Official Export Resources · Sri Lanka
Use the authority.Build the right route.
A buyer or exporter rarely needs every certificate, form or registration on this page. The useful route begins with the exact product, commercial form, HS classification, destination, buyer requirement and trade-preference claim — then connects those facts to the current Sri Lankan authority.
This library separates general exporter support from Customs declarations, origin preferences, plant-health certification and product-specific controls. Time-sensitive resources point back to live government pages so a historical PDF is never mistaken for the current rule.
03 · Core exporter guidance
Useful starting points.Then verify the route.
General EDB material is useful for orientation. Live authority pages remain the current source for operational requirements.
General Guidance to Export
Beginner-oriented official guidance covering the main Sri Lankan export process and common documents.
Export Process Map
A compact process-map reference from exporter preparation through approvals, Customs and shipment.
Exporters FAQ
Current EDB guidance on becoming an exporter, registrations, market research, documentation and frequently asked exporter questions.
EDB's own FAQ notes that the statutory EDB exporter-registration scheme was revoked in 2019 and EDB registration is now voluntary.
Market Profiles & Briefs
Browse current EDB market profiles by destination and sector, including food, fruit, tea and spices.
Official Export Procedure · language editions
English · සිංහල · தமிழ்
The three language versions remain separate so buyers and Sri Lankan teams can choose the appropriate official-language edition without mixing files.
04 · Customs & declaration
Classify, approve,then submit the CusDec.
Sri Lanka Customs states that export consignments should be declared online and the CusDec submitted before export, after necessary approvals where applicable.
Exporting Goods
Current Customs procedure covering ASYCUDA access, online export declaration, CusDec timing, processing offices, HS codes, levies, permits and examination.
ICT Directorate · Exporter / ASYCUDA resources
Exporter registration portal/instructions, ASYCUDA stakeholder access and export CusDec key-in guidance.
Customs Tariff / HS classification
Use the current tariff and classification resources to identify or confirm the HS route before finalising permits, levies and destination research.
05 · Origin & market access
Origin evidence mattersonly in the right scheme.
Preferential COO, non-preferential COO, REX and eCoO solve different problems. Start with the importing market and rules of origin.
Certificate of Origin overview
Explains preferential and non-preferential Certificates of Origin and the Department's role in preferential COO issuance.
Open current source 02 Sri Lanka Department of CommerceElectronic Certificate of Origin
The Department of Commerce eCoO system for eligibility, online application/payment and electronic COO issuance.
Open current source 03 Sri Lanka Department of CommerceREX System
Current DoC REX resource page with exporter instructions, REX 1–4 forms and Statement on Origin specimen invoices.
REX is a self-certification route for applicable GSP arrangements; product eligibility and rules of origin still need to be established.Open current source 04 Sri Lanka Export Development Board
Market Access Profiles & Trade Agreements
EDB material covering GSP/GSP+, bilateral and regional arrangements, rules of origin and current market-access references.
Open current source06 · Plants, fruit & ePhyto
Plant health isa destination route.
NPQS plant-health documents should never be presented as a generic food-quality certificate. The exact commodity and importing-country conditions determine the route.
NPQS Export Procedure
Current plant-export procedure, phytosanitary considerations and commodity/destination conditions.
Open NPQS source 02 Official page · Product-specificNPQS Export Downloads
Current export forms and lists including exporter registration, certified export fields, ePhyto company registration and e-commerce registration.
Open NPQS source 03 Registration · Destination-specificField Certification for Fruit & Vegetables
NPQS field-certification process for selected fruit and vegetable export routes, including certified-field controls relevant to specified European-market commodities.
Open NPQS source
07 · Product-specific controls
Do not turn one product ruleinto a universal export rule.
Ceylon Cinnamon, Ceylon Tea and fresh plant products have different authorities and quality/registration routes.
Ceylon Cinnamon
Pre-export Inspection Scheme (PEIS) SLS 81:2021SLSI states that PEIS can assess final cinnamon consignments against SLS 81 or another importer-specified standard. The scheme is voluntary and the Pre-Export Quality Certificate is consignment-based.
Ceylon Tea
Tea Exports Division registrations 2026 registration documentsThe Tea Board currently publishes exporter/packer, local packer, importer and warehouse registration material for 2026. Tea export controls also include authorisation and ISO 3720 minimum-quality checks.
Fresh Fruits & Plant Products
Phytosanitary / ePhyto / field route Commodity + destination specificFresh fruit, herbs and other plant products may require inspection, testing, treatment, exporter/ePhyto registration or certified-field controls depending on the exact commodity and importing country.
08 · Live destination research
Use live tools.Not frozen country checklists.
Tariffs, preferences and border controls change. These tools are intentionally external so the buyer reaches the current authority.
Access2Markets + ROSA
Research EU tariffs, taxes, product requirements and rules of origin using the actual product, origin and destination.
Open live tool 02 U.S. Food & Drug AdministrationImporting Food into the United States
Review current FDA food-import obligations, including Prior Notice and Foreign Supplier Verification Program responsibilities where applicable.
Open live tool 03 USDA APHISAgricultural Commodity Import Requirements
Research U.S. plant and plant-product admissibility because conditions vary by commodity and country of origin.
Open live tool 04 International Trade CentreMarket Access Map
EDB points exporters to ITC market-access tools for tariffs, tariff-rate quotas, trade remedies and regulatory requirements.
Open live tool09 · Export document primer
Know what the documentis actually proving.
Document names are easy to collect and easy to confuse. This section keeps commercial, Customs, origin, plant-health, quality and transport evidence separate.
Commercial Invoice
Commercial document describing the transaction and goods; destination/import requirements determine the fields and supporting use.
Packing List
Shipment-level packing detail such as package count, contents, weights and marks used by logistics, Customs and inspection parties.
CusDec
Sri Lanka Customs Declaration submitted online before export after necessary approvals where applicable.
Certificate of Origin
Origin document used where the preferential or non-preferential route calls for it; issuing authority depends on the type.
REX Statement on Origin
Exporter self-certification used under applicable REX preference arrangements after the relevant registration/eligibility route.
Phytosanitary Certificate
NPQS plant-health certificate confirming applicable importing-country phytosanitary conditions; not a food-quality certificate.
CoA / Test Report
Lot- or sample-specific analytical evidence against selected buyer/regulatory parameters; not automatically required for every shipment.
Inspection / Quality Certificate
Issued only when a specific inspection/conformity scheme applies, such as SLSI PEIS for an applicable cinnamon consignment.
Transport Document
Bill of lading, air waybill or other carrier document appropriate to the shipment mode and transaction.
10 · The rule that prevents bad checklists
Not every shipmentneeds every document.
The final document set is the result of the route. It should never be copied from another commodity, buyer or destination.
Product & form
Fresh fruit, whole spice, powder, tea and processed foods can follow materially different regulatory and classification routes.
HS classification
Classification affects Customs, permit, levy and destination-research decisions and should be confirmed for the actual goods.
Destination
Importing-country food, plant-health, labelling, tariff and documentary requirements are not interchangeable across markets.
Preference claim
A preferential tariff benefit requires the correct agreement/scheme and its rules of origin; COO or REX only applies when that route is actually relevant.
Buyer programme
Retailers and manufacturers can impose additional quality, testing, certification or supplier-onboarding requirements beyond legal minimums.
Actual shipment
Final quantity, pack, treatment, carrier, Incoterm and route determine the operational document set used for the shipment.