Transaction Certificates for GOTS

What is a GOTS Transaction Certificate?

Once certified to GOTS, you are ready to buy and sell into the international GOTS supply chain from the first manufacturing step to the finished product. GOTS utilizes a transaction certificate system to check that the goods shipped between certified entities meet the standard’s criteria.

How do I request a Transaction Certificate from OTCO?

Transaction Certificates (TCs) are issued by OTCO for the first manufacturing step, such as a cotton gin, all the way through to the last manufacturer or trade activity. Retailers are exempt and do not need to furnish a TC to the final customer.

1. Download a GOTS Template for Transaction Certificate. Follow the instructions for completing it with the help of the GOTS Guide to Request GOTS Transaction Certificates (both links below).
2. Ensure the Transaction Certificate references the GOTS Geographical Classification v. 1.0, which includes a list of countries and areas and their two-digit codes assigned by the International Standardization (ISO) 3166-1.
3. The TC form must continue to be saved and submitted as a Word document. All other mandatory supporting documents, which are included as sales and shipping verification, can be sent as copies, PDFs, spreadsheets, etc.
4. Each TC request must be submitted individually, along with all the necessary supporting documentation attachments. Send complete information to  export@tilth.org

Transaction Certificates are processed in approximately five (5) days. Expedited services are available for an additional fee. Multi-shipment TCs are possible, although the option must be set up in advance and are not eligible for expedited services. Clients must send all supporting documents with each individual request to ensure there are no delays. It is also the client’s responsibility to send a copy to its buyer once OTCO approves and returns the issued Transaction Certificate.