Export Documents

We assist industry members seeking to export their products by providing various export certificates or documents that are often required in order for alcohol beverage products to be imported into a foreign market.

Industry members may request all the following certifications, or similar variations, through our International Affairs Division in Washington, D.C.:

• Certificate of Authenticity
• Certificate of Free Sale
• Certificate of Health
• Certificate of Manufacturing Process
• Certificate of Origin and/or Age
• Certificate of Sanitation
• Sanitary Statement/Certificate
• Consolidated Wine Export Certificate (for wine exported to China)
• APEC Model Wine Certificate

Please use the export certificate template when submitting your request.  Note that you may need to include additional information to meet the certificate requirements of the countries to which you wish to export.

For APEC economies (except China) only:

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Model Wine Certificate is available for the use of U.S. exporters exporting wine to APEC economies (with the exception of China – see below for information on the export certificate accepted by China), when certificates are required by any of those APEC economies. Click here for more information.

For Brazil only:

As of November 2019, Brazil requires separate forms for certificates of origin and certificates of analysis, which apply to all imported alcohol beverage products.  (Previously, a combined certificate of origin and analysis was required.)  For exports to Brazil only, please use this template for certificate of origin requests.

For products that do not meet Brazil's standards of identity for alcohol beverages (such as wines above 14% alcohol by volume), you may also request a certificate of typicity/typicality (“certificado de tipicidade”) using this template.  Please note this certificate is required by Brazil for such products in addition to the above certificate of origin.

For China only:

Please note that there is a consolidated export certificate template that may be used--for wine only--exported to China, which incorporates all three certificates (Certificate of Origin, Certificate of Health/Sanitation, and Certificate of Authenticity/Free Sale) normally required.

For Uruguay only:

On February 14, 2019, the Board of Directors of Uruguay’s National Institute of Vitiviniculture (INAVI) adopted a resolution regarding exogenous water content in imported wine.  An unofficial English translation of the resolution is available here.  Uruguay will not require, for wine of the United States, the certificate established by the resolution nor any declaration or proof regarding exogenous water (document available here).  An unofficial English translation of Uruguay’s decision is available here.

How to Request Your Export Certificates

By Email:

You can speed up the processing of your request by submitting it to us via our contact form with the completed certificate request(s) attached as a single PDF file.

Please submit two signed copies of your request(s); one should appear with your company name on top, and a second copy should appear on TTB letterhead.

If you would like the certificate returned by express mail, please prepare a U.S. Postal Service or UPS overnight bill, including your own billing/account information, and attach it to your email request. Otherwise, we will return the certificate through the U.S. Postal Service to the return address indicated on your request.

By Mail:

You may also send export certificate requests by mail to the address below:

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
International Affairs Division
Attn: Export Certificate Program
1310 G St. NW, Box 12
Washington, DC 20005

If you are submitting your export certificate requests through UPS or FedEx, please use the following address:

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
International Affairs Division
Attn: Export Certificate Program
1310 G St. NW, Suite 400E
Washington, DC 20005

If you would like the certificate returned by express mail, please prepare an overnight bill from the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, or FedEx, including your own billing/account information, and attach it with your request. For certificates being returned by FedEx, we also ask that you include a return envelope. Otherwise, we will return the certificate through the U.S. Postal Service to the return address indicated on your request.

If you have any questions regarding the Export Certificate Program, please contact the International Affairs Division by phone at (202) 453-2260, or through our contact form.

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions and Answers page about the Export Certificate Program for more information.

VI1 Forms for Exporting Wine to the European Union

U.S. wine exported to European Union (EU) countries must be accompanied by a VI1 form, which certifies that the wine exported (1) complies with the conditions governing the production and entry into circulation applicable in the United States of America, (2) has been produced using oenological practices in accordance with the terms of the EC-U.S. Agreement on Trade in Wine, and (3) has been produced by a winery licensed by TTB for the production of grape wine.

Exporters of wines produced in the United States may also use a self-certified version of the VI1, which does not require TTB approval. The self-certifying export certificate is a simplified version of previous certificates (VI1s) required by the EU. TTB Industry Circular 2007-2 provides more information on the self-certifying certificate and includes an attachment containing the form.

Exporters may also refer to instructions for processing the two prior VI1 forms and attachments, which are still valid for use in exporting wine to EU countries.

As of July 1, 2007, the following countries are members of the European Community and accept the simplified export certificate.

If you have any questions about the VI1/simplified export certificate, please contact the International Affairs Division by phone at (202) 453-2260, or through our contact form.