Customs clearance
for Canada

overview

Everything about customs clearance

"Customs clearance" or "clearing customs" means that an item being imported or exported has met a country’s requirements for entering or leaving its borders.

These requirements vary from country to country and from one item to another. Missing or incomplete paperwork and improper tariff classifications are common reasons for shipment delays at the border.

BorderBuddy can help you “clear customs” fast, with less paperwork and fewer headaches.

How it works

Clearing Canadian customs

01

Identify the country of origin and manufacturer

Identify the country of origin and the manufacturer of the item you plan to export or import. Canada has a range of goods over which it imposes import controls. The Import Control List (ICL) of the Export and Import Permits Act lists these goods.

02

Ensure business registration

Ensure your business is registered for import/export activities.

03

Obtain an import/export license

Do you have an import/export license? Be sure to complete the registration and licensing requirements with municipal, provincial, and federal government agencies.

04

Register your business for import or export

Before you can import into Canada, you must obtain an import/export account (commonly referred to as an import/export license). To do that, you must complete several registration and licensing requirements with municipal, provincial, and federal governments early in the process.

05

Label shipments in both languages

Since Canada is officially bilingual, shipments must be labeled in both English and French.

Canada Revenue Agency

Canada Revenue Agency’s Business Registration Online is your destination for all federal business registration requirements.

Blogs

Stay informed with
our insightful blogs

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