How to Fill Out and Submit the FedEx Low Value Statement Form

The FedEx low value statement form is a short origin declaration you attach to shipments of USMCA-qualifying goods valued at $2,500 or less moving between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. You can type it onto your commercial invoice or send it as a separate signed document, and FedEx accepts it electronically through its Electronic Trade Documents system or as a paper attachment inside the shipping pouch. It replaces the full nine-element USMCA certification of origin that would otherwise be required.

When the Simplified Statement Applies

U.S. Customs and Border Protection waives the formal certification of origin for commercial importations of originating goods valued at $2,500 or less, provided the shipment is not part of a series arranged to dodge standard certification requirements.¹ Non-commercial importations get the same waiver regardless of value. Even with the waiver, your shipping documents still need to indicate that the goods originate in a USMCA country, and that is what the low value statement does.

Canada uses its own cutoff of $3,300 CAD, at or below which the Canada Border Services Agency waives proof of origin, though importers still have to keep records like the commercial invoice.² Mexico has a separate threshold for its imports. Above the destination country’s low-value cutoff, you need the full USMCA certification of origin with all nine data elements, not this simplified statement.

What to Put on the Statement

Because the formal certification is waived at low values, you do not need to complete all nine data elements a full USMCA certification requires. The statement has to identify the goods, confirm their USMCA origin, and give customs enough information to tie it to the shipment. Put it directly on your commercial invoice or provide a separate signed document.³

Your full name, address including country, phone, and email, and whether you are the exporter, producer, or importer.
Exporter and producer details. If you are not the exporter or producer, provide their names and addresses. If you don’t know the producer, you can state “available upon request.”
Importer’s name and address in the destination country, if known.
A description of the goods that matches your commercial invoice.
The USMCA country of origin: United States, Canada, or Mexico.
A signed certification statement declaring the goods qualify as originating.

USMCA does not prescribe a format, so you can type the statement onto your invoice, build your own template, or use a form from your customs broker.⁴ English, French, or Spanish are all acceptable. If the statement is not in the importing country’s language, customs may ask the importer for a translation.⁵

The Required Certification Language

The format is flexible, but USMCA Annex 5-A sets out certification language that should accompany any origin claim. The FedEx USMCA Essentials guide reproduces it as follows:³

“I certify that the goods described in this document qualify as originating and the information contained in this document is true and accurate. I assume responsibility for proving such representations and agree to maintain and present upon request or to make available during a verification visit, documentation necessary to support this certification.”⁵

Sign and date the statement below this language. The signer should have direct knowledge of how and where the goods were produced. Electronic and digital signatures are accepted.⁵

How to Submit It Through FedEx

The fastest route is FedEx Electronic Trade Documents (ETD), which lets you upload customs paperwork so it reaches border officials before the package arrives. That head start gives you time to fix problems before the shipment clears customs.⁶ During label creation you can either upload your own document or let FedEx generate customs forms for you.⁷

Prepare the statement as a PDF, either standalone or built into your commercial invoice.
In the FedEx shipping portal, choose the option to upload your own customs documents when the international shipping workflow prompts you.
Confirm transmission. FedEx sends the documents to customs electronically and notifies you through tracking or email if anything is missing.

If you prefer paper, print the statement and place it in the document pouch on the outside of the package. Certain commodities or shipment values may still require original hard-copy documents even when you have submitted electronically.⁷

Blanket Statements for Repeat Shipments

If you regularly ship identical goods to the same destination, one blanket certification can cover multiple shipments for up to 12 months.⁵ List the start and end dates of the blanket period on the document, and note that it covers multiple shipments of identical goods. Each shipment still needs to reference the blanket certification, and the goods must stay identical throughout the period. If the product changes, you need a new statement.

How Long to Keep the Records

Keep the origin statement, supporting production records, invoices, and any customs correspondence for at least five years from the date of entry.⁸ CBP can request them at any point during that window to verify your claim. Canada’s border agency also requires importers to maintain records even when proof of origin is waived on low-value shipments.²

Useful records include bills of materials showing where components were sourced, purchase orders from suppliers, production flow charts, and the commercial invoices tied to each shipment. Organized records turn a routine verification into a quick reply instead of a drawn-out dispute.

If Customs Questions the Claim

CBP can verify any origin claim, including on a low-value shipment. Verification usually starts with a written request or questionnaire asking the importer, exporter, or producer for supporting documents. There is a safe harbor worth knowing about: if you catch an error in your statement before CBP does, you can voluntarily correct the importation documents and pay any duties owed without facing penalties.⁵ Exporters and producers who notify all affected parties of an error in writing get the same protection. Honest clerical errors are not treated as violations unless they form a pattern, but repeated sloppy paperwork can escalate into a negligence finding, so review each statement before it goes out.⁹

1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. USMCA Frequently Asked Questions
2
Canada Border Services Agency. Increase to Low-Value Shipment Thresholds and Other Changes
3
FedEx. USMCA Essentials
4
eCFR. 19 CFR 182.12 – Certification of Origin
5
Office of the United States Trade Representative. USMCA Chapter 5 – Origin Procedures
6
FedEx. FedEx Electronic Trade Documents
7
FedEx. FedEx Electronic Trade Documents Guide
8
eCFR. 19 CFR 163.4 – Record Retention Period
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 USC 1592 – Penalties for Fraud, Gross Negligence, and Negligence