# NAFTA and what replaced it

> NAFTA ran from 1994 until USMCA replaced it on 1 July 2020. What changed for importers, and the rules and documents that still mention NAFTA today.

Source: https://border.bot/docs/guides/countries/united-states/trade-agreements/nafta
Last updated: 2026-10-30

> Documentation index: https://border.bot/llms.txt. Every page is Markdown at its URL + `.md`.


NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, applied from 1 January 1994 and terminated on 30 June 2020. USMCA replaced it on 1 July 2020, so US preference for Canadian and Mexican goods entered since then can be claimed only under USMCA.

## What changed when USMCA replaced NAFTA?

USMCA replaced NAFTA's claim, its paperwork and many of its origin rules on 1 July 2020. Claims use the SPI `S` or `S+` instead of NAFTA's `CA` and `MX`, the NAFTA Certificate of Origin (CBP Form 434) is no longer accepted, and the origin rules for vehicles and parts got stricter.

| | NAFTA | USMCA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SPI on the entry | `CA`, `MX` | `S`, `S+` |
| Proof of origin | CBP Form 434, the NAFTA Certificate of Origin | A certification with nine data elements, in any format, completed by the importer, exporter or producer |
| Rules of origin | General Note 12, deleted on 1 July 2021 | General Note 11 |
| CBP regulations | 19 CFR part 181 | 19 CFR part 182 |

The details of the current rules, including the nine data elements, are in the [USMCA guide](https://border.bot/docs/guides/countries/united-states/trade-agreements/usmca).

## Where does NAFTA still show up?

NAFTA still shows up in a few US rules and in plenty of trade paperwork. CBP's NAFTA regulations, 19 CFR part 181, remain in force for goods entered before 1 July 2020, the HTS keeps a placeholder note and lists NAFTA's codes in one statistical note, and suppliers still send "NAFTA certificates" out of habit.

- Part 181 governs claims, verifications and drawback for goods entered for consumption before 1 July 2020, and part 182 points back to it for those entries. CBP keeps its NAFTA page for information only.
- The HTS keeps General Note 12 as a placeholder that reads "North American Free Trade Agreement", marked deleted on 1 July 2021 and superseded by General Note 11. Its general statistical notes also still list NAFTA's `CA` and `MX` indicators among the programs whose goods are exempt from the merchandise processing fee.
- A "NAFTA certificate" a supplier sends today doesn't support a claim. Ask for a USMCA certification with the nine data elements instead, or certify yourself as importer if you hold the evidence; [certificates of origin](https://border.bot/docs/guides/country-of-origin/certificates) compares the kinds of proof.
- Fields and clauses named "NAFTA" in contracts and product data usually mean USMCA now, but the origin rules behind them changed in 2020, so a good that qualified under NAFTA needs checking again against USMCA's rule for its tariff line. The [country of origin finder](https://border.bot/tools/country-of-origin-finder) helps establish where it was made, and the [US trade agreements](https://border.bot/docs/guides/countries/united-states/trade-agreements) page lists every agreement in force.

## Common questions

### Is NAFTA still in effect?

No. NAFTA terminated on 30 June 2020 and USMCA replaced it on 1 July 2020. Its rules apply only to goods entered before that date.

### Can I still use a NAFTA certificate of origin?

No. CBP no longer accepts CBP Form 434 for claims under USMCA; a USMCA claim needs a certification with the nine data elements of the agreement's Annex 5-A.

### Does a good that qualified under NAFTA qualify under USMCA?

Not necessarily. USMCA has its own product-specific rules in HTS General Note 11, and they are stricter for vehicles and parts, so check each tariff line again.

## Sources

- [North American Free Trade Agreement](https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/north-american-free-trade-agreement), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, updated 2026-08-07
- [Implementation and Expiration Dates, Selected FTAs and Preferential Trade Legislation](https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/fta-ptl), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, updated 2026-05-05
- [USMCA Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/USMCA/FAQs), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, updated 2025-01-16
- [19 CFR 181.0: Scope of the NAFTA regulations](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-19/section-181.0), eCFR, current as of 2026-10-27
- [19 CFR part 182, subpart A: USMCA general provisions](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-19/part-182/subpart-A), eCFR, current as of 2026-10-27
- [Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2026 Revision 21, General Notes](https://hts.usitc.gov/), U.S. International Trade Commission, effective 2026-10-09