{"id":5928,"date":"2025-07-28T15:21:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T19:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/?p=5928"},"modified":"2025-07-29T15:25:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T19:25:40","slug":"importer-number-business-number-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/importer-number-business-number-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an Importer Number and Do You Need a Business Number (BN)?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re planning to import goods into Canada, you&#8217;ll need more than just a shipping schedule and a commercial invoice. One of the first and most crucial steps is securing an importer number, a unique identifier that allows the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca\/menu-eng.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canada Border Services Agency<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (CBSA) to track your shipments and transactions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what exactly is this number, and how is it connected to your Business Number (BN)? Here&#8217;s a simplified breakdown to help you understand.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is an Importer Number?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The CBSA uses an <\/span><b>importer number<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to recognize you as the party responsible for shipments entering Canada. Without it, your goods won\u2019t be cleared at the border.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In most cases, your importer number is based on your Business Number (BN<\/span><b>)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/revenue-agency.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canada Revenue Agency<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (CRA), formatted like this:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>123456789RM0001<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first 9 digits are your BN<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cRM\u201d indicates an import\/export program<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c0001\u201d is the specific account identifier<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re importing under a business entity, you must obtain this number before your goods arrive.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Do You Need a Business Number (BN)?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, if you\u2019re importing commercially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Business Number (BN) is a universal number used by the federal government to manage your tax accounts (like GST\/HST, payroll, and import\/export). You\u2019ll need to register for an import\/export account linked to your BN to legally bring goods into the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individuals vs. Businesses<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Businesses must register for a BN with an RM import\/export account<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individuals importing goods for personal use don\u2019t need a BN but may still need to declare goods and pay duties<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re new to importing and only bringing in small quantities for evaluation or resale testing, you may begin as an individual. However, as your volume or frequency increases, registering as a business becomes essential.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Get an Import\/Export Account<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Registering for an import\/export account in Canada is a straightforward process. You can do it in one of the following ways:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online through the CRA Business Registration Online<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By phone at 1-800-959-5525<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through a licensed <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/customs-broker-for-importers\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">customs broker for importers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who can help manage the entire process<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have this account, you can start importing under your business name with full legal and tax compliance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Can Non-Residents Get an Importer Number?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Foreign businesses can become Non-Resident Importers (NRIs<\/span><b>)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which allows them to ship goods into Canada without a physical presence in the country. This is ideal for eCommerce sellers or U.S. businesses wanting access to the Canadian market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about how to set up as an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/why-you-should-become-a-non-resident-importer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NRI in Canada<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why This Matters<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without a valid importer number:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your goods may be held at the border<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You could face delays, penalties, or storage fees<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customs declarations will be incomplete<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may be blocked from claiming GST\/HST input credits<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For first-time importers, following a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/step-by-step-guide-to-clearing-customs-for-first-time-importers\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">step-by-step guide to clearing customs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a smart place to start.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Tips to Keep in Mind<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Apply early<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Don\u2019t wait until your shipment is en route<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Double-check your BN<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Use the correct 15-digit format<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Use a customs broker<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 They can set up your account and file entries on your behalf<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Stay compliant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Renew and update your information if your business changes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re looking to streamline things, see our article on the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/top-ways-to-streamline-your-import-process\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">top ways to simplify your import process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting started with importing can feel overwhelming. But with the right guidance and paperwork in place, it becomes a smooth process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Need help registering your importer number or setting up your BN?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact us<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> today, and we\u2019ll take care of it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Need help registering your BN or setting up an importer account? Reach out to our customs experts today \u2014 we\u2019ll handle the paperwork so you can focus on growing your business.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;re planning to import goods into Canada, you&#8217;ll need more than just a shipping schedule and a commercial invoice. One of the first and most crucial steps is securing an importer number, a unique identifier that allows the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to track your shipments and transactions. So, what exactly is this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":5929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[690],"tags":[806],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5928"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5928"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5928\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5930,"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5928\/revisions\/5930"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearit.ca\/canadian-customs-broker-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}