Getting your Product a Certificate of Origin

A Certificate of Origin (CoO) is a signed statement as to the country of origin of the exported products for a particular shipment.

This document is required by foreign governments, declaring that goods in a particular international shipment are of a certain origin.

The Certificates of Origin can also be used to satisfy the buyers that the products exported are wholly obtained, produced or manufactured in a certain country. Customs offices will use this document to determine whether or not a preferential duty rate applies on the products being imported and whether a shipment may be legally imported during a specific quota period.

In Trinidad, exporTT (formerly Business Development Company), Customs and Excise Division and the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TTCIC) are the only bodies authorized to sign and issue Certificates of Origin.

• Ministry of Finance Customs and Excise Division – issues preferential Certificates of Origin for goods to be exported to Europe, some parts of USA and “CARIBCAN” Agreement countries
• ExporTT – issues preferential Certificates of Origin to countries in CARICOM (excluding Haiti & Bahamas) and countries with whom  Trinidad and Tobago has a Free Trade Agreement.
• TTCIC– issues non-preferential Certificates of Origin for goods that do not fall under established Free Trade Agreements.

To learn more about the Certification Process, click here.