The certificate of origin is the document proving where goods were produced or obtained, and it is the key to paying preferential duties under trade agreements. Without it, your product pays the general rate even if it comes from a treaty country.
How it works
Every trade agreement defines its own rules of origin: what transformation a product must undergo to “be” from a country, and who certifies that origin, which depending on the agreement can be an authority, the exporter or even the importer. The certificate is filed alongside the customs entry to apply the preferential rate for the relevant tariff code.
Why it matters
If your supplier sits in a country with a trade agreement with Mexico, a clean certificate is the difference between a preferential duty and the general tariff. It works the other way too: sourcing from China, which has no such agreement with Mexico, a “certificate of origin” from a third country does not magically make the goods originating there.
The common mistake
Confusing “made in” with “originating from”. Finishing or packing a product in a country does not confer origin: the rules look at where substantial transformation happened. Claiming a preference with a certificate that cannot survive a verification ends in retroactive collection of the difference, with interest and penalties.
Not sure whether your product qualifies for a preference? Write to us and we review it with the customs broker before you ship.
