Importing Goods without a Commercial CarrierUsually, goods being imported to Canada are transported by a commercial carrier such as a trucking company or courier. Occasionally, however, goods are carried by someone who is not registered as a commercial carrier. These shipments are known as Hand-Carried Goods shipments, and they are processed through customs a little differently.
An example of a Hand-Carried Goods shipment might be when the owner of a Canadian business drives to the USA, picks up goods in their own car or truck, and drives them back into Canada. Another example would be when someone who is a paying passenger on a bus, ferry or airplane carries goods for commercial import in their luggage.
When you import Hand-Carried goods, you have two options for the customs process: either you can self-declare the goods when you arrive at the border, or you can employ a customs broker. If you choose to self-declare, when you arrive at the border you will need to go into the customs office and fill out a form B3-3 with all of the information about your goods. You will need to pay any duties and taxes owing to the cashier at the customs office before you can proceed over the border.
If you decide to work with a customs broker, you will need to provide information about your shipment to your broker before you reach the border, including a list of everything on your shipment along with the values and origins of all the products, the weight and number of boxes you are carrying, and which border crossing you plan to use. Your broker will then create a digital entry containing all of the information CBSA needs about your shipment, and submit it in advance to customs. Your broker will also send you a page with a barcode on it, which you will need to print out and bring with you when you cross the border into Canada.
For any Hand-Carried Goods shipment, the carrier is required to be an employee or affiliate of the company which is acting as the Importer of Record. The Importer of Record is the party who employs the customs broker, and it is usually the purchaser in Canada. This means that, most of the time, when a Canadian company is purchasing goods from an American vendor, a representative from the vendor company cannot drive the goods up to Canada and bring them over the border as a Hand-Carried Goods shipment.
Some specific goods have additional requirements for import or export, whether or not they are coming as Hand-Carried shipments. Vehicles, for example, are often required to be exported from the USA through the AES process before they can enter Canada. If you aren’t sure, check with your broker and find out what the import requirements for your particular goods will be.
If you are planning to import goods without a commercial carrier, it’s always a good idea to get your broker involved as early in the process as you can. Your broker can guide you through the Hand-Carried process from start to finish, from advising you of your options and responsibilities to setting up your shipment.
If you want to find out more about importing goods without a commercial carrier, get in touch!
By Robin Smith, M.A., CCS
– Robin is a trade industry professional based in Victoria, BC.
Usually, goods being imported to Canada are transported by a commercial carrier such as a trucking company or courier. Occasionally, however, goods are carried by someone who is not registered as a commercial carrier. These shipments are known as Hand-Carried Goods shipments, and they are processed through customs a little differently.
An example of a Hand-Carried Goods shipment might be when the owner of a Canadian business drives to the USA, picks up goods in their own car or truck, and drives them back into Canada. Another example would be when someone who is a paying passenger on a bus, ferry or airplane carries goods for commercial import in their luggage.
When you import Hand-Carried goods, you have two options for the customs process: either you can self-declare the goods when you arrive at the border, or you can employ a customs broker. If you choose to self-declare, when you arrive at the border you will need to go into the customs office and fill out a form B3-3 with all of the information about your goods. You will need to pay any duties and taxes owing to the cashier at the customs office before you can proceed over the border.
If you decide to work with a customs broker, you will need to provide information about your shipment to your broker before you reach the border, including a list of everything on your shipment along with the values and origins of all the products, the weight and number of boxes you are carrying, and which border crossing you plan to use. Your broker will then create a digital entry containing all of the information CBSA needs about your shipment, and submit it in advance to customs. Your broker will also send you a page with a barcode on it, which you will need to print out and bring with you when you cross the border into Canada.
For any Hand-Carried Goods shipment, the carrier is required to be an employee or affiliate of the company which is acting as the Importer of Record. The Importer of Record is the party who employs the customs broker, and it is usually the purchaser in Canada. This means that, most of the time, when a Canadian company is purchasing goods from an American vendor, a representative from the vendor company cannot drive the goods up to Canada and bring them over the border as a Hand-Carried Goods shipment.
Some specific goods have additional requirements for import or export, whether or not they are coming as Hand-Carried shipments. Vehicles, for example, are often required to be exported from the USA through the AES process before they can enter Canada. If you aren’t sure, check with your broker and find out what the import requirements for your particular goods will be.
If you are planning to import goods without a commercial carrier, it’s always a good idea to get your broker involved as early in the process as you can. Your broker can guide you through the Hand-Carried process from start to finish, from advising you of your options and responsibilities to setting up your shipment.
If you want to find out more about importing goods without a commercial carrier, get in touch!
By Robin Smith, M.A., CCS
– Robin is a trade industry professional based in Victoria, BC.
