Certificate of Origin
Certificate of Origin COO certificate

Validity period and subsequent issuance

An issued certificate of origin is valid for four months from the date of issue. This means that the document needs to be valid during the period when the goods are transported and used in the import process. If the goods are still in transit or have not yet reached the recipient country when the validity period has expired, a new certificate of origin needs to be issued. It is therefore important to plan the document management well in advance of export, especially for longer transports or deliveries to markets where processing and release may take extra time.

In some situations, it is also possible to issue the certificate of origin retrospectively. This may be the case if the document was not produced before export or if an administrative error has occurred. A certificate can then usually be issued up to three months in advance, but this must be clearly stated when applying. To avoid delays or questions from the recipient, it is an advantage to have a clear routine for how the certificates are produced and checked before the goods are shipped.

Alternative sender

If the exporter and the seller are not the same company, the certificate of origin may be issued on behalf of another consignor. This is common in arrangements where several parties are involved in the transaction, for example when the goods are sold through a trading company but shipped directly from another operator. In such cases, it is important that the information is entered correctly so that the certificate reflects the true business situation.

What is usually required is that the exporter's company name is stated first, followed by the wording on behalf of, and then the actual sender's name and address. If this information is misspelled or unclear, there is a risk that the document will be questioned by the recipient, bank or customs authorities in the importing country. Therefore, it is important to always check that the sender, exporter and recipient match the other export documents.

Countries that require certificates of origin

Some countries require a certificate of origin as part of the import documentation. The requirement may depend on national regulations, the type of goods, customer requirements or specific trade conditions in the recipient country. In many cases, the certificate is used to prove the origin of the goods during customs clearance, but it may also be requested by banks, authorities or buyers who want to ensure that the documentation is complete before the goods can be delivered further.

If you are unsure whether a certificate of origin is required for a particular country, it is wise to check this before your shipment leaves. This will reduce the risk of unnecessary stops, extra costs and delays in import. If you instead need a document used to obtain customs benefits under free trade agreements, you can read more about EUR1 certificate on our related page.

Certificate for each shipment

A new certificate of origin must be issued for each individual shipment. A certificate cannot be reused for multiple shipments, even if the goods, recipient and destination are the same. The reason is that each shipment is assessed separately and must have documentation linked to the specific export.

This is important because conditions may differ between different deliveries, for example in terms of date, transport arrangement, description of goods, quantities or recipient. By issuing a new certificate for each shipment, it is ensured that the document is up-to-date, correct and adapted to the requirements that apply at that particular time. This reduces the risk of errors in the export flow and ensures that the recipient receives a document that is clearly linked to the correct shipment.