Why Is A Bill Of Lading Important?
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) needs and wants to know exactly what's on your truck. To help make sure all goods on your truck are accounted for and declared, you must supply a bill of lading or pick up receipt when faxing your Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS) entry to your customs broker.
Why Is A Bill Of Lading Used?
The main purpose of the standard straight bill of lading is that it is a contract of carriage. Other useful purposes are:
- It may incorporate the full terms of the contract between the consignor and the carrier by reference.
- It is a receipt signed by the carrier confirming whether goods matching the contract description have been received in good condition.
- When completed in full, it helps the customs broker match up commercial clearance paperwork to ensure they are able to make a complete declaration for all goods aboard that truck.
The carrier or the shipper can complete it, but the driver of the transport company is to sign and date it once the goods are onboard his/her truck.
PARS and ACI | Understanding the Border Crossing Process
Important Information
For Customs purposes, some of the most important details on the bill of lading are:
- Piece count (total skids, boxes, pallets)
- Weight (total weight of the goods listed)
- Description of goods
- Date (the date of pick up/export is used to establish the date for exchange rate)
If there is only one (1) location you have picked up goods from, then only one (1) bill of lading or pick up receipt is required. If you are picking up from multiple locations, then you need to have a bill of lading or pick up receipt for each location you've picked up from.
Commercial Documents
When picking up freight from the shipper, they may give commercial documents to you. If they do, please send them to the customs broker with the bill of lading or pick up receipt. It”s important that you send the customs broker all documents you have. It helps ensure that all required documents are in place to declare those goods to Customs. If the shipper doesn't supply you with commercial documents, please let the customs broker know as soon as you know, so that they can work on getting the documents in order.
Other Documents
Often, a commercial invoice and bill of lading are sufficient for the customs broker and CBSA to process your load. There are many instances where special documentation will be required. Some examples of goods that need additional documents are:
- CFIA regulated goods (fresh fruits & vegetables, fresh cut flowers)
- Transport Canada regulated goods (Vehicles) - which require another government agency (in addition to CBSA) to review the import
When faxing your PARS to the customs broker (at least five (5) hours in advance), simply affix your barcode label to the bill of lading, making sure you are not covering up any important information. Be sure to clearly indicate which port you're crossing at and on what date and time. Please also include your phone number so that you can be contacted in the case there are any documentation issues.Please remember to ALWAYS confirm that your load has been set up before you get to the border.Be accountable for the goods you are transporting and your cross border experience. Providing all the appropriate paperwork and allowing the customs broker time to do their part, will truly ease your journey.
