Cross-Border Shipping FAQ

How shipping works between the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom — including the customs documents you need.

How does shipping within Canada work?

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Domestic Canadian shipments move through Purolator's nationwide courier and freight network. Drop off at a shipping location or schedule a pickup and track door-to-door.
Documents required: just the shipping label / waybill (auto-generated at booking), and a bill of lading for freight (LTL/TL). No customs forms are needed for shipments staying inside Canada.

What documents do I need for domestic shipments within the United States?

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Shipments that stay inside the United States do not cross a border, so no customs documents are required.

• Shipping label / waybill — generated automatically when you book.
• For freight (LTL/TL): a Bill of Lading (BOL) as required by the U.S. DOT.
• For hazardous materials: a DOT hazmat shipping paper per 49 CFR §172.200.

How do I ship between Canada and the United States?

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Cross-border shipments between Canada and the U.S. clear customs as part of the service. Purolator can act as your broker and handles entry filing, duties, and taxes.
Documents required:

• A commercial invoice (or Canada Customs Invoice) listing each item, value, HS tariff code, and country of origin.
• Northbound to Canada: CBSA import requirements — the importer of record needs a Canadian Business Number (RM account) for commercial shipments.
• Southbound to the U.S.: U.S. CBP import requirements — commercial importers need an EIN or CBP-assigned importer number.
• Goods qualifying under USMCA / CUSMA should include a certification of origin to claim duty-free treatment.

What customs documents do I need to ship to the United Kingdom?

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Shipments to the U.K. travel by air and are cleared by HMRC on arrival. Transit from Canada/U.S. is typically 3–6 business days.
Documents required:

• A commercial invoice with item description, quantity, value, HS tariff code, and country of origin.
• A customs declaration (CN22 for items under £270, CN23 above).
• A U.K. EORI number for the importer (required for commercial shipments).
• U.K. VAT (currently 20%) and any duty — pre-paid by the sender via DDP, or billed to the recipient on delivery via DAP. See gov.uk: Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad.
• Restricted goods (food, cosmetics, electronics with batteries, etc.) may need additional certificates — check gov.uk: Starting to import.

Who pays duties and taxes?

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By default, the recipient pays duties, taxes, and brokerage on arrival (DAP — Delivered At Place). You can choose DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) at booking to bill those charges back to the sender's account, which is the smoother experience for e-commerce customers.