What visitors can bring into Canada
Personal goods
You can bring certain goods with you for your own use. Personal goods include:
- clothing
- camping and sports equipment
- cameras
- personal computers and devices
- your mode of transportation (vehicle, boat, aircraft)
You do not need to pay duty or taxes on personal goods as long as you declare all of your goods when you arrive, and take them back with you when you leave Canada. Personal goods cannot be:
- used by a resident of Canada
- used on behalf of a business based in Canada
- given as a gift to a Canadian resident
- disposed of or left behind in Canada
If you are bringing in goods for any of the reasons above, you must declare this intention and may be required to pay duty or tax on them.
More information:
Canadian tariffs of 25% on goods from the United States: How they apply at the border
Food, plants and animals
You must declare all food, plant and animal products when you arrive. This includes any pets you may be travelling with. If you do not declare your pets or food, plant and animals products, border services officers may seize (take away) them, and you may have to pay a penalty of up to $1,300.
More information:
Alcohol, tobacco and vaping products
Non-residents and temporary residents must declare all alcohol, tobacco and vaping products they have with them when they enter Canada.
If you are a non-resident or temporary resident declaring these products at the border, you must:
- meet minimum age requirements
- respect the limits on quantities you can bring in
You may also have to pay duties and taxes on these products.
Minimum age requirements
Alcohol:
- 18 years of age if you enter Canada in Alberta, Manitoba or Quebec
- 19 years of age if you enter Canada in any other province or territory
Tobacco and vaping products: 18 years of age anywhere you enter Canada
Paying duties and taxes
The border services officer will ask you why you are visiting Canada and how long you plan to stay.
Be prepared to pay duties and taxes on any quantity of alcohol, tobacco and vaping products you declare.
Quantity limits
Duties and taxes could apply to limited quantities of alcohol, tobacco and vaping products. You may also need a permit from the provincial or territorial authority for amounts over these limits.
Alcohol
- 1.5 litres of wine or
- 1.14 litres of spirits or
- 1.14 litres of wine and spirits or
- 8.5 litres of beer or ale
Tobacco and vaping products
- 200 cigarettes
- 50 cigars
- 200 grams (7 ounces) of manufactured tobacco
- 200 tobacco sticks
- 12 vaping containers or fewer
- maximum of 120 milliliters (liquid) or 120 grams (solid)
More information:
Gifts
Note: All currency references are in Canadian dollars
You can bring gifts to Canada but they must be declared. If each gift is under $60, you will not have to pay duties or taxes (the gifts cannot be tobacco products, vaping products, alcoholic beverages or advertising matter). If the gift is worth more than $60, you will have to pay any applicable duty and/or taxes on any amount over $60. For example, if the gift is worth $200, you must pay any applicable duty and taxes on $140.
Do not wrap your gifts in case border services officers need to inspect the contents.
More information:
Temporary admission permit
An officer may ask you to leave a security deposit for the goods you declare. In exchange for the deposit, the officer will issue you a “temporary admission permit.” We will keep a copy and give you one for your records. When you leave Canada, bring your goods and your copy of the permit to the port of entry. You will get a receipt and your security deposit will be refunded by mail.
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