(a) General. Subject to paragraph (e) of this section, Customs may initiate a verification in order to determine whether a good imported into the United States qualifies as an originating good for purposes of preferential tariff treatment under the NAFTA as stated on the Certificate of Origin pertaining to the good. Such a verification:

(1) May also involve a verification of the origin of a material that is used in the production of a good that is the subject of a verification under this section;

(2) May include verification of the applicable rate of duty applied to an originating good in accordance with Annex 302.2 of the NAFTA and may include a determination of whether a good is a qualifying good for purposes of Annex 703.2 of the NAFTA; and

(3) Shall be conducted only by means of one or more of the following:

(i) A verification letter which requests information from a Canadian or Mexican exporter or producer, including a Canadian or Mexican producer of a material, and which identifies the good or material that is the subject of the verification. The verification letter may be on Customs Form 28, or its electronic equivalent, or other appropriate format and may be sent:

(A) By certified or registered mail, or by any other method that produces a confirmation of receipt by the exporter or producer; or

(B) By any other method, regardless of whether it produces proof of receipt by the exporter or producer;

(ii) A written questionnaire sent to an exporter or a producer, including a producer of a material, in Canada or Mexico. The questionnaire:

(A) May be sent by certified or registered mail, or by any other method that produces a confirmation of receipt by the exporter or producer; or

(B) May be sent by any other method, regardless of whether it produces proof of receipt by the exporter or producer; and

(C) May be completed by the Canadian or Mexican exporter or producer either in the English language or in the language of the country in which that exporter or producer is located;

(iii) Visits to the premises of an exporter or a producer, including a producer of a material, in Canada or Mexico to review the types of records referred to in § 181.12 of this part and observe the facilities used in the production of the good or material; and

(iv) Any other method which results in information from a Canadian or Mexican exporter or producer, including a Canadian or Mexican producer of a material, that is relevant to the origin determination. The information so obtained may form a basis for a negative determination regarding a good (see § 181.75(b) of this part) only if the information is in writing and is signed by the exporter or producer.

(b) Applicable accounting principles. When conducting a verification of origin to which Generally Accepted Accounting Principles may be relevant, Customs will apply and accept the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles applicable in the country in which the good is produced or in which the exporter is located.

(c) Inquiries to importer not precluded. Nothing in paragraph (a) of this section shall preclude Customs from directing inquiries or requests to a U.S. importer for documents or other information regarding the imported good. If such an inquiry or request involves requesting the importer to obtain and provide written information from the exporter or producer of the good or from the producer of a material that is used in the production of the good, such information shall be requested by the importer and provided to the importer by the exporter or producer only on a voluntary basis, and a failure or refusal on the part of the importer to obtain and provide such information shall not be considered a failure of the exporter or producer to provide the information and shall not constitute a ground for denying preferential tariff treatment on the good.

(d) Failure to respond to letter or questionnaire—(1) Nonresponse to initial letter or questionnaire. If the exporter or producer, including a producer of a material, fails to respond to a verification letter or questionnaire sent under paragraph (a)(2)(i) or (a)(2)(ii) of this section within 30 calendar days from the date on which the letter or questionnaire was sent, or such longer period as may be specified in the letter or questionnaire, Customs shall send a follow-up verification letter or questionnaire to that exporter or producer. The follow-up letter or questionnaire:

(i) Except where the verification letter or questionnaire only involved the origin of a material used in the production of a good and was sent to the producer of the material, may include the written determination referred to in § 181.75 of this part, provided that the information specified in paragraph (b) of that section is also included; and

(ii) Shall be sent:

(A) By certified or registered mail, or by any other method that produces a confirmation of receipt by the exporter or producer, if so requested by the customs administration of Canada or Mexico from which the good was exported; or

(B) By any method, if no request under paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(A) of this section has been made by the Canadian or Mexican customs administration.

(2) Nonresponse to follow-up letter or questionnaire—(i) Producer of a material. If a producer of a material fails to respond to a follow-up verification letter or questionnaire sent under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, Customs may consider the material to be non-originating for purposes of determining whether the good to which that material relates is an originating good.

(ii) Exporter or producer of a good. If the exporter or producer of a good fails to respond to a follow-up verification letter or questionnaire sent under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, Customs may consider the good to be non-originating and consequently may deny preferential tariff treatment on the good as follows:

(A) If the follow-up letter or questionnaire included a written determination as provided for in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section and the exporter or producer fails to respond to the follow-up letter or questionnaire within 30 calendar days or such longer period as specified therein:

(1) From the date on which the follow-up letter or questionnaire and written determination were received by the exporter or producer, if sent pursuant to paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(A) of this section; or

(2) From the date on which the follow-up letter or questionnaire and written determination were either received by the exporter or producer or sent by Customs, if sent in accordance with paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(B) of this section; or

(B) Provided that the procedures set forth in §§ 181.75 and 181.76 of this part are followed, if the follow-up letter or questionnaire does not include a written determination as provided for in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section and the exporter or producer fails to respond to the follow-up letter or questionnaire within 30 calendar days or such longer period as specified in the letter or questionnaire:

(1) From the date on which the follow-up letter or questionnaire was received by the exporter or producer, if sent pursuant to paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(A) of this section; or

(2) From the date on which the follow-up letter or questionnaire was either received by the exporter or producer or sent by Customs, if sent in accordance with paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(B) of this section.

(e) Calculation of regional value content under net cost method—(1) General. Where a Canadian or Mexican producer of a good elects to calculate the regional value content of a good under the net cost method as set forth in General Note 12, HTSUS, and in the appendix to this part, Customs may not, during the time period over which that net cost is calculated, conduct a verification under § 181.72(a) of this part with respect to the regional value content of that good.

(2) Cost submission for motor vehicles. Where, pursuant to General Note 12, HTSUS, and the appendix to this part, a Canadian or Mexican producer of a light duty vehicle or heavy duty vehicle, as defined in the appendix to this part, elects to average its regional value content calculation over its fiscal year, Customs may request, in writing, that the producer provide a cost submission reflecting the actual costs incurred in the production of the category of motor vehicles for which the election was made. Such a written request shall constitute a verification letter under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, and the requested cost submission shall be submitted to Customs within 180 calendar days after the close of the producer's fiscal year or within 60 days from the date on which the request was made, whichever is later.