International Shipping from Canada: The 2026 Guide

Shipping out of Canada: customs form, commercial invoice, CBSA export declaration, and duties paid by the recipient (DDU) or by you (DDP).

Quick answer

To ship internationally from Canada, you need a customs declaration for every parcel (a Canada Post customs form, or a commercial invoice with UPS and FedEx), sometimes a CBSA export declaration, and a decision on who pays duties: the recipient (DDU) or you (DDP). Then pick the service for the delivery time you need and compare the total.

The customs documents to prepare

The document depends on the network. Canada Post requires a customs form for each package sent outside Canada; the data is sent electronically, but the paper copy must still travel with the parcel. Its online form produces a QR code you take to a post office. At UPS, a commercial invoice is required for all cross-border shipments, except documents with no commercial value.

Requirements published by the CBSA and the carriers, checked October 12, 2026.
Document	Who asks for it	When
Customs form	Canada Post	Every package sent outside Canada; generic descriptions are not accepted
Commercial invoice	UPS (and FedEx, which uses it with the air waybill)	Every cross-border shipment at UPS, except documents with no commercial value; three signed copies if not sent electronically
Export declaration	CBSA, through CERS	Commercial goods worth CAN$2,000 or more going anywhere other than the U.S. (including through the U.S.); controlled or regulated goods
Declaration ID (Zonos)	Canada Post, shipments to the U.S.	A 13-character code required before the label is issued

According to the CBSA, non-restricted goods exported for consumption in the United States do not need an export declaration; restricted goods still need their permit or licence. Filing in CERS requires a 15-character business number (BN15). UPS adds that giving the product's tariff code helps import charges be assessed accurately.

Who pays duties and taxes: DDU or DDP

In most countries, duties and taxes can apply on arrival. You choose who pays them. UPS puts it this way: under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), the shipper pays; under DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid), the receiver pays.

UPS: without a UPS payment account, a shipment paid by credit card defaults to DDU. If the receiver does not pay, UPS may recover the amounts from the shipper.
FedEx: the shipper, the recipient or a third party can be named; if none is picked, it is the recipient. The sender stays ultimately liable, and some countries do not allow billing the recipient.
Canada Post to the U.S.: the label requires a Zonos Declaration ID, obtained by prepaying duties (a Zonos account or the Zonos Prepay app). According to its pages published after the August 29, 2025 change, shipments over US$800 go DDU. Check the current page.

Tell your customer if they will owe duties on delivery. If they refuse to pay, FedEx bills the original shipper and UPS may recover the amounts from you.

Choosing the service level

Carriers sell several international speeds, from economy postal services to express courier services. Names, published delivery times and guarantees differ from one carrier to the next; we compare them in a dedicated guide to standard, expedited and express tiers.

The network matters too: a postal service hands the parcel to the destination country's post, while a courier delivers it on its own network. The documents required and the duty payment options follow that choice.

Before you buy the label: the checklist

Check that the product can be exported and imported into the destination country, and whether it needs a permit.
Describe each item precisely, with its quantity, value and country of origin; add the HS code if you know it.
Work out whether an export declaration is required (CAN$2,000 or more outside the U.S., or controlled goods).
Choose DDU or DDP and tell the recipient what they will have to pay.
Compare the total of several services for the same parcel and destination before you buy.

Official sources

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an export declaration to ship out of Canada?

According to the CBSA, yes for commercial goods worth CAN$2,000 or more sent anywhere other than the U.S., and for controlled goods. Non-restricted goods for consumption in the U.S. do not need one.

Who pays customs duties on an international parcel?

Whoever you name. Under DDU the recipient pays on arrival; under DDP the shipper does. At FedEx, if nobody is picked it is the recipient; at UPS, a card-paid shipment without an account defaults to DDU. The shipper can be billed if the recipient refuses.

Is a commercial invoice required?

At UPS, yes for all cross-border shipments, except documents with no commercial value. At Canada Post, the customs form plays that role for every package sent outside Canada.

What is Canada Post's Declaration ID?

A 13-character Zonos code confirming that duties have been assessed and secured. Canada Post requires it to issue a label to the U.S.; it expires after five days if not linked to a tracking number.

This guide is published by MesColis.ca Inc., which operates MesColis and ShipSmarter. Lire en français