Sales to USA

Cross-Border Requirements:

Shipments under $200.00 USD do not require formal Customs entry provided the products are not being monitored by Customs or other government department. Proper documentation is still required though, in order to let Customs know the value and products of your goods being shipped. Here is a list of products currently being reviewed by US Customs.

 »  Documentation
 »  Specific Product Requirements
 »  Customs Charges

Documentation

Avoiding delays at the border is easier then you think. By having the proper documentation available to Customs, you can move your items quickly across the border for immediate delivery to your buyer.

There are essentially two documents required for US Customs:

A. Commercial Invoice
B. North American Free Trade Agreement

A. Commercial Invoice
Cross-border shipments should include a commercial or proforma invoice identifying:

• Seller
• Buyer
• Generic description of goods
• Number of parcels
• Total number of product units
• Selling price
• Country of manufacture
• Currency of sale

Importers / Exporters generally make use of the US Customs Invoice [PDF] completing each field to ensure all necessary information is provided to US Customs.

B. North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is the trade agreement between Canada, the US and Mexico that identifies qualifying products manufactured in each of these three countries; products that are duty free when imported across the border.

In order for duty free rates to be applicable, the product must be manufactured in Canada, the US or Mexico and be accompanied by the following necessary forms:

• A formal NAFTA Certificate [PDF]. This certificate is used for shipments valued at $1600.00 CAD or more and must list each product being imported. It can be valid for up to 365 days if indicated correctly in the blanket period field.
  
  
• A Low Value Statement or Appendix B [PDF]. This is used for shipments under $1600.00 CAD and must accompany each shipment where US, Canadian or Mexican origin goods are included.

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Specific Product Requirements

In some instances, US Customs and other government departments (OGD) need to monitor specific products entering Canada.

To see if you are sending monitored products to the US, check out this website.

If you ship items listed on this site, you will want to check with a broker to determine what extra steps & documentation are necessary before bringing the item into the US.

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Customs Charges

There are some charges that could be payable on shipments entering the US. As a Canadian seller you may want to incorporate these in your shipping costs. The percentages are charged on the selling price of the item before the shipping charges are added.

• Duty free if manufactured in North America
• Dutiable depending on what the product is
• Additional charges may apply if special licenses or import permits are required. Again, this would depend on the product being shipped. You would want to check with a Customs Broker or contact on the noted sheet for verification of any additional charges. Check out this website to see if your items are under review.
• Applicable Broker fees

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