How CBSA Release Processing Works in Canada

How CBSA Release Processing Works

Before commercial goods can move beyond Canadian customs control, the Canada Border Services Agency must determine whether the shipment can be released. A typical commercial release process involves:

• Carrier and cargo information being reported to CBSA
• Preparation of the customs release request
• Electronic submission through PARS or IID
• CBSA validation and risk assessment
• Arrival of the associated cargo
• A release decision or referral for additional review
• Customs accounting and payment obligations after release

Understanding these stages helps commercial importers prepare documentation earlier, identify customs problems before arrival, and reduce avoidable shipment delays.

For most commercial imports, release involves both the transportation side of the shipment and the customs release request. Those two streams need to properly connect within CBSA's systems.

1. The carrier reports the shipment

   Before the customs broker can obtain release of the goods, the shipment must also be properly reported by the carrier or other applicable trade-chain participant. Depending on the transportation mode, this can involve advance cargo and conveyance information submitted to CBSA.

   The shipment is identified using cargo information such as a Cargo Control Number, commonly called a CCN. The cargo information transmitted by the carrier must correspond with the customs release request submitted for the importer.

   This is one reason carrier documentation and customs documentation should be coordinated before the shipment reaches the border. Businesses moving international freight can review our guide to freight shipping documents required for importing goods into Canada.

2. The importer or customs broker prepares the release request

   The importer or its licensed customs broker prepares the customs information required to request release. The broker may review:

   • Commercial invoice
   • Importer account information
   • Seller and purchaser information
   • Product descriptions
   • Country of origin
   • Value for duty
   • Tariff classification
   • Quantities
   • Transportation information
   • Applicable permits
   • Other government department requirements

   This review is important because CBSA's release decision depends on the information submitted.

   A vague description such as “parts” or “samples” may not provide enough information to properly establish the Canadian tariff classification or determine whether additional regulatory requirements apply.

   The information used for release must also align with the company's broader import declaration and customs accounting information.

3. The release request is submitted electronically

   Most commercial release requests are transmitted electronically to CBSA. Two important electronic release options are:

   Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS). PARS allows an importer or customs broker to submit interim accounting information before or after the goods arrive to obtain release. PARS is particularly common for commercial highway shipments moving between the United States and Canada. See What Is a PARS Number? for how PARS numbers, labels and release statuses work.

   Integrated Import Declaration (IID). The IID provides another electronic method for submitting release information and can incorporate data required by CBSA and participating government departments or agencies.

   CBSA currently permits PARS release requests to be submitted up to 45 calendar days before arrival, while IID submissions can be made up to 90 calendar days before arrival.

   This pre-arrival capability gives CBSA time to review the shipment before it physically reaches the customs office of release.

4. CBSA validates and assesses the release request

   Once the release request enters CBSA's systems, it is subject to validation, admissibility checks, and risk assessment. CBSA may consider the information associated with the goods, importer, carrier, commodity, and applicable regulatory requirements.

   The purpose is not simply to determine whether all fields have been completed. CBSA also needs to determine whether the goods are admissible and whether additional review is required before release.

   A shipment may move through the process normally, or CBSA may require additional information or examination.

   Commercial importers should understand that using a customs broker does not eliminate their responsibility for the information declared on their behalf. The broader responsibilities of the business are explained in our guide to Importer of Record Responsibilities in Canada.

5. The cargo must reach arrived status

   This is an important distinction in the Canadian release process. A customs broker can submit a release request before the shipment arrives, but pre-arrival submission does not mean the goods have already been released.

   CBSA requires the related cargo information to reach the appropriate arrived status before the shipment becomes eligible for release. For highway freight, this normally occurs when the shipment is reported at the applicable port of entry. For goods being released inland, arrival may occur when the goods reach the applicable sufferance warehouse and the required arrival information is processed.

   When the cargo has arrived and the release request is on file and in good standing, CBSA can communicate the applicable release or referral decision.

   Preparing the release request well before arrival therefore remains valuable even though final release depends on the shipment reaching the appropriate arrival stage.

6. CBSA releases or refers the shipment

   Once the required cargo and release information are available, CBSA can make a release decision. The shipment may be:

   • Released
   • Referred for additional documentation
   • Referred for further review
   • Selected for examination
   • Held while another regulatory requirement is resolved

   For electronic transactions, release information can be communicated through CBSA electronic notification systems.

   A release means the shipment can generally continue beyond customs control. A referral means additional action is required before the goods can proceed.

How Fast Does CBSA Release a Commercial Shipment?

There is no single guaranteed clearance time for every commercial shipment. A properly prepared pre-arrival release request can allow much of CBSA's review to occur before the shipment arrives.

For the 2026–2027 fiscal year, CBSA's service standard states that eligible electronic PARS and IID submissions received at least one hour before arrival should be reviewed and processed so that a release or referral decision is available upon report or arrival.

That is a service standard, not a guarantee that every shipment will be immediately released. Actual processing can be affected by:

• Incomplete information
• Incorrect documentation
• Regulatory requirements
• System issues
• Customs examinations
• Missing carrier data
• Importer account problems
• Tariff classification questions
• Permits or certificates
• Other government department requirements

Submitting documentation early gives the customs broker more opportunity to identify issues before the goods physically reach the border.

Why Are Shipments Referred or Held by CBSA?

A shipment being referred does not automatically mean the importer has committed a violation. CBSA may require additional review for many reasons.

Documentation problems

Commercial invoices should contain enough information to identify the goods, parties, values, quantities, and other information required for customs processing.

Missing or inconsistent information can slow the release process while clarification is obtained.

Missing permits or government agency requirements

Some imported goods are regulated by federal departments or agencies in addition to CBSA. Depending on the product, requirements may involve organizations such as:

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Health Canada
• Transport Canada
• Natural Resources Canada
• Global Affairs Canada

A shipment can be delayed if a required permit, licence, certificate, or regulatory approval is missing. See Import Permits and Regulated Goods.

Incorrect or uncertain tariff classification

The HS tariff classification can affect duty rates, trade measures, permits, and other import requirements. If classification is uncertain, additional information may be needed before the shipment can be processed correctly.

Recurring commercial importers should establish reliable HS codes and Canadian tariff classifications rather than relying automatically on supplier-provided codes.

Cargo and release information do not match

The carrier's cargo information and the customs release request need to refer to the same shipment correctly.

Problems with cargo control information, quantities, transportation data, or destination information can prevent the transaction from moving normally through CBSA's systems.

Valuation or origin questions

CBSA may also require clarification about the value declared for imported goods or their country of origin. These details can affect tariff treatment, duties, surtaxes, and other customs requirements.

Importer account or RPP problems

Commercial importers also need the appropriate importer account arrangements. Under CARM, businesses using a customs broker must ensure that their account and broker delegation are properly established.

Businesses still completing their importer setup can review How to Register for CARM in Canada. Importers using interim release options such as PARS and IID also need to understand the requirements of Release Prior to Payment.

For a broader breakdown of release problems, see Common Reasons Shipments Are Held at Canadian Customs.

What Happens During a CBSA Examination?

CBSA can refer imported goods for examination before release. An examination may involve a review of documentation, inspection of the goods, or other verification activity.

Depending on the shipment, CBSA may examine issues involving:

• Product identity
• Quantity
• Country of origin
• Tariff classification
• Value
• Labelling
• Permits
• Admissibility
• Regulatory requirements
• Whether the goods correspond with the information declared

Selection for examination does not necessarily mean the shipment information is incorrect. However, the goods generally cannot continue until the examination or applicable review has been completed and CBSA authorizes release.

Importers should also recognize that examinations can create transportation, warehouse, handling, or other commercial costs outside the brokerage fee itself.

Accurate documentation cannot guarantee that a shipment will never be examined, but proper preparation can reduce avoidable problems that arise from incomplete or inconsistent information.

CBSA Release vs. Final Accounting Under CARM

Customs release and customs accounting are separate stages. Release determines whether the goods may move beyond CBSA control. Accounting establishes the final customs declaration and the duties and taxes associated with the import transaction.

Importers participating in Release Prior to Payment (RPP) can obtain release of eligible commercial goods before paying the associated duties and taxes, provided the applicable program requirements are satisfied.

Since May 20, 2025, importers requiring RPP must have their own financial security in place and cannot rely on their customs broker's security for this privilege.

Importers that are not participating in RPP generally need to pay applicable duties and taxes at release and cannot normally use the interim release options available to RPP participants.

CBSA explains current commercial payment requirements on its official Commercial Import Payments page.

Businesses should therefore think of the process as:

1. Cargo reporting
2. Release request
3. CBSA release
4. Accounting
5. Payment and ongoing compliance

Our CARM & Import Compliance resource centre explains the account, RPP, and compliance requirements that sit around this process.

What Happens After CBSA Releases the Shipment?

Release does not eliminate the importer's ongoing responsibilities. After release, commercial importers may still need to manage:

• Commercial Accounting Declarations
• Duties and taxes
• CARM Statements of Account
• Customs records
• Post-release corrections
• Classification changes
• Origin adjustments
• Valuation adjustments
• CBSA verification activity
• Import compliance requirements

Errors identified after release may need to be corrected. This is why customs compliance should not be viewed as something that ends the moment the truck leaves the border.

Businesses importing regularly should understand both the release process and the broader commercial customs brokerage process in Canada.

How Garden City Supports CBSA Release Processing

Garden City Customs Services Inc. has provided customs brokerage services to Canadian importers since 1981. Our customs team supports commercial shipments entering through ports across Canada.

Before submitting a release request, our team can review information relating to:

• Commercial documentation
• Importer account setup
• Broker delegation
• Tariff classification
• Country of origin
• Customs valuation
• Duties and taxes
• Product descriptions
• Transportation information
• Permits and regulatory requirements

For recurring importers, maintaining accurate product and account information can also make future transactions more consistent.

Garden City's commercial customs brokerage services support businesses through pre-arrival preparation, electronic customs processing, CBSA response monitoring, release, and ongoing import requirements.

Our Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, and Queenston operations provide direct experience within one of Canada's major cross-border commercial corridors, while national customs broker licensing allows Garden City to support commercial transactions at customs offices across Canada.

CBSA Release Processing FAQ