Free certificate of quality template (issued by the manufacturer or exporter)

A certificate of quality is a signed statement that the goods shipped meet the agreed specification. This template is for the case where the buyer or the letter of credit accepts one issued by the manufacturer or exporter itself. It is not a laboratory certificate of analysis or an independent inspection certificate.

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Certificate of quality – Example filled in with the free generator (sample data)

What the template covers

Issuer (manufacturer or exporter) name and address, certificate number and date
Buyer or consignee, contract or order number, invoice number and, under a credit, the L/C number
Transport document number and shipping marks
Product description, HS code, quantity and packing
Batch or lot number, production date and shelf life or expiry
The specification or standard the goods are checked against
Each quality item with its specified limit and the result
A statement of conformity with the name, title and signature of an authorised person

Sources

Guides on this topic

Letter of Credit Discrepancies: Why Banks Refuse DocumentsThe most common reasons banks reject documents under a letter of credit, based on UCP 600 and ISBP 821, plus a pre-presentation checklist for…Letter of Credit Meaning: How It Works, Step by StepHow an L/C works for exporters: the parties, proforma to issued credit, checks and amendments, shipment and presentation deadlines, examination…Types of letters of credit (UCP 600): sight, usance, confirmed, transferableLetter of credit types under UCP 600: irrevocable by default, sight payment, deferred payment, acceptance, negotiation, confirmed and transferable…Payment Terms in International Trade: T/T, L/C, D/P, D/A, Open AccountT/T in advance, 30% deposit and 70% against copy B/L, L/C, D/P, D/A and open account compared: who bears the risk, how each works and the wording…

Who may issue it

If the letter of credit asks for a certificate of quality without saying who issues it, any party, including the beneficiary, may issue it (ICC Banking Commission, Technical Advisory Briefing No. 8, 2023). If the credit calls the issuer independent, official or qualified, the beneficiary cannot issue it (UCP 600 article 3), and if it names an inspection company or a laboratory, only that party's certificate will do. A certificate the seller issues may also not satisfy the sales contract, so agree it with the buyer.

Certify, do not just copy the credit

The certificate has to certify something: state that the goods of the batch shipped were checked and conform to the named specification, and show the results. The ICC notes that beneficiaries often only repeat the wording of the credit instead of certifying. Like every certificate under a credit it must be signed (ISBP 821, paragraph A3), and its data, such as the consignee and shipping marks, must not conflict with the other documents (UCP 600 article 14(d)).

When a seller's certificate is not enough

Some buyers, banks and importing countries require a third party. A certificate of analysis must show that an analysis was carried out, usually by a laboratory, and some countries require a certificate of conformity from an approved inspection body before shipment, such as Kenya's pre-export verification of conformity (PVoC) programme. Use this template only where a certificate from the manufacturer or exporter is accepted.

Common questions

What is a certificate of quality in export?

A signed document stating that the goods shipped meet the agreed specification or standard, usually with the batch or lot number and the key test results. It is issued by the manufacturer or exporter, or by an inspection company or laboratory when the contract or credit requires a third party.

Can the exporter issue its own certificate of quality under a letter of credit?

Yes, if the credit does not say who must issue it (ICC Technical Advisory Briefing No. 8). If the credit asks for an independent, official or qualified issuer, or names an inspection company, the beneficiary's own certificate will not comply.

What is the difference between a certificate of quality and a certificate of analysis?

A certificate of quality states that the goods conform to a specification. A certificate of analysis reports the results of an analysis of the goods and must show that the analysis was carried out, usually by a laboratory. A credit asking for one is not satisfied by the other unless the document does what the credit requires.

Should the certificate show the invoice and B/L numbers?

It is good practice, so the certificate clearly relates to the shipment. Under a credit, any data it shows, such as the consignee, the shipping marks or the goods description, must not conflict with the credit and the other documents.

Does a certificate of quality need a date and a signature?

It must be signed (ISBP 821, paragraph A3). Dating it is the safe choice, and the results should belong to the batch actually shipped.

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