Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin

Depending on the stipulations of your international container shipment, you might need to obtain a special shipping document called the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO). Sometimes, this is referred to as a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO), but it roughly means the same thing. The Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin officially states the name of the country where the freight shipment originated. Some people think this means where the cargo was shipped from, but that is not true. This is common misconception. In reality, the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin means the country where a majority of the goods are manufactured.

One of the biggest reasons for needing the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin is to fulfill important tariff requirements. This in turn might help some shippers save money. For example, under the rules of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), a shipper is required to obtain the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin in order to benefit from a duty-free shipment. For those shipping containers, that reason is important. In some countries, the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin might be required in order to ship to receive any duty at all.

It should be noted every nation has their own laws regarding Customs and the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin. However, whenever a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin is needed, it might be typed and not written by hand. In the world of logistics, the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin is a vital document that will continue to play an important role in shipping.