Customs Clearance Services.

Customs clearance is the official process of obtaining permission from border authorities (such as the Canada Border Services Agency or US Customs and Border Protection) to import or export goods across international borders. It involves declaring shipment contents, submitting commercial paperwork, calculating applicable duties and taxes, and verifying regulatory compliance before goods are released for delivery.

Standard documentation for Canadian customs clearance includes a Commercial Invoice (detailing buyer, seller, description of goods, value, and currency), a Bill of Lading (BOL) or Air Waybill, a Cargo Control Document (CCD), and a Canada Customs Invoice (CCI) for shipments valued over CAD $3,300. Depending on the product, a Certificate of Origin (such as CUSMA/USMCA) may also be required for preferential duty rates.

Import duties are determined by the product's Harmonized System (HS) tariff classification code, country of origin, and declared commercial value. In addition to import duties, Canadian imports are subject to 5% federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) or applicable Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) based on the destination province.

CARM (CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management) is Canada's digital initiative that modernizes how the CBSA collects duties and taxes on commercial imports. Canadian commercial importers must register in the CARM Client Portal (CCP), set up financial security or bonds, and delegate authority to their licensed customs broker to clear goods into Canada.

Yes. UUCargo offers integrated cross-border logistics. We can manage your customs clearance documentation alongside LTL freight, FTL truckloads, container drayage, or parcel shipping, eliminating the need to coordinate between separate transport carriers and customs brokers.