Importing Leather Products: Leather Certificate

LeatherSimilar to the textile visa, Leather Certificate is an assurance of quality, a compliance to certain standards for specific leather products. It is basically a Certificate of Origin that covers articles such as trunks, suitcases, vanity cases, attaché cases, briefcases and similar containers, articles of apparel and clothing accessories, and other products made of leather or of composition leather. It is established by a mutual agreement between the US and foreign governments. Bottom line is that as in the case of the textile visa, the absence of the document with your shipment will require that your customhouse broker will have to contact either your overseas supplier or the respective trade office of the country you are importing from to obtain it in order for your shipment to clear US Customs. Either way the necessary time entailed in having to wait for its issue and arrival will result in delays and added costs billed to you by your broker before you’ll be able to finally clear the US Customs. Other factors to keep in mind when importing leather goods, which are classified under Section VIII (Chapters 41-43) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, is compliance with Fish and Wildlife Service requirements, especially where the leather may be derived from exotic animals; in such cases special import license may be required in addition to specific certificate of origin and recordkeeping requirements.

Chapter 41Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leather
Chapter 42Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut)
Chapter 43 Furskins and artificial fur; manufactures thereof


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