What Kind Of Paperwork Do I Need To Ship From The Us To Canada?
Many people don't think of it this way because of the amount of trade that takes place between the two countries, but in many respects shipping to Canada is just as complicated as shipping overseas, because you are still completing an international shipping operation. While it's true that there are trade agreements in place between the two countries to try and simplify matters, it is also true that there are many demands which are unique to international shipping, including Canada, US shipping, and that most of these have to do with the paperwork. Your delivery MA company can probably give you more details on exactly what types of shipping requirements you're going to face when shipping to Canada.
When you ship to Canada, you're going to have to make sure that your shipment includes certain documents which aren't strictly speaking necessary on all domestic shipments. The exact type of paperwork will depend to a degree on what you're shipping, and the value of your shipment.
First, everything that you send across the border must be accompanied by both a commercial invoice and a BOL or bill of lading. These are the two documents which provide all of the most important information about the shipping that is taking place. The invoice essentially explains the transaction between your company and your customer, and the BOL describes the transaction between your company and the courier company.
These two forms let the customs agents know most of what they need to know. They need to know the value of the shipment to make sure that all applicable taxes have been paid. They need to know what is being shipped to know if any additional licenses or forms need to be present. They need to know where the goods are from and going for legal purposes. Most of this is covered between those two forms.
The vast amount of other paperwork that might be required on an international shipment is something that is going to be specific to what you are shipping, and something best discussed with your courier company directly. For example, if you are shipping something that is covered under a trade agreement like NAFTA, you're going to need specific documents that are part of that agreement. There are also cases where import/export permits and documents might be needed as well, which your courier can inform you about if you describe your shipment in detail to them well ahead of time.
