Certificate of Conformity

Although it is not common, a Certificate of Conformity (CoC), also known as a Certificate of Compliance, can be a mandatory document when shipping goods from the U.S. to certain countries worldwide.

Many goods are produced in countries where the safety and performance requirements of the importing country or region are not always fully understood. Certain countries demand that these requirements be put in place in certificates of conformity to ensure the safety of importing countries' consumers. Unsafe and unreliable products can result in injury, death, or property damage, as well as the costs associated with the product, recall compensation claims, and damage to a brand's reputation.

Companies trading with such countries must comply with these customs clearance requirements at destinations by furnishing compliance certificates. Failure to do so can result in severe delays in goods customs clearance, penalties, or even shipments being returned.

If a Certificate of Conformity is required, the shipper must obtain it. Neither the U.S. freight forwarder nor the ocean freight carrier can assist shippers with this export document.

Please remember that a Certificate of Conformity should be obtained before arranging international shipping from the USA overseas. If unsure, contact your destination country consulate in the USA or ask a customs broker licensed in your destination country in advance. We may recommend sending a request to Intertek to determine if a certificate of conformity is required in your particular shipment.

Below is a list of some countries that require certificates of conformity on certain commodities. However, it is not complete and is for general information only. To avoid issues at the time of recovery of your shipping from the U.S. goods that arrived at the destination, double-check the necessity of a certificate of compliance in your particular shipping in advance.

Shipping from the USA to ALGERIA - Certificat de contrôle de qualité is required for Algeria's exports.

Shipping from the USA of Used Capital Machinery to BANGLADESH - Exports of second-hand capital machinery to Bangladesh may require an Inspection Certificate for Customs clearance.

Shipping from the USA to BOTSWANA - Exports to Botswana must comply with the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) Import Inspections Regulations (SIIR) to Standards Programme for the goods to clear customs. 

Shipping from the USA to CAMEROON - Programme d’Evaluation de la Conformité Avant Embarquement (PECAE) for Exports to Cameroon.

Shipping from the USA to ECUADOR - Government securing imports, facilitating exports, implementing importing standards.

Shipping from the USA to EGYPT - GOEIC must approve shipment to issue the mandatory Certificate of Inspection for exports of Regulated Products to Egypt.

Shipping from the USA to ETHIOPIA - Certificate of Conformity is mandatory.

Shipping from the USA to GABON - Trading with Gabon needs to comply with the requirements of the Gabon government's office, Agence Gabonaise de Normalisation (AGANOR) Conformity Assessment Programme called PROJECT for their goods to clear customs.

Shipping from the USA IVORY COAST - The Government of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) has introduced a Verification of Conformity program for all exports to the country.

Shipping from the USA to KENYA - To assure Kenyan consumers of the safety and quality of the imported goods they buy and to protect Kenyan manufacturers from unfair competition, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), a statutory organization of the government of Kenya, has implemented guidelines called the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) to Standards Programme for exports to Kenya.

Shipping from the USA to KUWAIT - The Public Authority for Industry of the State of Kuwait (PAI) implemented specific guidelines to verify the conformity of all 'Regulated Products' exported to Kuwait.' These guidelines are diligently enforced and form the Kuwait Conformity Assurance Scheme (KUCAS). Exports to Kuwait of these products 'Regulated Products require a Technical Evaluation Report (TER) and a Technical Inspection Report (TIR) to clear customs.

Shipping from the USA to MOZAMBIQUE - Regulated goods (known as the Positive List) may be subject to pre-shipment inspection in the country of export before being allowed into Mozambique. Goods on the Positive List must comply with these regulations and be accompanied by a Documento Unico Certificado (DUC).

Shipping from the USA to NIGERIA - The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has implemented a strict set of guidelines for exports to Nigeria called the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP).

Shipping from the USA to QATAR - Exports of vehicle spare parts, tires, and some electrical products to Qatar require a mandatory Certificate of Conformity for Customs clearance. Through the Qatar Ministry of Business and Trade – Department of Consumer Protection and the Qatar General Organization for Standards and Metrology (QGOSM), the Government of Qatar has issued a set of strict rules regulating the import and sale of Vehicle Spare Parts and Vehicle Tyres.

Shipping from the USA to RUSSIA, BELARUS, KAZAKHSTAN, ARMENIA, and KYRGYZSTAN - Compliance with Customs Union Technical Regulations is required when exporting to the Eurasian Economic Union - EAEU (former Customs Union). Member states are Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. GOST certification systems for individual member states are gradually replaced by certification to the Customs Union Technical Regulations (CUTR).

Shipping from the USA to SAUDI ARABIA - A Conformity Assessment Program has been implemented for all exports to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. All products require a Certificate of Conformity, also referred to as an SASO CoC, to enable them to be cleared through Saudi Customs.

Shipping from the USA to TANZANIA - To assure Tanzanian consumers of the safety and quality of imported goods they buy and to protect Tanzanian manufacturers from unfair competition, the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), a statutory organization of the government of Tanzania, implemented guidelines called the Pre-Shipment Verification of Conformity (PVoC) to Standards Programme.

Shipping from the USA to UGANDA - requires a Certificate of Conformity for products regulated under the Uganda Pre-Export Verification of Conformity to Standards Programme (PVoC).