Happy 2019, readers! Welcome back for another year of importing tips to make your lives easier \u2014 we hope everyone had a relaxing bit of time off.<\/p>\n
That said, since we\u2019re all<\/i> still somewhat feeling the last lingering effects of the holiday hangover, let\u2019s ease ourselves back in with a single form \u2014 to be exact, the standard accounting form importers must submit to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for importing commercial goods: the B3.<\/p>\n
What exactly do you need to know about this basic, yet all-encompassing, piece of documentation? Discover the answers in our handy guide:<\/p>\n
Officially known as the B3-3 (or Canada Customs Coding Form)<\/a>, it\u2019s comprised of 51 fields and, at first glance, what seems like over a hundred different boxes to fill in, all on a single page \u2014 but don\u2019t fret! Many boxes are repeats per imported item, meaning you might not need to fill in everything, or you may require more than one form, depending on your situation.<\/p>\n Per CBSA, the B3 breaks down into three classifiable sections<\/a>:<\/p>\n In between all of this, however, are fields #21\u201342, which is where you\u2019ll need to enter all applicable number values: the cost of each item, taxes and duties, currency conversions, etc. (By the way, if you\u2019re wondering why we left out field #20, it\u2019s because you don\u2019t <\/i>need to worry about filling it in \u2014 more on that in the next section.)<\/p>\n Should your goods be subjected to inspection, certain categories will be scrutinized more heavily than others. While all info needs to be accurate regardless, CBSA tends to focus most closely on:<\/p>\n Given there are up to 51 fields and many of them call for special codes, considerations, and more (the full list from CBSA can be found here<\/a>, starting with Part III), we\u2019ve explored some of the highlights of what you can expect when getting your B3 in order:<\/p>\n There are other exceptions \u2014 for example, whether or not your shipment totals less than CAN$2,500, whether it\u2019s arriving specifically from the United States, or the method of transport involved \u2014 that may trigger some fields to be filled out or left alone, so be sure to take note of any relevant details, and don\u2019t be afraid to hire a customs broker to help with any uncertainties.<\/p>\n Depending on the details of your shipment, your B3 will, of course, need to be packaged along with any other necessary documentation mandated by CBSA to ensure clearance. However, certain scenarios, like if your goods total less than CAN$2,500 and are considered part of the Courier Low Value Shipment Program<\/a>, may only require the B3 to be submitted on its own.<\/p>\n If your commercial shipment isn\u2019t below the low-value threshold, the standard forms include:<\/p>\n Coloured wrappers must also be applied to your B3 forms<\/a> to indicate under which category the incoming shipment falls, be it above or below the low-value threshold, a cash-paid shipment, or one that will arrive at a customs-supervised warehouse, among others. Take the time to note which colour applies to you.<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Filling Out Your B3<\/h1>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Scenarios Involving Your B3<\/h1>\n
\n