Reporting your shipment

All goods imported into Canada must be reported. Exceptions are listed in D3-1-1, Regulations Respecting the Importation, Transportation and Exportation of Goods.

Who is responsible?

In most cases, the carrier will report your shipment to the CBSA when it arrives at the international border entry point.

How to report your shipment

There are different options available depending on how the commercial goods are being imported into Canada.

Marine and air modes

Under the Advance Commercial Information (ACI) program, marine and air carriers are required to electronically transmit marine/air cargo data to the CBSA 24 hours before loading cargo at a foreign port, including the United States.

The ACI program allows the CBSA to effectively identify threats to Canada’s health, safety and security before the arrival of cargo and conveyances into Canada.

Land mode (railway and highway)

Your carrier must either report all commercial goods you import into Canada on an approved cargo control document (CCD) or, in the case of rail shipments, electronically transmit the cargo information using electronic data interchange (EDI) technology before arriving at the Canadian border.

You do not need to use a CCD in the following situations:

• you are using other service options such as EDI systems or line release; or
• you are personally transporting the shipment and you obtain its release by accounting for the goods and paying any duties at the CBSA office where the goods arrived.