USMCA certificate of origin
Add a USMCA certificate of origin to shipments between the US, Canada and Mexico, and download the signed PDF.
Updated October 5, 2026
Goods that qualify under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) can enter duty free or at a reduced rate, but only with a certification of origin. Parcello builds one from the customs form for shipments between the US, Canada and Mexico.
Before you start
- The shipment must go from one USMCA country to another: US to Canada, Canada to Mexico, and so on. The checkbox doesn’t appear on other lanes.
- Fill the customs form rows first, including the HS code and country of origin. See International shipments and the customs form.
- Only certify goods you know qualify. You, as the certifier, are responsible for the claim.
Add the certificate
- Open the order and expand the shipment.
- In the Customs forms card, tick Add USMCA Certificate of Origin. The fields below appear.
- Choose the Certifier role.
- For a certificate that covers repeat shipments, fill Blanket period start (optional) and Blanket period end (optional).
- Enter the Authorized signatory name, Title and Signature date.
- For each commodity row, pick the preference criterion and, if someone else made the item, enter the producer’s name.
- Click Create Labels. The certificate is created with the label.
The fields save as you edit. Unticking the checkbox removes the certificate from the shipment.
Fields
| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| Certifier role | Who is certifying: Importer, Exporter (the default) or Producer. |
| Blanket period start (optional) / Blanket period end (optional) | Dates a blanket certificate covers. Fill both, or leave both blank for a single-shipment certificate. With only one date filled, the certificate is treated as single-shipment. |
| Authorized signatory name | The person signing. Their typed name is the electronic signature. |
| Title | The signatory’s job title. |
| Signature date | Defaults to the day you tick the box. |
| Criterion (one per row) | The preference criterion for that item: A, B, C or D. Defaults to B. |
| Producer name (one per row) | Shown as “Producer name (if different from certifier)”. Leave blank when you are the producer. |
Preference criteria
The criterion says which USMCA rule of origin (Article 4.2) the item qualifies under:
| Criterion | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Wholly obtained or produced entirely in one or more USMCA countries. |
| B | Produced in the USMCA region using some non-originating materials, and meets the product-specific rule of origin for its HS code. |
| C | Produced in the USMCA region exclusively from originating materials. |
| D | Qualifies under Article 4.2(d), a narrow rule for certain goods whose parts are classified with the finished good and that meet a regional value content requirement. |
If you aren’t sure which applies, ask your customs broker before you claim preference.
The certificate PDF
After the label is created, the shipment’s Documents card has Download USMCA Certificate of Origin. The PDF is one letter page with:
- The title “Certification of Origin”, the invoice reference, the carrier and the tracking number.
- The certifier role, and the blanket period or “Single-shipment certification (no blanket period).”
- The certifier’s name and address (your ship-from location, with its Tax ID (EIN) when set).
- A table of the goods: description, HS code, origin, criterion and producer (“Same as certifier” when you left it blank).
- The certification statement, the signatory’s name, title and date, and a line noting the typed name is an electronic signature.
Print it and attach it to the outside of the box with the commercial invoice.
What the carrier receives
- UPS: the certificate data goes with the label, including each item’s criterion.
- FedEx: the certificate data goes with the label, and FedEx also generates its own USMCA certificate and transmits it electronically.
- Shippo: the certificate is not sent. Use the printed PDF.
Notes and limits
- The certificate locks with the rest of the customs form when the label is created. Void the label to change it.
- If you remove a commodity row, its criterion row goes with it.
- Certifying goods that don’t qualify can lead to duties, penalties or a denied claim. Keep the records that support your claim.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No Add USMCA Certificate of Origin checkbox | One end of the shipment is outside the US, Canada and Mexico, or the shipment is domestic | Check the ship-from country on the Locations page and the delivery address. |
| No USMCA download after the label | The box wasn’t ticked before the label was created | Void the label, tick the box, fill the fields and create a new label. |
| A row shows “(unnamed commodity)” | The commodity row has no description | Fill Description on that row. |