Certificate of origin from India: how to apply online and avoid rejections

Updated 3 Nov 2026

A certificate of origin (CoO) is the document that proves where your goods were made. Your buyer's customs uses it to decide which duty to charge, and under a trade agreement it can be the difference between your buyer paying full duty and paying zero. Since September 2026, DGFT also lets larger exporters send CoO applications straight from their own software. This guide covers the two kinds of CoO, how to apply online step by step, and the mistakes that get applications sent back.

Two kinds of certificate

	Preferential CoO	Non-preferential CoO
What it does	Lets your buyer claim the lower or zero duty under an FTA, CEPA, PTA or GSP scheme	Only proves Indian origin; gives no duty concession
When you need it	Whenever your buyer wants the agreement rate	When the buyer, a bank (often under an LC) or the importing country's customs asks for proof of origin
Origin test	The rules of origin in that specific agreement	India's non-preferential rules in para 2.93 of the Handbook of Procedures 2023

DGFT Trade Notice 25/2026-27 (7 September 2026) lists the agreements handled on its CoO system. The list includes the India–Japan and India–Korea CEPAs, SAFTA/SAPTA, the ASEAN–India FTA, the India–Singapore CECA and India–Malaysia CECA, the India–Chile and India–Mercosur PTAs, the India–UAE CEPA, the India–Australia ECTA, the India–Oman CEPA, the India–EFTA TEPA, the India–UK CETA, GSP and the non-preferential scheme. DGFT says this list is not exhaustive.

Who issues it

You apply online, but the certificate is issued by an authorised agency. DGFT's Appendix 2A lists the agencies authorised for each trade agreement, and for some agreements there is only one. For example, the Export Inspection Council (EIC) is the only agency that can issue CoOs under GSTP and the India–Afghanistan PTA. Non-preferential agencies are listed in Appendix 2E. Under para 2.93 of the Handbook, agencies authorised for preferential CoOs can also issue non-preferential ones.

Exportsmitra suggests checking Appendix 2A for your agreement before you apply. If you choose an agency that cannot issue under that agreement, your application will be rejected.

Step by step: applying on DGFT's CoO platform

Register on the DGFT website. Go to dgft.gov.in and register through My Dashboard → Register.
Link your IEC. Log in and link your IEC, verifying with an Aadhaar OTP or a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).
Register on the CoO platform. Go to coo.dgft.gov.in and register with the same DGFT login, verifying with your DSC. You need a valid DSC from this step onwards.
Start an application. Choose preferential or non-preferential, then the trade agreement and the issuing agency.
Enter the shipment details. DGFT's API specification lists the fields the system expects: IEC, firm name, GSTIN and address; importer and producer details; invoice number, currency and exchange rate; the ITC(HS) code, description, quantity, unit and invoice/FOB value of each item; the origin (preference) criterion you are claiming; and the transport route and vessel or flight.
Upload documents. At a minimum, the commercial invoice and packing list. The agency may ask for more, such as a cost sheet or supplier declarations to support the origin criterion.
Save as a draft and check it. You can open and edit a draft before you submit it.
Submit. You get an email and SMS alert, and the issuing agency is told an application is waiting. DGFT's process moves an application through Draft → In Process → Approved → Certificate Issued, or Rejected.
Send the certificate to your buyer. Under the API specification, a certificate can be checked by file number, file date, certificate number or certificate date. Exportsmitra suggests also sending your buyer the certificate number so their broker can check it.

Fees: para 2.93 of the Handbook sets Rs 200 per non-preferential certificate, including attestation of any additional documents. Fees for preferential certificates depend on the agency. Ask the agency before you apply.

Corrections: to correct a non-preferential eCoO that has already been issued, you file an in-lieu application online (Handbook para 2.93(d)(ii)). Manufacturer exporters with status-holder recognition can self-certify non-preferential origin under Annexure III of that paragraph.

Helpdesk: the EPCH guide gives [email protected] and the toll-free numbers 1800-111-550 and 1800-572-1550.

New: sending applications straight from your ERP (Open API)

Trade Notice 25/2026-27 lets exporters connect their ERP or accounting software directly to the CoO system, so invoice data does not have to be typed in twice. This suits exporters who file many CoOs a month. In outline:

On the Trade Connect e-Platform, go to Certificate of Origin → API Management for Exporters and get your API credentials: a user ID, password, X-API key and public key.
Whitelist your public IP addresses. Calls from any other IP are refused.
Set up a document signer, because every request and response is signed with a 2048-bit certificate. Access tokens last 60 minutes.
Your software then sends the same fields you would type into the portal, and can check each application's status and verify issued certificates.

The notice sets no deadline. Manual filing on the portal works as before.

Non-preferential origin rules may change

Trade Notice 27/2026-27 (14 September 2026) proposed rewriting para 2.93, including the origin test for exports. Under the draft, goods are of Indian origin if the exporter manufactures them as "manufacture" is defined in the Foreign Trade Policy. If imported inputs are used, the processing must go beyond minimal operations such as cleaning, sorting, packing, labelling or simple assembly. Comments were due within 15 days. As of 2 November 2026 we have not seen the final amendment notified, so follow the current para 2.93 until DGFT notifies a change.

Common mistakes (Exportsmitra suggests checking these before you submit)

HS code mismatch. The HS code on the CoO, the invoice and the shipping bill should match. Your buyer's customs may also classify the goods at 6 digits under its own tariff, so agree the code with your buyer first.
Wrong origin criterion. Each agreement has its own codes, such as wholly obtained, change of tariff heading or regional value content. Claim the one your cost sheet actually supports, and keep that cost sheet on file in case of a verification request.
Wrong agreement or agency. For example, choosing a PTA when your buyer's country now has a newer, better agreement with India, or an agency that is not listed in Appendix 2A for that agreement.
Consignee and route details that do not match the bill of lading. Transhipment through a third country can matter under some agreements.
An expired DSC on the day the shipment leaves.
Applying too late. Apply as soon as the invoice and packing list are final, so the certificate reaches your buyer before the goods do.

Worked example

A Ludhiana knitwear exporter ships to an importer in Kuala Lumpur. The buyer wants the India–Malaysia CECA rate. The exporter:

checks the Malaysian tariff to confirm a preferential rate exists for the product and that the product meets the CECA rule of origin (the yarn and fabric used, and where they come from);
checks Appendix 2A for an agency authorised under the India–Malaysia CECA;
applies on coo.dgft.gov.in with the invoice, packing list and a cost sheet, choosing the matching origin criterion;
sends the issued certificate and its number to the buyer with the shipping documents.

If the same buyer only needed proof of origin for an LC, a non-preferential CoO for Rs 200 would be enough.

Sources

Last checked: 2 November 2026.

Drafted with AI help from public sources.

Spotted something out of date? Tell us

Our guides are drafted with the help of AI and checked against official sources, but rules change often and mistakes can slip through. Please confirm with DGFT, CBIC, RBI, ECGC or your bank before you act. General information only, not legal or financial advice.