Courier LVS (CBSA Cargo Exemption)

This article is part of the Shipment Release Types Guide

Courier Low Value Shipment (CLVS), also called Courier LVS, is a Canadian cargo exemption used for qualifying goods imported into Canada by an authorized courier under the CBSA Courier Low Value Shipment Program.

CBSA states that the CLVS Program streamlines reporting, release, and accounting procedures for qualifying goods imported into Canada and transported by an authorized courier. To qualify, the goods must have an estimated value for duty not exceeding CAD $3,300, must not be prohibited, controlled, or regulated by an Act of Parliament, and must be released at a customs office designated for that purpose by the Minister under section 5 of the Customs Act.

CBSA has placed a moratorium on applications for participation in the Courier Low Value Shipment Program effective June 3, 2019, until further notice. This does not remove the program for already authorized participants, but new participation is restricted while the moratorium remains in place.

Video Tutorial

How to create Courier LVS cargo exemptions in ACI

Overview

Courier LVS is used when qualifying low-value courier freight is moving into Canada under the CBSA Courier Low Value Shipment Program.

In ACI eManifest, Courier LVS is treated as exceptional cargo where only conveyance data is required. CBSA's ACI/eManifest highway documentation identifies Courier Low Value Shipment (LVS) as one of the exceptional cargo situations where only conveyance data is required.

Courier LVS is not the same as a regular PARS shipment. Instead of creating a normal ACI shipment for the LVS goods, the carrier reports the Courier LVS exception on the conveyance or equipment carrying the freight.

Eligibility

To qualify for the CLVS Program:

The goods must be transported by a courier authorized by CBSA for the CLVS Program.
The shipment must have an estimated value for duty not exceeding CAD $3,300.
The shipment cannot be divided into smaller shipments simply to meet the value limit.
The goods must not be prohibited, controlled, or regulated by an Act of Parliament.
The goods must be released at a customs office designated for the CLVS Program.

If the goods do not qualify, another appropriate ACI shipment type or release process must be used. Shipments over the value threshold cannot be split into smaller shipments to qualify for the CLVS Program.

Moratorium on New Participants

CBSA placed a moratorium on applications to the CLVS Program effective June 3, 2019. Customs Notice 19-12 states that no further CLVS applications will be considered while CBSA modernizes the program for an e-commerce environment.

The program remains in effect for existing participants only. Carriers that are not already authorized participants should not assume they can begin using CLVS reporting without CBSA authorization.

Reporting Courier LVS in ACI eManifest

Courier LVS cargo is reported as a cargo exemption on the conveyance or equipment, not as a normal ACI shipment.

In BorderConnect, the carrier sets the Courier LVS exception code on the truck, trailer, or container where the LVS cargo is loaded. This tells CBSA that Courier LVS cargo is aboard.

Setting the Courier LVS exemption in BorderConnect

If Courier LVS freight is the only cargo on the conveyance, the carrier can transmit the ACI eManifest with the trip portion only and no ACI shipments attached. If the conveyance also has PARS or other shipments, those shipments should be added normally and the Courier LVS exemption should be set on the applicable equipment.

Mixed Loads

A mixed load means the same truck, trailer, or container is carrying Courier LVS freight along with other reportable cargo.

For example, a conveyance may include Courier LVS boxes and a separate PARS shipment. In that case, the PARS shipment should be added to the ACI eManifest normally, and the Courier LVS exemption should be set on the equipment that contains the LVS freight.

The Courier LVS exemption does not replace required reporting for other cargo on the same conveyance. Each non-exempt shipment must still be reported using the correct ACI shipment type.

At the Border

The driver should have:

The ACI eManifest lead sheet.
The courier LVS consist or release-list paperwork required for the load.
Any other documents required by the authorized courier or CBSA.

The ACI eManifest must be accepted by CBSA before the driver arrives at the border. For highway carriers, CBSA generally requires electronic commercial data to be transmitted at least one hour before arrival at the first port of arrival.

Any PARS shipments moving on the same conveyance must also have broker clearance on file as required. If the load contains both Courier LVS cargo and regular shipments, confirm that the ACI trip, exemptions, and shipment statuses are all ready before the driver proceeds.

Best Practices

Confirm that the courier is authorized under the CLVS Program before using the Courier LVS exemption. The CLVS Program remains available to existing participants, but CBSA has not accepted new applications since the moratorium took effect.

Use the Courier LVS exemption only for qualifying goods. If the goods exceed CAD $3,300, are controlled or regulated, or are not moving through an authorized courier process, use the correct standard ACI shipment or release type instead.

For mixed loads, review each piece of cargo separately. Courier LVS cargo may be exempt from normal cargo reporting, but PARS, in-bond, CSA, or other cargo on the same conveyance must still be reported under the correct shipment type.