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What Is a Certificate of Free Sale and How Do You Get One?
On: March 9, 2026 | By: 
David Noah |
8 min. read
It's funny how you can go for years without knowing what something is and then all of a sudden be inundated with questions about that item.
The first time someone called and asked me about a Certificate of Free Sale, I had no idea what they were talking about. Now it seems that I get at least one query every week about that particular export document.
What Is a Certificate of Free Sale (CFS)?
A Certificate of Free Sale is a document that indicates a particular product is marketed in the United States or is eligible for export, and that the particular manufacturer has no unresolved enforcement actions pending before or taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Getting a Certificate of Free Sale
A Certificate of Free Sale, sometimes called a “Certificate for Export” or “Certificate to Foreign Governments,” is evidence that goods, such as food items, cosmetics, biologics or medical devices, are legally sold or distributed in the open market, freely without restriction, and approved by the regulatory authorities in the country of origin (United States).
If your international customer requests a Certificate of Free Sale, you can apply for one through the Certificate of Free Sale page on the Shipping Solutions website. Here’s how to get yours:
- Fill out the registration form on the Shipping Solutions website. There is no charge for registering for this service. You will receive your login credentials within 2 business days.
- When you are ready to apply for a certificate, log in to the electronic certificate of origin portal (eCO) with the login credentials you received.
- On the Chamber Certification portal, click the Certificate of Free Sale button.
- For each product you would like listed on the Certificate of Free Sale, you must upload two invoices showing the sale of each product to two different U.S. customers. Your company name and address should be on the invoices. The invoices should be dated within the last 12 months.
- Fill in all the boxes on the screen including your company’s name, address, business activities, products and the country you are preparing the certificate for. Watch the video here for more details:
- Click Preview to see a draft of your certificate.
- When the application is complete, click Submit Application.
Each Certificate of Free Sale costs $100 (Shipping Solutions Annual Maintenance Program members pay only $75) plus overnight delivery fees. You will receive a certificate on American World Trade Chamber of Commerce (AWTCC) letterhead that includes the requested information as well as a chamber stamp.
Try It Now!
Ready to start the process of getting a Certificate of Free Sale online? Head to the Certificate of Free Sale page and register now.
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