International Trade Concession Liaison

Certificate of Origin (CoO) Filing

Secure import duty concessions for your overseas buyers. We manage Preferential and Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin applications on the unified DGFT electronic platform.

What is a Certificate of Origin?

A Certificate of Origin (CoO) is an essential international trade document that certifies the country where a product was manufactured, processed, or produced. This certificate is required by the importing country's customs authority to determine the origin of goods and apply the correct import duties and trade regulations.

To streamline trade operations, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry administers these filings through the DGFT Common Digital Platform for Certificates of Origin (coo.dgft.gov.in). This unified portal allows exporters to apply for both Preferential and Non-Preferential certificates under a secure digital framework.

Certificate of Origin at a Glance

Aspect Detail
What it certifies Country where the goods were manufactured, processed, or produced
Why it is needed Importing-country customs uses it to determine origin and apply the correct duty rates and trade regulations
Who issues it in India FIEO, Export Inspection Agency (EIA), designated Chambers of Commerce, and Export Promotion Councils (EPCs)
Where to apply DGFT Common Digital Platform — coo.dgft.gov.in
Digital credential required Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) mapped to the portal
Registration required Active Import Export Code (IEC) registered with the DGFT
Validity & rules Governed by the importing country's customs rules and the specific trade agreement's Rules of Origin

💡 Preferential vs. Non-Preferential CoO

Preferential Certificates are issued under specific trade treaties (such as FTAs, CEPA, CECA, or SAPTA) and allow your foreign buyers to clear customs at reduced or zero duty rates. Non-Preferential Certificates verify that the goods were manufactured in India, which is required for general trade clearance but does not provide any tariff concessions.

Key Trade Agreements Managed via the Portal

Using the unified digital portal, we help exporters obtain duty concessions across major global trade agreements. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India has 13 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and 6 Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) in force, covering 54 partner countries. Key agreements frequently used by Indian exporters include:

Agreement In Force Since Market Coverage
India–UAE CEPA
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement		 1 May 2022 United Arab Emirates
India–Australia ECTA
Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement		 29 December 2022 Australia
AIFTA
ASEAN–India Free Trade Area		 1 January 2010 ASEAN member states, incl. Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand
SAFTA
South Asian Free Trade Area		 1 January 2006 SAARC member states, incl. Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan
India–Mauritius CECPA
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement		 1 April 2021 Mauritius
India–Japan CEPA
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement		 10 August 2011 Japan

Note: Each agreement carries its own Product Specific Rules (PSRs) and Rules of Origin criteria. We verify the correct agreement and origin criterion for your HS Code before filing.

Filing Process: Step-by-Step Implementation

Securing a Certificate of Origin requires accurate product classification and local value calculations. We guide your logistics team through the process:

1

Trade Agreement & Rule Analysis

We review your product's HS Code and destination to select the correct trade agreement and verify that your goods meet the local value content (LVC) requirements.

2

DGFT CoO Portal Entry

We access the digital platform using your linked IEC profile and draft the application with your shipment details, commercial values, and port information.

3

Cost-Card & Manufacturing Declarations

For preferential certificates, we help prepare the required cost cards and declarations to show the value of local materials used, ensuring compliance with the Rule of Origin criteria.

4

Agency Verification & Issuance

The application is submitted to an authorised agency (such as FIEO, EIA, or a Chamber of Commerce). We track the review and download the approved digital certificate once issued.

Required Document Checklist

  • An active Import Export Code (IEC) certificate registered with the DGFT.
  • Final commercial invoice and packing list for the shipment.
  • Bill of Lading (B/L) or Airway Bill (AWB) showing carrier details and port of exit.
  • Product-specific manufacturing cost sheet showing local material costs (for preferential filings).
  • An active Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) mapped to the DGFT CoO platform.

Official Government & Agency References

Always verify current procedures on the official portals:

Last reviewed: 5 August 2026. Regulatory details may change; always verify current procedures on the official portals above.

Certificate of Origin FAQ

Local Value Content (LVC) is the percentage of a product's value generated within the exporting country. It is calculated as: (FOB value − value of non-originating materials) ÷ FOB value × 100. Most agreements set a minimum LVC of 30%–40% to qualify for duty concessions, with product-specific rules varying by treaty.
Under DGFT guidelines, certificates are issued by designated organizations such as FIEO, the Export Inspection Agency (EIA), designated Chambers of Commerce, and product-specific Export Promotion Councils (EPCs). Applications are submitted digitally on the DGFT Common Digital Platform (coo.dgft.gov.in) and routed to the selected agency for approval.
After we compile shipment data, calculate local value content, and submit the signed application on the DGFT portal, the issuing agency reviews the file. We assist in obtaining approved digital certificates typically within 24 to 48 business hours under normal processing volumes.
A Preferential Certificate of Origin is used to claim reduced or zero customs duty rates under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs). A Non-Preferential Certificate verifies the country of production but does not offer any duty concessions.
Yes. Most trade agreements allow retrospective applications, commonly within 12 months of the shipment's departure date, subject to that agreement's rules of origin and late-issuance provisions. The period varies by agreement, so the applicable rule should be verified before filing.
The official Common Digital Platform for Certificates of Origin is coo.dgft.gov.in, administered by the DGFT under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Applications require a registered Import Export Code (IEC) and a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).
An active Import Export Code (IEC), a final commercial invoice and packing list, the Bill of Lading (B/L) or Airway Bill (AWB), a product-specific manufacturing cost sheet showing local material costs (for preferential filings), and an active Class 3 DSC mapped to the DGFT CoO platform.
It is the unified government portal (coo.dgft.gov.in) through which Indian exporters apply for both Preferential and Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin. It integrates issuing agencies, supports digital signatures, and issues electronic CoOs (e-CoOs) that importing customs authorities can verify online.