Certification of Origin (USMCA/CUSMA/T-MEC) Generator
The USMCA certification of origin claims preferential duty on goods traded between the United States, Mexico and Canada. Unlike its predecessor it has no prescribed government form. But it does have nine required data elements, and a certification missing any of them can be rejected regardless of how the goods actually qualify.
Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada
Indicate whether the certifier is the IMPORTER, EXPORTER or PRODUCER of the goods.
| Item | 6 Description of Goods | 6 HS Tariff Classification | 7 Origin Criterion | Country of Origin | Quantity | Unit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I certify that the goods described in this document qualify as originating and the information contained in this document is true and accurate. I assume responsibility for proving such representations and agree to maintain and present upon request or to make available during a verification visit, documentation necessary to support this certification.
Parties, ports, container and line items carry across every document.
No form, but nine mandatory elements
The certification can appear on an invoice or any other document, provided it contains: the certifier's role, the certifier, exporter, producer and importer details, a description and tariff classification of the goods, the origin criterion, the blanket period if applicable, and a signed authorised certification statement. Because there is no official template, the omissions are what get caught rather than the formatting.
The origin criterion is the substantive claim
Goods qualify by being wholly obtained, by being produced entirely from originating materials, or by meeting a product-specific rule involving a tariff shift or a regional value content threshold. The criterion stated is the basis on which you are claiming duty relief, and it is the thing an audit tests. It is not a formality to be copied from a previous shipment.
Anyone can certify, and anyone certifying is responsible
Under USMCA the importer, exporter or producer may complete the certification. Whoever does takes responsibility for it, and must be able to substantiate the claim on request. Where an exporter certifies on the basis of a producer's information, get that information in writing and keep it. Retrospective verification is the norm, not the exception.
Want a blank one, in Excel or Word? Download the certification of origin (usmca/cusma/t-mec) template →
Not sure what goes in a box? How to fill out a certification of origin (usmca/cusma/t-mec), field by field →
Exporters
Make the invoice, packing list and certificate of origin for a shipment in one go, without typing the consignee's address four times.
Freight forwarders
Turn a client's spreadsheet into a clean set of documents that a customs broker will accept.
Customs brokers
Rebuild a missing or unusable document from the details you already have.
One shipment in, every document out
| FreightStow | Typical alternative | |
|---|---|---|
| Enter the details once for every document | Yes | Retype for each document |
| Document types | 33 | Varies |
| Statutory forms (CMR, ISF, USMCA origin) | Included | Often missing |
| Add, rename or remove line-item columns | Yes | Fixed templates |
| Download formats | PDF, Excel, Word | PDF only |
| Try it without 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.
+Is there an official USMCA form?
No. Unlike NAFTA's CBP Form 434, USMCA prescribes no form. Any document containing the nine required data elements and a signed certification is acceptable.
+Can one certification cover multiple shipments?
Yes, using a blanket period of up to twelve months for identical goods. State the period on the certification, and remember it commits you for every shipment inside it.
+What is regional value content?
A calculation of how much of a good's value originates in the USMCA region, used where a tariff shift alone does not qualify the good. The thresholds and the permitted calculation methods vary by product.
+How long must I keep the records?
At least five years from the date of certification, and the party who certified must be able to produce them. Verification often happens well after the goods have been sold on.
Try it with a real shipment.
The generator on this page is the real product. Fill it in, download the PDF, and see if it is what you need.
Create a certification of origin (usmca/cusma/t-mec)