Shipping Documents for Shipments from Canada to the USA
Shippers are required to prepare the following three forms: a bill of lading, a commercial invoice, and a certificate of origin.
The information on the bill of lading must match the information listed on the commercial invoice. The bill of lading must contain a complete and accurate description of the goods, and it must be legible. Please clearly indicate the name of the customs broker (or appointed agents) at the border, port or inland sufferance warehouse.
You will need two copies of the commercial invoice. One copy must accompany the shipment from the point of pickup to the point of Customs clearance, while the other should be attached to the bill of lading. This document is simply an invoice, usually supplied by the vendor, with a complete description of the goods being shipped, along with the proper valuations and currency information.
The certificate of origin is used by the broker to determine the correct rate of duty under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). If this document is missing, the highest rates may be applied to each consignment, and Canada Customs may not allow the goods into the country.
Unless special circumstances apply, shippers are required to prepare the following three forms: a bill of lading, a Canada Customs invoice and a certificate of origin.
There are two ways to clear freight entering Canada: either at the border (pre-arrival release system/PARS) or at an inland sufferance warehouse. Unless your client requests otherwise, you should request a border clearance via PARS in order to minimize cost and expedite your shipment.
*Note: If any forms are incomplete, your shipment may fail the PARS process, which may result in your shipment being re-directed to an inland sufferance warehouse for clearance.
