CUSMA Origin Management

Why CUSMA Matters

CUSMA preferential treatment can reduce or eliminate duties on goods originating in Canada, the US, or Mexico. For surtax-affected products, a valid CUSMA claim is the primary way to avoid the 25% (or 50% stacked) surtax on US-origin goods.

Without a valid certificate of origin, CBSA can deny the preferential rate and assess duty at the higher MFN rate plus any applicable surtax.

Origin Assessment

Path: CUSMA > Origin Assessment

Run a tariff shift test to determine whether a product qualifies for CUSMA preferential treatment.

1. Select a product from your portfolio.
2. Add non-originating input materials with their HS codes, country of origin, and value.
3. Click Run Assessment.

The result shows whether the tariff shift requirement is satisfied. If the input material changes tariff heading (e.g., from Chapter 72 raw steel to Chapter 73 finished bolts), the product passes the tariff shift test.

The assessment is logged to the audit trail with the CUSMA dataset version (e.g., C2020-R1).

How CUSMA Eligibility Is Determined

Most Product-Specific Rules of Origin (PSROs) require one of:

• Tariff shift -- The finished product must be classified under a different tariff heading than its non-originating inputs.
• Regional Value Content (RVC) -- A minimum percentage of the product's value must originate in North America (typically 50-75%).
• Both -- Some products require both a tariff shift and an RVC threshold.

Motor vehicles have the most stringent requirement: 75% RVC.

CUSMA Rules Library

Path: CUSMA > Rules

Browse or search the Product-Specific Rules of Origin from CUSMA Annex 4-B. Search by HS heading or keyword. Each rule shows the rule type, threshold, and notes.

Certificates of Origin (Enterprise)

Path: CUSMA > Certificates

Manage CUSMA certificates of origin from your suppliers.

Adding a Certificate

1. Click New Certificate.
2. Fill in certifier details (name, type: exporter/producer/importer), validity dates, and optional notes.
3. Upload the certificate file (PDF, PNG, or JPG, max 10MB).
4. Click Save.

Certificate Status

TariffTrail generates an alert when a certificate is within 60 days of expiring so you can request a renewal from your supplier.

Revoking a Certificate

Click the Revoke button on an active certificate. The certificate is marked as revoked but not deleted -- it remains visible for audit trail purposes.

Scenario Planner (Enterprise)

Path: CUSMA > Scenarios

Model the financial impact if CUSMA preferential treatment is removed -- for example, after the July 2026 triennial review.

The scenario report includes:

• Number of CUSMA-dependent products
• Current annual duty (with CUSMA)
• Projected duty (without CUSMA) at MFN rates plus surtax exposure
• Annual savings at risk and savings as a percentage of portfolio value
• Per-product impact breakdown

Click Export PDF to download the full scenario report for your records or to share with your broker.

This is a hypothetical analysis, not a prediction of the review outcome.