declaration printed directly on the commercial invoice, sometimes with prescribed wording. Where wording is prescribed, use it exactly, because the text is what customs checks.
+Does self-certification work everywhere?
No. It depends entirely on the agreement between the exporting and importing countries, and some still require a chamber-issued certificate. Check before relying on a declaration, since the goods will already have shipped when you find out.
+How long should I keep supporting records?
Retention periods vary by agreement and country, commonly several years. Keep bills of materials, supplier declarations and production records for at least as long as the applicable period, since an audit is the only time they will be asked for.
Judge it by the document, not the feature list.
The generator on this page is the product, prefilled and editable. Fill it in and download the finished PDF — then decide.
Create a declaration of origin