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Air, rail carriers and freight forwarders Highway carriers Marine carriers Profile change and cancellation requests Power of Attorney Changing bonded status Cargo control and bar-coded labels Other carrier operations Record keeping Guidelines for the use of Form BSF673 Publications and forms Contact information Frequently asked questions

Commercial carrier and freight forwarder identification and eligibility
Marine carrier code application process

Who are carrier codes issued to

For the purpose of assessing carrier code eligibility, the CBSA defines a carrier as a person involved in international commercial transportation who reports cargo to the CBSA and/or who operates a conveyance used to transport specified goods to and from Canada. To operate a conveyance means to have legal custody and control of the conveyance.

The CBSA issues one carrier code per mode per legal entity. Should subsidiary companies be separate legal entities from parent companies, each subsidiary company can apply for a carrier code.

What are the requirements

A marine carrier is required to:

register for the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) system via the CARM Client Portal (CCP).
obtain a valid CBSA carrier code using the CCP.
Register for reporting purposes (ACI program) using the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Application for Advance Commercial Information (ACI) form.

The CBSA recommends that applicants submit both applications at the same time in order to reduce the length of the application process.

Please forward your inquiries about the ACI application form and the process to TCCU-USTCC@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.

Important: Failure to submit or properly complete Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Application for Advance Commercial Information (ACI) form will not impact your marine carrier code application.

How to apply

Carriers can apply for a carrier code via the CCP.

Bonded or non-bonded

Bonded carriers are permitted to transport in-bond goods between points in Canada (e.g. to an inland destination for examination and/or release or to subsequent ports of call).

The CBSA strongly recommends that marine carriers apply for a bonded carrier code, which is needed to move unreleased goods beyond the first port of arrival (FPOA), including emergency stops, inspections, and any other occasion when the FPOA is changed. If a bonded carrier code is not obtained and a bonded movement is required, the carrier will not be allowed to move until a bond has been submitted along with a bonded status change application.

Customs bond (for bonded applications only)

The following should be considered in reviewing your customs bond prior to submitting the application to the CBSA.

Activity to be secured: Bonded marine carrier operations.
Relevant legislative authority: Transportation of goods regulations.
Bond amount: $25,000.
To perform bonded carrier operations, the Customs Bond must be a continuous bond or a bond for a specified period. If a bond for a specified period is submitted, the bonded carrier code will expire upon the date of termination of the Customs Bond.
Business number – Both Canadian and foreign companies must provide a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) assigned 15-digit identifier prior to submitting a bond.

Reference material

Date modified:: 2024-10-21

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