Certificate of Origin Generator

Purpose and rules: non-preferential COOs (this form) evidence origin for general regulatory and commercial needs, with origin determined by where goods were wholly obtained or last substantially transformed. Preferential certificates claim reduced FTA duty and apply each agreement's specific rules (tariff-shift, value-content) on the agreement's own form. The duty savings live exclusively in the second kind.

Typically the exporter declares and a chamber of commerce attests (many chambers now run e-COO platforms with digital stamps). Preferential certificates vary by agreement: government agencies, authorised chambers, or — increasingly — exporter self-certification (USMCA, EU REX system). Your destination's requirement decides; the buyer's broker or the LC text states which form and whose stamp.

By the substantial-transformation test in the non-preferential world: the country where the last significant manufacturing occurred — usually evidenced by a change of HS heading or a defined process. Assembly from imported parts can confer origin if transformation is real; relabeling and simple packing never do. FTAs apply stricter, agreement-specific math (regional value content percentages, tariff-shift rules) — check the specific agreement before declaring.

Read the LC — many require certificates dated no later than shipment, and banks enforce dates literally. The safe pattern: issue and attest the COO against the invoice the day of shipment. Retroactive attestation exists at most chambers but adds notes some banks query. The COO is consistently the document that delays LC presentations; calendar it like a cut-off.