CUSMA Certificate of Origin: What Canadian Importers and Exporters Need
CUSMA replaced NAFTA in 2020 and changed how you prove where your goods come from. There is no official certificate form anymore, just a certification of origin that carries nine required pieces of information.
The short version
CUSMA (called USMCA in the United States and T-MEC in Mexico) has no official certificate of origin form. Instead, you provide a certification of origin that carries nine required data elements. You only need it when you want to claim preferential, usually duty-free, tariff treatment. The certification can be completed by the importer, the exporter, or the producer, and one blanket certification can cover repeat shipments for up to twelve months. Filing the actual customs entry stays with a licensed customs broker.
CUSMA does not use an official certificate form
The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020. One of the practical changes is that there is no government-issued certificate form to fill in. CUSMA uses a certification of origin, which is a set of statements and data you can add to a commercial invoice or put on a separate document.
The point of the certification is to prove that your goods actually originate in Canada, the United States, or Mexico under the agreement's rules of origin. If they do, and the certification is valid, the importer can claim the preferential tariff, which for most qualifying goods means no duty to pay.
The importer, exporter, or producer can certify
Under NAFTA, the exporter completed the certificate. CUSMA is more flexible. The importer, the exporter, or the producer can be the certifier. Whoever certifies is the party making the legal claim that the goods meet the rules of origin, so they need to have or be able to get the supporting facts.
If you are a Canadian importer buying from a US supplier, you can rely on a certification prepared by that supplier, or you can complete your own importer certification based on information you obtain from them. Either way, you are responsible for the claim you make to customs.
The nine required data elements
There is no form, but there is a required list. A valid CUSMA certification of origin has to include the following, in any format:
| Data element | What it goes on the certification |
|---|---|
| Certifier | Whether the certifier is the importer, exporter, or producer |
| Certifier details | Name, title, address, telephone, and email of the certifier |
| Exporter | Name and address, if different from the certifier |
| Producer | Name and address, or a statement that it is available on request or confidential |
| Importer | Name and address, if known |
| Goods description and HS code | A description detailed enough to identify the goods, with the 6-digit Harmonized System classification |
| Origin criterion | Which rule the goods qualify under, criteria A through D |
| Blanket period | The date range, up to 12 months, if the certification covers multiple shipments |
| Signature and date | An authorized signature, the date, and the certification statement confirming the goods originate |
One certification can cover a year of shipments
If you ship the same qualifying goods to the same importer repeatedly, you do not need a fresh certification for every shipment. A blanket certification can cover all shipments of identical goods for a set period of up to twelve months.
Set the blanket period carefully. If a product-specific rule, your supply chain, or the goods themselves change during the period, the certification may no longer be accurate and you should issue a new one.
Only if you are claiming preferential treatment
A certification of origin is only required when the importer wants to claim preferential treatment. If you are willing to pay the standard most-favoured-nation rate, or the goods do not qualify, you do not need one. A few points worth knowing:
- Low-value shipments For commercial imports into Canada below a low-value threshold (currently CAD 3,300), a full certification is generally not required, though the goods still have to actually originate.
- Qualifying is not automatic Being made in North America is not enough on its own. The goods have to meet the specific rule of origin for their tariff classification, such as a tariff shift or a regional value content test.
- The claim is the importer's Even when a supplier signs the certification, it is the importer of record who claims the preference and answers for it if customs asks.
Keep your paperwork; a verification can come later
A certification is a legal claim, and customs can check it after the goods have cleared. Both CBSA in Canada and CBP in the United States can run an origin verification months or years later, asking for the records that back up the certification.
Keep everything that supports the claim, including the certification, invoices, bills of material, and production records. CUSMA sets a minimum retention of five years, and CBSA generally expects Canadian importers to keep records for six years. If a verification finds the goods did not qualify, the importer can owe the duty that was waived, plus interest and possible penalties. That is why the description and HS classification on your certification should match the rest of your paperwork. When you are deciding who prepares and files your entries, our guide on whether you need a customs broker is a good next read.
How Setara handles it
Setara is a freight forwarder based in Vaughan, Ontario. On a cross-border move, we help you assemble the CUSMA certification data, keep the goods description and HS classification consistent across the commercial invoice and shipping documents, and flag when a blanket period is about to lapse. We do not file customs entries ourselves. The entry is submitted through a licensed customs broker partner, and we coordinate the pickup, linehaul, and delivery, including Port of Montreal container moves we can arrange through partner carriers. See cross-border shipping or customs support.
Frequently asked
Is there an official CUSMA certificate of origin form?
No. Unlike the old NAFTA certificate, CUSMA does not use a prescribed form. You provide a certification of origin that contains nine required data elements, and you can put it on a commercial invoice or a separate document.
Who can complete a CUSMA certification of origin?
The importer, the exporter, or the producer can be the certifier. Whoever signs is making the legal claim that the goods meet the CUSMA rules of origin and must be able to support it.
Do I always need a certification of origin to import from the US?
Only if you want to claim preferential, usually duty-free, treatment. If you pay the standard rate, or the goods do not qualify, you do not need one. Low-value commercial shipments below CAD 3,300 are generally exempt from a full certification.
How long is a blanket certification valid?
A blanket certification can cover multiple shipments of identical qualifying goods for a period of up to twelve months, as long as the goods and the rule they qualify under do not change.
How long do I have to keep the records?
CUSMA requires a minimum of five years, and CBSA generally expects Canadian importers to keep supporting records for six years, in case of an origin verification.
Does Setara file the customs entry?
No. Setara coordinates the freight and helps organize your paperwork, but the entry is filed through a licensed customs broker partner.
Last reviewed: July 2026. General information, not customs or legal advice. Sources: CBSA Memorandum D11-4-14 and the text of CUSMA.
Moving goods across the Canada-US border?
Setara coordinates cross-border freight from the GTA and keeps your CUSMA paperwork lined up, with customs filed through a licensed customs broker partner. Tell us what you are shipping.
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