Export Declaration

customs/compliance

Aug 25, 2020

By Yves Lacelle

Share this

Export Declaration

Did you know that an export declaration is required for commercial goods from Canada? Here are a few exceptions to this rule:

  • Shipments of unrestricted goods valued at less than CAD$2,000;
  • Exports of unrestricted goods to the United States; and
  • Personal effects that are not for resale.
Under the Customs Act, goods exported from Canada must be declared. The three main objectives of the export declaration are to:
  • Ensure that goods leaving Canada do not pose a threat to another country
  • Support the Government of Canada’s national priorities by administering applicable export requirements
  • Collect accurate information on Canadian exports for the purpose of producing Government of Canada economic reports
With your export declaration, additional documentation may be required. To ensure that prohibited or controlled goods are not illegally exported from Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency assists other federal departments and agencies by administering and enforcing legislation and regulations on their behalf.

These goods include:

  • Firearms;
  • Nuclear substances, equipment and technology; and
  • Endangered animals and plants.
Once you have determined that an export declaration is required and you may need to obtain an export permit, make sure your business number is authorized for export.

Next, you will need to determine when to submit your declaration:

  • Air: 2 hours before the goods are loaded onto the aircraft
  • Marine: 48 hours before the goods are loaded onto the vessel
  • Rail: 2 hours before the goods are loaded onto the railcar
  • Mail: 2 hours before the goods are delivered to the post office
  • Highway: Immediately before leaving the country
Finally, your declaration must be completed and submitted by the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS).

You must include the customs classification code and the Canadian Tariff or Statistics Canada code in your export declaration .

For more details on the export declaration, please contact us!

About the author

author picture

Yves Lacelle

Strategic Advisor - Business Development and Training

With over 40 years of experience in the customs field, Yves has a very thorough understanding of everything related to this environment. His meetings with companies from all over the world have allowed him to acquire an extensive knowledge of international trade. He has given several seminars and customs training courses to companies and has found solutions for clients having problems with customs authorities.

Guiding a team to provide the best customer service bears no secrets for Yves. His ability to communicate and educate his business partners makes him a golden ally for those who aspire to comply with customs regulations.

Customize your preferences

To help optimize your experience on our website, we use cookies when you visit. We respect your right to privacy, which means that you have the option of disabling the use of cookies that are not strictly required for the operation of the site. However, please note that blocking certain types of cookies may affect your experience and the services we make available to you.

Essential for you to be able to take full advantage of all our site’s functionalities and navigate in complete safety. They are also useful for remembering your preferences when you visit our site. These cookies remain active at all times and cannot be disabled.

Allow us to collect data on your browsing habits using statistical analysis tools, so that we can optimize the performance of our website, such as, but not limited to, the time spent on our site and the pages most frequently visited.

Allow us to provide you with personalized offers and services that reflect your interests, based on your browsing experience on our sites. This information also helps us measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns.