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USMCA certificate of origin generator
A USMCA (CUSMA, T-MEC) certification of origin is the statement that lets goods which meet the agreement’s rules of origin claim its preferential tariff treatment when they move between Canada, Mexico and the United States. There is no official form: any document works if it carries the nine minimum data elements in Annex 5-A of the agreement. This generator lays them out, checks each one, and gives you a PDF to sign. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Updated October 12, 2026
Built on USMCA Annex 5-A (minimum data elements) and 19 CFR 182.12. A certification is valid for four years from the date it is completed, and the importer keeps records for five years. This tool lays out the document; it does not decide whether your goods qualify. That depends on the product-specific rules of origin, so check with a licensed customs broker or trade adviser if you are unsure.
The nine minimum data elements
USMCA Annex 5-A lists what every certification must include, and CBP says any format is acceptable if it contains these nine elements. The generator asks for exactly these, in this order:
| # | Element | What to put in it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Importer, exporter or producer certification | Whether the certifier is the exporter, the producer or the importer. Tick every role that applies. |
| 2 | Certifier | The certifier’s name, title, address with country, phone and email. |
| 3 | Exporter | Name, address with country, email and phone, if different from the certifier. Leave it out only if the producer is certifying and does not know the exporter. The address is the place of export in Canada, Mexico or the US. |
| 4 | Producer | Name, address with country, email and phone, if different from the certifier or exporter. Or “Various”, a list of producers, or “Available upon request by the importing authorities” to keep it confidential. |
| 5 | Importer | If known: name, address, email and phone. The address must be in Canada, Mexico or the US. |
| 6 | Description and HS tariff classification | A description detailed enough to match the invoice, and the HS code to at least 6 digits. For a single shipment, the invoice number if known. |
| 7 | Origin criterion | Which test in Article 4.2 the good meets: A, B, C or D. |
| 8 | Blanket period | If the certification covers repeat shipments of identical goods: the period, up to 12 months. |
| 9 | Authorized signature and date | Signed and dated by the certifier, with the certification statement quoted below. |
Source: USMCA Annex 5-A; CBP USMCA trade page.
The statement in element 9 must read, word for word: “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.” The PDF prints it exactly.
Origin criteria A, B, C and D
The letters are the four ways a good can qualify under USMCA Article 4.2. Canada’s border agency accepts the letter or the article reference; CBP’s own template numbers the same four as criteria 1 to 4. The PDF prints both, for example “B (Art. 4.2(b))”, so nobody has to guess.
| Criterion | Article | The good is... |
|---|---|---|
| A | Article 4.2(a) | Wholly obtained or produced entirely in Canada, Mexico or the United States (for example minerals mined, crops grown or animals raised there). |
| B | Article 4.2(b) | Made in the region using non-originating materials, and it meets the product-specific rule of origin in Annex 4-B (a tariff shift, a regional value content, or both). |
| C | Article 4.2(c) | Made in the region exclusively from materials that are themselves originating. |
| D | Article 4.2(d) | Not chapters 61 to 63. Made in the region, a non-originating part cannot meet the tariff shift because the good and the part share a subheading (or it was imported unassembled), and the regional value content is at least 60% (transaction value) or 50% (net cost). |
Source: USMCA Article 4.2; CBSA CUSMA certification guidance.
Most manufactured goods qualify under B, through the product-specific rule for their HS code in Annex 4-B. Which rule applies, and whether your bill of materials meets it, is the real work behind a certification. The generator records your answer; it cannot make that call for you.
What US imports add (19 CFR 182.12)
For goods entering the United States, CBP’s regulation repeats the nine elements and adds a few details. The generator covers them:
The HTSUS classification to six or more digits, as far as the product-specific rule needs.
The rule of origin the good meets. Use the “rule of origin met” field next to the criterion, for example “tariff shift from any other heading”. The generator reminds you when a B or D good has none.
For goods in Schedule II of Appendix A to part 182, the statement “Schedule II of the USMCA Rules of Origin Uniform Regulations”. Tick “Schedule II good” and it prints. For imports into Canada it prints CBSA’s wording, “Schedule 2 of the CUSMA Rules of Origin Regulations”, instead.
If someone other than the certifier signs, such as an authorized agent: their legal name, address with country, phone and email. Untick “The certifier in element 2 signs” and add them.
A blanket period that does not run more than 12 months past the date of certification.
English, French or Spanish. The PDF is in English.
The importer claims the preference by putting “S” or “S+” in front of the HTSUS subheading on the entry, and must hold the certification when it makes the claim (19 CFR 182.11 and 182.12).
How to fill it in
Tick who is certifying: exporter, producer, importer, or more than one.
Fill in the certifier, then choose whether the exporter and producer are the same company or someone else.
Add the importer, or choose “Various” or “Unknown”.
Add each good with its description, HS code and origin criterion. If you made the invoice with our commercial invoice generator, pull its lines in with one click.
Choose one shipment (and give the invoice number) or a blanket period of up to 12 months.
Fill in the signer and date, check the list under “Before you print”, then download the PDF or print and sign.
Is USMCA still in force in 2026?
Yes. At the first joint review on July 1, 2026, the United States did not confirm a 16-year extension, so under Article 34.7 the three countries now review the agreement every year. The agreement stays in force and its current term runs to July 1, 2036. Qualifying goods still get USMCA preferential treatment, but other duties can apply on top: several Section 232, Section 301 and Section 338 actions in 2025 and 2026 apply to goods from Canada and Mexico, some with USMCA-specific treatment. Check your goods in the tariff tracker or the tariff estimator.
Common questions
Is there an official USMCA certificate of origin form?
No. USMCA has no prescribed form. The certification can be on an invoice or any other document, as long as it has the nine data elements, except an invoice or commercial document issued in a country outside USMCA. CBP publishes an optional template, and CBSA publishes worked examples.
How long is a USMCA certification valid?
A properly completed, signed and dated certification is accepted for four years from the date it was completed. A blanket certification covers shipments within its period of up to 12 months. The importer keeps its records, including the certification, for at least five years from the date of import.
Who can sign it?
The importer, the exporter or the producer, through a responsible official or an authorized agent who knows the facts. An exporter who is not the producer can certify on reasonable reliance on the producer’s written representation, such as the producer’s own certification.
Do I need one for a small shipment?
Not for US imports where the originating goods are worth $2,500 or less, or for non-commercial imports, unless CBP finds the shipment is one of a series split up to avoid the rule (19 CFR 182.14). The goods still have to qualify.
Can I sign electronically?
Yes. The agreement requires each country to accept a certification completed and submitted electronically with an electronic or digital signature (Article 5.2).
Where are my drafts stored?
Only in this browser. Nothing reaches Morsa or anyone else. Clearing your browser data deletes them, so keep the signed PDF with your records.
Related tools
Sources
USMCA Chapter 5 (Origin Procedures), Article 5.2 and Annex 5-A, Minimum Data Elements (USTR)
USMCA Chapter 4 (Rules of Origin), Article 4.2, Originating Goods (USTR)
CBP, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade page
USMCA Chapter 34 (Final Provisions), Article 34.7, Review and Term Extension (USTR)
Mayo Law, USMCA review 2026: not renewed, still in force, now reviewed every year
WHERE MORSA FITS
Your form is done. Is your supplier’s?
A shipment waits on more than your own paperwork: the supplier’s invoice, a certification, a packing list, a confirmed ship date. Morsa chases suppliers for the documents and dates a shipment needs, in email, Teams, WhatsApp or whatever you already run on, and tells you early when an order is going to slip.
