Check any customs clearance — every major broker in one place, courtesy of ShipCanada™
A PAPS number (Pre-Arrival Processing System) tracks a shipment's U.S. customs clearance status; a PARS number (Pre-Arrival Review System) does the same for shipments entering Canada. Your carrier assigns the number — find your customs broker below and enter it in their tracker to check whether your shipment has been received, accepted, or released. If you're not sure which broker was assigned, ask your carrier or freight provider. New to Canada-bound clearance? Read PARS Clearance Explained — who files what, when, and how to avoid the sufferance warehouse.
PAPS (Pre-Arrival Processing System) is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program for commercial truck shipments entering the United States. The carrier assigns a PAPS number — a barcode placed on the commercial invoice — that lets the customs broker file entry before the truck reaches the border. You can check a PAPS status using the tracking portal of the customs broker handling the shipment.
PARS (Pre-Arrival Review System) is the Canada Border Services Agency equivalent for shipments entering Canada. The carrier applies a PARS barcode to the commercial invoice so the Canadian customs broker can submit the entry to CBSA before the truck arrives at the border crossing.
Find the customs broker handling your shipment in the directory above, open their tracker, and enter your PAPS or PARS number. Statuses typically show as received, accepted, or released. If you don't know which broker was assigned, ask your carrier or freight provider.
Direction. PAPS covers commercial shipments entering the United States and is administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. PARS covers commercial shipments entering Canada and is administered by the Canada Border Services Agency. A cross-border round trip can involve both.
Want the full walkthrough of how cross-border clearance works? See PARS Clearance Explained for Canada-bound freight, How Does Customs Work in Canada? or visit our Shipping School.