A transaction certificate, usually shortened to TC, is a document issued by the certification body for a specific shipment of certified goods passing from one seller to one buyer. It is the only document that ties a particular lot to a claim such as GOTS or OCS. The scope certificate tells you a mill is allowed to make certified goods. The TC tells you that the goods in your container actually are certified goods.
What a TC contains
- The seller and the buyer, with their certification details.
- The products covered, with quantities, usually in net weight and sometimes also in pieces or metres.
- The certified content and the standard claimed, such as GOTS organic or OCS 100.
- References to the invoice and shipping documents the TC relates to.
- The certification body that issued it and a unique TC number.
- References to the input TCs the seller used, which is how the chain links back to the raw fibre.
How the chain works
Every certified step buys inputs with a TC and sells outputs with a TC. The ginner issues one to the spinner, the spinner to the weaver, the weaver to the garment maker, and the garment maker to you. Each certification body checks that the certified output a company sells does not exceed the certified input it bought. If you are the importer and you want to sell the goods onward as certified, you need your own certification so that a TC can be issued to you in turn.
A TC is issued after the shipment, because the certification body needs the final invoice and quantities. Expect it to arrive some weeks after the goods have sailed. Build that into your payment terms if the organic claim matters to you, so you are not paying the full balance before the document exists.
What to ask the supplier
Before you place the order, confirm in writing that the supplier will apply for a TC for your shipment and that the cost is included in the price. Ask for the supplier's scope certificate number so you can check the database. When the TC arrives, verify it with the issuing certification body, because TC numbers can be checked just as scope certificates can. Make sure the quantities and product descriptions on the TC match your packing list, since a mismatch can make the whole document useless at audit time.
TC formats and the rules around them are set by the standard owners and are updated from time to time. Confirm current requirements with your compliance team. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
How we help
We make the TC a standard line item in the document pack for every certified order, and we chase the supplier and certification body until it arrives. Before shortlisting we check the supplier's scope certificate on the database so you know a TC can be issued at all. If you want to talk through an organic programme, book a free 20-minute sourcing review.