Regulations last checked for updates: May 20, 2024

Title 19 - Customs Duties last revised: Apr 24, 2024
§ 182.11 - Filing of claim for preferential tariff treatment upon importation.

(a) Basis of claim. An importer may make a claim for USMCA preferential tariff treatment, including an exemption from the merchandise processing fee, based on a written or electronic certification of origin, as specified in § 182.12, completed by the importer, exporter, or producer for the purpose of certifying that a good qualifies as an originating good.

(b) Making a claim. The claim is made by including on the entry summary, or equivalent documentation, or by the method specified for equivalent reporting via a CBP-authorized electronic data interchange system, the letters “S” or “S+” as a prefix to the subheading of the HTSUS under which each originating good is classified.

(c) Corrected claim. If, after making the claim specified in paragraph (b) of this section, the importer has reason to believe that the certification of origin is based on inaccurate information or is otherwise invalid, the importer must promptly and voluntarily correct the claim or certification of origin, pay any duties that may be due, and submit a statement either in writing to the CBP office where the original claim was filed or via a CBP-authorized electronic data interchange system in accordance with § 182.124 of this part (see §§ 182.122 and 182.124 of this part).

[CBP Dec. 21-10, 86 FR 35584, July 6, 2021]
§ 182.12 - Certification of origin.

(a) General. An importer who makes a claim, pursuant to § 182.11(b), based on a certification of origin completed by the importer, exporter, or producer that the good is originating must submit, at the request of CBP, a copy of the certification of origin. The certification of origin:

(1) Need not be in a prescribed format but must be in writing or must be transmitted electronically pursuant to any electronic means authorized by CBP for that purpose;

(2) May be provided on an invoice or any other document, except an invoice or commercial document issued in the territory of a non-USMCA country;

(3) Must be in the possession of the importer at the time the claim for preferential tariff treatment is made;

(4) Must include the following information to be valid:

(i) Whether the certifier is the importer, exporter, or producer in accordance with this subpart;

(ii) The certifier's name, title, address (including country), telephone number, and email address;

(iii) The exporter's name, address (including country), email address, and telephone number if different from the certifier, unless the producer is completing the certification of origin and does not know the identity of the exporter;

(iv) The producer's name, address (including country), email address, and telephone number, if different from the certifier or exporter; or if there are multiple producers, “Various” or a list of producers (see also paragraph (c) of this section);

(v) If known, the importer's name, address, email address, and telephone number; or if there are multiple importers, “Various” or a list of importers;

(vi) The legal name, address (including country), telephone number, and email address (if any) of the responsible official or authorized agent of the importer, exporter, or producer signing the certification;

(vii) A description of the good for which preferential tariff treatment is claimed, which must be sufficiently detailed to relate it to the invoice and the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature;

(viii) The HTSUS tariff classification, to six or more digits, as necessary for the specific change in tariff classification rule for the good set forth in General Note 11, HTSUS;

(ix) The applicable rule of origin set forth in General Note 11, HTSUS, under which the good qualifies as an originating good;

(x) In the case of a good listed in Schedule II of Appendix A of this part, the following statement must be included: “Schedule II of the USMCA Rules of Origin Uniform Regulations”;

(xi) If the certification of origin covers a single shipment of a good, the invoice number related to the exportation, if known;

(xii) In case of a blanket certification issued with respect to multiple shipments of identical goods within any period specified in the certification of origin, not exceeding 12 months from the date of certification, the period that the certification covers; and

(5) Must include the following statement: “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.”

(b) Address. For the purposes of the certification of origin provided for in paragraph (a) of this section:

(1) The address of the exporter provided under paragraph (a)(4)(iii) is the place of export of the good in a USMCA country's territory;

(2) The address of a producer provided under paragraph (a)(4)(iv) is the place of production of the good in a USMCA country's territory; and

(3) The address of the importer provided under paragraph (a)(4)(v) must be in a USMCA country's territory.

(c) Confidentiality of producer information. For the purposes of the information provided under paragraph (a)(4)(iv) of this section, a person that wishes for this information to remain confidential may state “Available upon request by the importing authorities.”

(d) Responsible official or agent. The certification of origin provided for in paragraph (a) of this section must be signed and dated by a responsible official of the importer, exporter, or producer, or by the importer's, exporter's, or producer's authorized agent having knowledge of the relevant facts.

(e) Language. The certification provided for in paragraph (a) of this section must be completed in English, French, or Spanish. If the certification of origin is not in English, CBP may require the importer to submit an English translation of the certification.

(f) Basis of a certification of origin. (1) A certification of origin may be completed by the importer, exporter, or producer of the good on the basis of:

(i) The certifier of the certification of origin of the good having information, including documents, that demonstrate that the good is originating; or

(ii) In the case of an exporter who is not the producer of the good, reasonable reliance on the producer's written representation, such as in a certification of origin, that the good is originating.

(2) CBP may not require that an exporter or producer complete a certification of origin, or provide a certification of origin or written representation to another person.

(g) Applicability of certification of origin. The certification of origin provided for in paragraph (a) of this section may be applicable to:

(1) A shipment of goods into the United States, which may consist of:

(i) A single shipment of goods that results in the filing of one or more entries; or

(ii) More than one shipment of goods that results in the filing of one entry.

(2) Multiple shipments of identical goods into the United States that occur within a specified blanket period, not exceeding 12 months, set out in the certification.

(h) Validity of certification of origin. A certification of origin that is properly completed, signed, and dated in accordance with the requirements of this section will be accepted as valid for four years following the date on which it was completed.

[CBP Dec. 21-10, 86 FR 35584, July 6, 2021]
§ 182.13 - Importer obligations.

(a) General. An importer who makes a claim for USMCA preferential tariff treatment:

(1) Will be deemed to have made a statement based on a valid certification of origin that the good qualifies as an originating good;

(2) Is responsible for the truthfulness of the claim and of all the information and data contained in the certification of origin provided for in § 182.12; and

(3) Is responsible for submitting supporting documents requested by CBP, and for the truthfulness of the information contained in those documents. When a certification of origin prepared by an exporter or producer forms the basis of a claim for preferential tariff treatment and CBP requests the submission of supporting documents, the importer will provide to CBP, or arrange for the direct submission by the exporter or producer of, information relied on by the exporter or producer in preparing the certification.

(b) Exemption from penalties. An importer will not be subject to civil or administrative penalties under 19 U.S.C. 1592 for making an incorrect claim for preferential tariff treatment or submitting an incorrect certification of origin, provided that the importer promptly and voluntarily corrects the claim or certification of origin, pays any duties and merchandise processing fees, if applicable, that may be due, and submits a statement either in writing or via a CBP-authorized electronic data interchange system to the CBP office where the original claim was filed in accordance with § 182.124 (see §§ 182.122 and 182.124).

[CBP Dec. 21-10, 86 FR 35585, July 6, 2021]
§ 182.14 - Certification of origin not required.

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, an importer will not be required to submit a copy of a certification of origin under § 182.12 for:

(1) A non-commercial importation of a good; or

(2) A commercial importation for which the value of the originating goods does not exceed $2,500 in U.S. dollars.

(b) Exception. If CBP determines that an importation described in paragraph (a) of this section is part of a series of importations carried out or planned for the purpose of evading compliance with the certification requirements of § 182.12, CBP will notify the importer that for that importation the importer must submit to CBP a copy of the certification of origin. The importer must submit such a copy within 30 days from the date of the notice. Failure to timely submit a copy of the certification of origin will result in denial of the claim for preferential tariff treatment.

[CBP Dec. 21-10, 86 FR 35585, July 6, 2021]
§ 182.15 - Maintenance of records.

(a) General. An importer claiming USMCA preferential tariff treatment for a good must maintain for a minimum of five years from the date of importation of the good, all records and documents that the importer has demonstrating that the good qualifies for preferential tariff treatment under the USMCA, including the certification of origin and records related to transit and transshipment. These records are in addition to any other records that the importer is required to prepare, maintain, or make available to CBP under part 163 of this chapter.

(b) Method of maintenance. The records and documents referred to in paragraph (a) of this section must be maintained by importers as provided in § 163.5 of this chapter.

[CBP Dec. 21-10, 86 FR 35585, July 6, 2021]
§ 182.16 - Effect of noncompliance; failure to provide documentation regarding transshipment.

(a) General. If the importer fails to comply with applicable requirements under this subpart, including submission of a complete certification of origin prepared in accordance with §§ 182.12 and 182.14, when requested, CBP may deny preferential tariff treatment to the imported good.

(b) Failure to provide documentation regarding transshipment. Where the requirements for preferential tariff treatment set forth elsewhere in this subpart are met, CBP nevertheless may deny preferential tariff treatment to an originating good if the good is transported outside the territories of the USMCA countries, and at the request of CBP, the importer of the good does not provide evidence demonstrating to the satisfaction of CBP that the transit and transshipment conditions set forth in Appendix A of this part were met.

[CBP Dec. 21-10, 86 FR 35585, July 6, 2021]
source: 85 FR 39693, July 1, 2020, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 19 CFR 182.11