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How to buy CBAM certificates — the central platform opens 1 February 2027, the price tracks EU ETS, and you need to hold 50% quarterly

You need to buy CBAM certificates and you need to understand where, when, how many, and at what price. Under Reg. (EU) 2023/956, CBAM certificates are purchased through the central common platform (Art. 20), available from 1 February 2027. The price of each certificate equals one tonne of CO₂e, calculated as the average of the closing prices of EU ETS emission allowances for each calendar week (Art. 21(1)). For 2026, the price is set quarterly (Art. 21(1a)). You must maintain at least 50% of your estimated certificates at the end of each quarter (Art. 22(2)). CBAMCheck estimates how many certificates you need. €299.

Generate your CBAM dossier — €299Free check: does CBAM apply to you?

€299 · One-time · 12 professional deliverables · Your data never leaves your browser

Built on Reg. (EU) 2023/956 · Modified by Reg. (EU) 2025/2083 · 13,566 default values (Reg. 2025/2621) · 100% browser-side — your data never leaves your device

The numbers that matter for your CBAM compliance

1 February 2027
Certificate sales begin on the central platform
Art. 21
Price = weekly average of EU ETS closing prices
50% quarterly
Minimum certificate balance per Art. 22(2)

Your CBAM compliance timeline

1
Understand the certificate mechanism
Each certificate = 1 tonne of CO₂e. They are not EU ETS allowances — they are a separate instrument under Art. 20.
2
Know when sales begin
1 February 2027. Certificates for 2026 emissions will be available for purchase from this date.
3
Understand price calculation
Art. 21(1): average of the closing prices of EU ETS allowances for each calendar week. Art. 21(1a): for 2026, quarterly price.
4
Maintain quarterly minimum
Art. 22(2): at the end of each quarter from 2027, hold at least 50% of the certificates estimated for the period.
5
Surrender certificates by 30 September
Art. 22(1): certificates must be surrendered with the annual declaration by 30 September each year.
6
Estimate your certificate count with CBAMCheck
CBAMCheck’s CBAM certificate estimation deliverable calculates how many certificates you need, adjusted for free allocation (Art. 31) and any Art. 9 deduction.

Three mistakes that inflate your CBAM cost or create compliance risk

MISTAKE 1 — CERTIFICATES = ALLOWANCES

Confusing CBAM certificates with EU ETS allowances

They are different instruments. CBAM certificates are purchased on the central platform (Art. 20), not on the EU ETS market.

MISTAKE 2 — NO QUARTERLY MINIMUM

Not maintaining 50% certificate balance each quarter

Art. 22(2) requires a minimum balance. Failing to maintain it may trigger Art. 26 consequences.

MISTAKE 3 — NO ESTIMATE

Buying certificates without knowing how many you need

CBAMCheck estimates your certificate count based on tonnes, emission values, CBAM rate and free allocation. This prevents over- or under-purchasing.

What you receive: 12 deliverables in one ZIP file

CBAMCheck generates a complete CBAM compliance dossier — not a single PDF. 12 structured documents delivered as a ZIP file, each citing the specific article of Reg. (EU) 2023/956 it addresses.

1

Scope Assessment

Determines whether your imports fall under CBAM and which obligations apply. Art. 2 + Art. 2a of Reg. (EU) 2023/956.

2

Embedded Emissions Calculation

Calculates embedded emissions per tonne using default values from Implementing Reg. (EU) 2025/2621 or your actual data. Art. 7 + Annex IV.

3

CBAM Certificate Estimation

Estimates the number of certificates required and the projected cost, adjusted for free allocation (Art. 31).

4

Draft CBAM Declaration

Pre-structured declaration following Art. 6(2) requirements.

5

Carbon Price Documentation

Documents any carbon price paid in the country of origin for Art. 9 deduction.

6

Annex V Record Template

Record-keeping template compliant with Annex V requirements.

7

Verification Preparation

Structured preparation for Art. 8 verification. Annex VI checklist included.

8

Supplier Letter Template

Model letter requesting emissions data from your third-country supplier.

9

Compliance Calendar (.ics)

Importable calendar with quarterly certificate obligations, annual declaration deadline and key milestones.

10

Executive Summary

One-page CBAM exposure overview for management reporting.

11

Interactive HTML Dashboard

Standalone dashboard with 2026–2032 projections. Works offline.

12

Compliance Calendar Document

Visual calendar of all CBAM deadlines and schedules.

Generated from your input data, in your browser. No data leaves your device.

See what you get

Download a sample CBAMCheck dossier. This is a real output generated with generic data — the same 12 deliverables you will receive with your company’s actual figures.

Download sample dossier (ZIP)

Generic data. Your dossier will contain your actual import figures, CN codes and emission calculations.

Estimate your CBAM exposure

Select your sector and country of origin. CBAMCheck searches through 13,566 official records from Implementing Reg. (EU) 2025/2621 and shows the result with the 2026 mark-up included.

Quick CBAM Calculator

Average European Commission default values per sector and country of origin.

Default emissions (tCO₂e/t)
Mark-up 2026 (10%)
Total emissions with mark-up
CBAM rate 2026 (2.5%)
Estimated certificates

This is a quick estimate. Your complete dossier includes projections through 2032, an editable interactive dashboard, and 10 PDF documents.

Generate your complete dossier — €299 →

Average values per sector from Implementing Reg. (EU) 2025/2621. The complete dossier uses the exact CN code of your goods, not the sector average. Estimated EU ETS price: €75/tCO₂e.

What CBAM compliance costs with each alternative

FeatureFree toolCBAMCheckSaaS Enterprise
PriceFree€299 (one-time)€1,990–€4,800/year
ModelGeneric template12 professional deliverablesAnnual subscription
Default valuesNot included13,566 (Reg. 2025/2621)Partial
Interactive dashboardNoHTML, 7-year projectionInside platform
Supplier letterNoEnglish template includedVariable
Art. 8 verification prepNoIncludedVariable
PrivacyVariable100% browser-sideData on server

Choose your licence

1 DOSSIER
€299
/ dossier

  • 10 professional PDF documents
  • Interactive HTML Dashboard (projection 2026–2032)
  • 13,566 official values integrated
  • Template letter in English for supplier
  • Importable .ics calendar
  • 10 regenerations · 30 days
  • 1 licence = 1 importing company
Get your individual licence →
PROFESSIONAL PACK
€1,999
70 generations · 1 key

  • 70 generations with a single key
  • 70 complete dossiers (12 deliverables each)
  • Switch product between generations
  • Ideal for customs representatives
  • For consultants billing CBAM compliance
70 interactive HTML Dashboards × product (projection 2026–2032). Real-time tables and charts with variable calculations. No technical training required. Fully intuitive.
🔒 Data stays on your computer. No information shared with third parties.
Request Professional Pack →

How your licence works

1
1 licence = 1 importing company. You pay €299 for the dossier you generate now. The licence is linked to your company name + EORI.
2
Up to 10 regenerations of the ZIP to correct data, adjust goods or update technical information.
3
30-day editing window from first activation. Within that period you can regenerate the dossier as many times as needed (up to 10).
4
The downloaded dossier is yours forever. It does not expire and is not tied to any subscription.

The EU CBAM portal asks for data. CBAMCheck calculates it.

THE EU CBAM PORTAL

Asks you to declare data

The EU CBAM Registry (Art. 14) requires you to submit total embedded emissions, number of certificates and carbon price documentation. It does not calculate these for you. You must arrive with the numbers ready.

CBAMCHECK

Calculates the data you need to declare

CBAMCheck takes your import data (tonnes, CN codes, country of origin) and generates the embedded emissions calculation, certificate estimation, carbon price documentation and all supporting records. You download the dossier and use it to complete the CBAM Registry submission.

Enforcement: what happens when CBAM certificates are missing

Art. 26 of Reg. (EU) 2023/956 sets the penalties.

⚠️
Authorised declarant: penalty identical to EU ETS excess emissions penalty
EU ETS rate per missing certificate

Art. 26(1): an authorised CBAM declarant who fails to surrender the required certificates by 30 September faces a penalty identical to the excess emissions penalty under Art. 16(3) of Directive 2003/87/EC, increased pursuant to Art. 16(4). Payment does not release the obligation to surrender outstanding certificates (Art. 26(3)).

⚠️
Unauthorised importer: penalty 3–5 times the standard rate
3–5×

Art. 26(2): a person who introduces goods without authorisation faces a penalty of 3 to 5 times the standard penalty. This also applies to importers exceeding the de minimis threshold (50 tonnes, Art. 2a) without authorisation (Art. 26(2a)).

Estimating certificates for multiple origins and product categories?

Professional Pack: 70 generations. Certificate estimates for every dossier.

Request Professional Pack
One-business-day response · No sales call required

What CBAMCheck guarantees and what it does not

CBAMCheck generates a document structured according to Art. 6 and Art. 7 + Annex IV of Regulation (EU) 2023/956 from the information you enter. The truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of that information is your responsibility as importer or authorised CBAM declarant.

We guarantee that the document structure follows Regulation (EU) 2023/956 and that the legal references cited are correct. We do not guarantee that a specific document will be accepted by a national competent authority in a specific case.

CBAMCheck is not legal advice. For specific situations, consult a lawyer or specialised regulatory consultancy.

Frequently asked questions

When can I start buying certificates?
1 February 2027 on the central common platform (Art. 20).
How is the certificate price set?
Art. 21(1): weekly average of EU ETS closing prices. Art. 21(1a): for 2026, quarterly price.
How many do I need?
Depends on total embedded emissions, the CBAM rate (adjusted for free allocation under Art. 31), and any Art. 9 deduction. CBAMCheck estimates this.
Are CBAM certificates the same as EU ETS allowances?
No. They are separate instruments. CBAM certificates are purchased and surrendered under the CBAM framework, not on the EU ETS market.
Is this a subscription?
No. One-time payment. The licence includes 30 days of editing and 10 regenerations. The downloaded dossier is yours to keep.
Can I get a refund?
Upon activating the licence you give express consent for immediate generation of digital content pursuant to Art. 16(m) of Directive (EU) 2011/83, waiving the 14-day withdrawal right. Refunds are accepted only for a reproducible technical fault.
What if the regulation changes?
If the regulation changes during your licence validity, you can regenerate the document with the updated version of the generator at no extra cost.
⚠️ Important notice: CBAMCheck is a self-assessment documentation tool, not legal advice and not a third-party audit. The document is generated from your input data. You are responsible for the accuracy of the data you provide. CBAMCheck does not replace a qualified professional assessment.

Know how many certificates you need before the first purchase.

12 deliverables. Certificate estimation adjusted for Art. 31 and Art. 9. Interactive dashboard. €299.

€299 one-time
12 professional deliverables · Browser-side · No subscription · Reg. (EU) 2023/956
Generate your CBAM dossier — €299