How commercial freight enters Canada — without getting stuck at the border. By ShipCanada™
Last updated: July 16, 2026 · Reviewed by the ShipCanada freight team · Need to check a PARS status instead? Use our broker tracker directory.
What is PARS? The Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS) is the Canada Border Services Agency program that lets commercial truck freight clear customs before it reaches the border. The carrier assigns a PARS number — a barcode built on its CBSA carrier code — and the importer's Canadian customs broker files the release request against it. If CBSA accepts the entry pre-arrival, the driver's barcode scans "released" at the booth and the truck rolls through; if not, the freight waits or moves in-bond inland.
| Document | Prepared by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice / Canada Customs Invoice | Shipper (exporter) | Accurate value, currency, HS-classifiable description, origin, and importer of record. Vague descriptions are the #1 cause of rejected entries. |
| PARS barcode label | Carrier | Affixed to the invoice; the number the broker files against and the officer scans. |
| Bill of lading | Shipper / carrier | Matches the invoice piece count and weight. BOL basics here. |
| ACI eManifest | Carrier | Electronic cargo and conveyance data transmitted to CBSA at least 1 hour pre-arrival. |
| CUSMA certification of origin | Exporter / producer | Only when claiming preferential (duty-free) tariff treatment. |
| Permits / PGA documents | Shipper or importer | Food, plants, animals (CFIA), health products, and other regulated goods need participating-government-agency documentation. |
⚠ CARM check — the new first-shipment blocker. Under CBSA's Assessment and Revenue Management system, commercial importers must be registered in the CARM Client Portal with an import (RM) program account, and importers now post their own financial security for release prior to payment instead of relying on the broker's bond. An importer who isn't registered can stall an otherwise perfect PARS shipment. U.S. shippers selling delivered-duty-paid can register as a non-resident importer. Register before booking your first Canada-bound load — not the morning the truck crosses.
If the barcode isn't on file when scanned — documents arrived late, the entry was rejected, or the label is wrong — the shipment can't release at the booth. It either waits at the crossing until the broker refiles, or moves in-bond to an inland sufferance warehouse to clear there. Both cost time; in-bond moves typically add storage and handling charges, and time-sensitive freight misses delivery appointments. The common causes, in the order we see them:
Every one of these is preventable with lead time. When ShipCanada manages a Canada-bound shipment, we confirm the broker assignment and document flow at booking — before the truck moves.
| PARS | PAPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Freight entering Canada | Freight entering the USA |
| Agency | Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) | U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) |
| Number assigned by | Carrier (CBSA carrier code + sequence) | Carrier (SCAC + sequence) |
| Filed by | Canadian customs broker | U.S. customs broker |
| Pre-arrival data | ACI eManifest | ACE eManifest |
| Check status | Broker tracker directory — 40+ brokers, one page | |
A PARS (Pre-Arrival Review System) number is a unique cargo control number assigned by the carrier to a commercial shipment entering Canada. It combines the carrier's 4-character CBSA carrier code with a unique sequence, printed as a barcode label on the shipping documents. It lets the Canadian customs broker submit the release request to CBSA before the truck reaches the border, so the shipment can be released on arrival instead of being held.
The carrier. Each highway carrier bonded to enter Canada maintains its own bank of PARS numbers built on its CBSA carrier code. The shipper's job is to provide accurate paperwork; the importer's customs broker files the entry against the carrier's PARS number.
CBSA requires highway carriers to transmit ACI eManifest data at least one hour before arrival, and release requests must also be on file before the truck arrives. In practice, brokers ask for the PARS barcode and commercial invoice at least 2–3 hours before the crossing — and same-day-or-earlier is safer for first-time importers or regulated goods.
If the barcode isn't on file or the entry was rejected, the shipment can't release at the border. It either waits until the broker fixes and refiles the entry, or moves in-bond to an inland sufferance warehouse to clear later. Both outcomes mean delay, and in-bond moves usually add storage and handling fees.
Legally an importer can self-clear, but for commercial highway freight virtually all importers use a licensed Canadian customs broker — self-clearing under PARS timelines is impractical. The broker files the release request and accounting entry with CBSA on the importer's behalf.
CARM is CBSA's Assessment and Revenue Management system. Commercial importers must be registered in the CARM Client Portal with an import (RM) program account, and importers now post their own financial security for release prior to payment rather than riding on their broker's bond. An importer who isn't CARM-registered can stop an otherwise perfect PARS shipment, so register before your first crossing.
Direction. PARS covers commercial shipments entering Canada and is administered by the Canada Border Services Agency; PAPS covers shipments entering the United States and is administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The mechanics are similar — a carrier-assigned barcode that enables pre-arrival entry filing. Shipping the other way? See our PAPS & PARS tracker directory.
Use the tracking portal of the Canadian customs broker handling the shipment and enter the PARS number. We maintain a free directory of PAPS and PARS trackers for 40+ brokers including UPS, Livingston, Willson, and BCB — no login required.
Want the bigger picture? See How Does Customs Work in Canada?, Exporting 101, or our Shipping School. Classifying cross-border LTL? Start with the freight class chart & density calculator.