Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has announced that bonded and non-bonded freight forwarders, who are responsible for consolidated imports are required to transmit advance house bill data electronically for in-bond and in-transit shipments commencing November 7, 2016.

The Implementation Timeline As It Applies To eManifest Requirements For Freight Forwarders Is As Follows:

• November 7, 2016 to January 10, 2017 Transition period during which penalties for non-compliance will not be issued. CBSA will work closely with freight forwarders on corrective measures to become compliant.
• January 11, 2017- July 11, 2017 Non-compliant freight forwarders may be issued zero-rated (non-monetary) penalties under the CBSA Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).‍
• July 12, 2017 Freight Forwarders deemed non-compliant may be issued monetary penalties.

CBSA encourages freight forwarders to adopt the eManifest requirements now before they become mandatory. By doing so freight forwarders will have time to adjust to eManifest processes and correct problems effectively reducing the risk of non-compliance.

ACI eManifest Requirements Now Mandatory

Start To Prepare Now:

1. Ensure you have a valid CBSA-issued 8000-series freight forwarder carrier code and that CBSA has your current company contact information. For detailed information on obtaining a carrier code visit the Commercial Carrier section of the CBSA website. Choose a transmission option. Available options included:

• Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
• Third party service provider (Carrier Services)
• CBSA’s eManifest portal

2. Secure a copy of the technical reference chapter of the Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document (ECCRD) - Chapter 5 and 8. These chapters provide the business rules and data requirements when transmitting data to CBSA. Contact the CBSA Technical Commercial Client Unit (TCCU) for a copy.

3. Review the tools, resources and client support available on the CBSA website.

Available eManifest Filing Options:

• Full-service filing as primary service provider - For carriers who would prefer Pacific Customs Brokers to file eManifest on their behalf.
• Full-service filing as secondary service provider - A backup option for carriers that are registered with another third party service provider, or who plan to use the CBSA web portal in the event of system failures, power outages, internet connectivity issues, etc.
• Self-filing (partial) - For carriers choosing to enter eManifest data themselves.

‍Note: Pacific Customs Brokers offers 24/7 carrier support with all of our service options listed above.

We are a third party service provider and know how to be compliant with filing your ACI eManifest. Contact us at 855-542-6644 or click this link.

5 Frequently Asked Questions About ACI eManifest | Part 2