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Title 19

Displaying title 19, up to date as of 8/12/2026. Title 19 was last amended 8/12/2026.
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Import Requirements

§ 10.3003 Filing of claim for preferential tariff treatment upon importation.

(a) Basis of claim. An importer may make a claim for CTPA preferential tariff treatment, including an exemption from the merchandise processing fee, based on either:

(1) A written or electronic certification, as specified in § 10.3004, that is prepared by the importer, exporter, or producer of the good; or

(2) The importer's knowledge that the good is an originating good, including reasonable reliance on information in the importer's possession that the good is an originating good.

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

(c) Corrected claim. If, after making the claim specified in paragraph (b) of this section, the importer has reason to believe that the claim is based on inaccurate information or is otherwise invalid, the importer must, within 30 calendar days after the date of discovery of the error, correct the claim and pay any duties that may be due. The importer must submit a statement either in writing or via an authorized electronic data interchange system to the CBP office where the original claim was filed specifying the correction (see §§ 10.3031 and 10.3033).

§ 10.3004 Certification.

(a) General. An importer who makes a claim pursuant to § 10.3003(b) based on a certification by the importer, exporter, or producer that the good is originating must submit, at the request of the Center director, a copy of the certification. The certification:

(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) Must be in the possession of the importer at the time the claim for preferential tariff treatment is made if the certification forms the basis for the claim;

(3) Must include the following information:

(i) The legal name, address, telephone number, and email address of the certifying person;

(ii) If not the certifying person, the legal name, address, telephone number, and email address of the importer of record, the exporter, and the producer of the good, if known;

(iii) The legal name, address, telephone number, and email address of the responsible official or authorized agent of the importer, exporter, or producer signing the certification (if different from the information required by paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section);

(iv) 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 HS nomenclature;

(v) 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 34, HTSUS; and

(vi) The applicable rule of origin set forth in General Note 34, HTSUS, under which the good qualifies as an originating good;

(vii) Date of certification;

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

(4) Must include a statement, in substantially the following form:

“I certify that:

The information on this document is true and accurate and I assume the responsibility for proving such representations. I understand that I am liable for any false statements or material omissions made on or in connection with this document;

I agree to maintain and present upon request, documentation necessary to support these representations;

The goods comply with all requirements for preferential tariff treatment specified for those goods in the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement; and

This document consists of ______ pages, including all attachments.”

(b) Responsible official or agent. The certification 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.

(c) Language. The certification provided for in paragraph (a) of this section must be completed in either the English or Spanish language. In the latter case, the Center director may require the importer to submit an English translation of the certification.

(d) Certification by the exporter or producer.

(1) A certification may be prepared by the exporter or producer of the good on the basis of:

(i) The exporter's or producer's knowledge that the good is originating; or

(ii) In the case of an exporter, reasonable reliance on the producer's certification that the good is originating.

(2) The Center director may not require an exporter or producer to provide a written or electronic certification to another person.

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

(1) A single shipment of a good into the United States; or

(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.

(f) Validity of certification. A certification 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 issued

§ 10.3005 Importer obligations.

(a) General. An importer who makes a claim for preferential tariff treatment under § 10.3003(b):

(1) Will be deemed to have certified that the good is eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the CTPA;

(2) Is responsible for the truthfulness of the claim and of all the information and data contained in the certification provided for in § 10.3004; and

(3) Is responsible for submitting any supporting documents requested by CBP, and for the truthfulness of the information contained in those documents. When a certification 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, all information relied on by the exporter or producer in preparing the certification.

(b) Information provided by exporter or producer. The fact that the importer has made a claim or submitted a certification based on information provided by an exporter or producer will not relieve the importer of the responsibility referred to in paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) 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, provided that the importer promptly and voluntarily corrects the claim or certification and pays any duty owing (see §§ 10.3031 through 10.3033).

§ 10.3006 Certification 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 under § 10.3004 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 U.S. $2,500.

(b) Exception. If the Center director 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 § 10.3004, the Center director will notify the importer that for that importation the importer must submit a copy of the certification. 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 will result in denial of the claim for preferential tariff treatment.

[77 FR 59069, Sept. 26, 2012, as amended by CBP Dec. 16-26, 81 FR 93014, Dec. 20, 2016]

§ 10.3007 Maintenance of records.

(a) General. An importer claiming preferential tariff treatment for a good imported into the United States under § 10.3003(b) based on either the importer's certification or its knowledge must maintain, for a minimum of five years after the date of importation of the good, all records and documents necessary to demonstrate that the good qualifies for preferential tariff treatment under the CTPA. An importer claiming preferential tariff treatment for a good imported into the United States under § 10.3003(b) based on the certification issued by the exporter or producer must maintain, for a minimum of five years after the date of importation of the good, the certification issued by the exporter or producer. 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.

[77 FR 59069, Sept. 26, 2012, as amended at 78 FR 60193, Oct. 1, 2013]

§ 10.3008 Effect of noncompliance; failure to provide documentation regarding transshipment.

(a) General. If the importer fails to comply with any requirement under this subpart, including submission of a complete certification prepared in accordance with § 10.3004 of this subpart, when requested, the Center director 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, the Center director nevertheless may deny preferential tariff treatment to an originating good if the good is shipped through or transshipped in a country other than a Party to the CTPA, and the importer of the good does not provide, at the request of the Center director, evidence demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Center director that the conditions set forth in § 10.3025(a) were met.