Blog›How to Verify FSC Certification When Sourcing Timber from Brazil

How to Verify FSC Certification When Sourcing Timber from Brazil

May 13, 2026·6 min readFSCcertification

FSC certification is one of the most commonly misrepresented claims in the timber trade. Suppliers declare products "FSC certified" when they hold no CoC certificate, when the certificate is expired, or when the product category is not covered. For buyers sourcing from Brazil — where FSC penetration is high and the paper trail is strong — verification is straightforward once you know what to look for.

This article shows you exactly how to verify FSC certification before placing an order and what to request per shipment.

Two types of FSC certification

Before verifying, understand the difference:

Type	What it certifies	Who holds it
FSC Forest Management (FM)	The forest or plantation meets FSC standards	Forest owner / plantation operator
FSC Chain of Custody (CoC)	The company processes, handles, and sells FSC-labelled product legally	Mills, exporters, importers

When buying FSC-certified timber, your supplier must hold a valid FSC CoC certificate — not just an FM certificate for the forest. FSC FM alone does not permit FSC labelling on products unless the entire chain is certified.

How to verify in 3 steps

Step 1 — Get the certificate code Ask your supplier for their FSC CoC certificate number. Format: FSC-C###### (e.g., FSC-C123456).

Step 2 — Search on info.fsc.org Go to info.fsc.org and enter the certificate code. Verify:

The certificate status is Active (not Suspended, Withdrawn, or Expired)
The certificate holder name matches your supplier
The product groups listed explicitly cover what you are buying (e.g., "Wood products — panels and boards", "Sawn timber", "Veneer and plywood")
The certificate scope covers the country of origin (Brazil)

Step 3 — Request a Transaction Certificate per shipment For each individual shipment, request a Transaction Certificate (TC) issued by the certifier. The TC covers that specific transaction, names both supplier and buyer, identifies the product category and FSC claim, and references the shipment documentation.

Red flags that indicate false FSC claims

"FSC Project" or "FSC Controlled Wood" labelling without FSC-certified claim — Controlled Wood is a risk assessment program, not a certification
Certificate number not findable on info.fsc.org — legitimate certificates are always searchable
Expired certificate — FSC certificates must be maintained through annual surveillance audits; check the expiry date on info.fsc.org
Product category mismatch — a supplier certified for sawn timber cannot legally sell FSC-labelled plywood unless plywood is in their product group
No Transaction Certificate per shipment — legitimate FSC sales always include a TC for each individual consignment
"100% FSC" claim on species that aren't in FSC forests — check the FSC claim type: 100%, Mix, or Controlled Wood

FSC claim types explained

FSC Claim	What it means
FSC 100%	All wood in the product comes from FSC-certified forests
FSC Mix	Product contains a mix of FSC-certified, recycled, and/or FSC Controlled Wood
FSC Recycled	Product made from 100% reclaimed material

For most B2B buyers, FSC 100% is the strongest claim and the one required by many European retailer policies and EUDR due diligence frameworks.

Why Brazil is a strong FSC origin

Brazil has one of the largest bodies of FSC-certified forest area globally. For plantation pine:

Large, organised plantations with documented boundaries
IBAMA registration provides the legal framework FSC certification builds on
Long-established FSC supply chains — Brazil has been active in FSC since the 1990s
High proportion of plantation area already FSC-certified in Paraná and Santa Catarina

This means verification is typically straightforward — the paper trail is well-established and the certificate numbers are easily findable.

What EBP provides

For every FSC-certified shipment, EBP provides:

Invoice with FSC certificate number clearly identified
Transaction Certificate from our certifier for that specific shipment
FSC claim type (100%, Mix, or Controlled Wood as applicable to the order)

Our FSC CoC certificate number is available on request and verifiable at info.fsc.org.