PARS Shipments Basic Overview (CBSA Shipments)
Last updated 24 July 2026
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| This article is part of the BorderConnect PARS Software Guide |
This guide explains how to check the status of PARS shipments using BorderConnect's PARS Checking software. It assumes that your BorderConnect subscription is active and that your RNS registration is complete.
BorderConnect’s PARS Checking software uses CBSA’s Release Notification System to help carriers monitor release and status information for their carrier code, including PARS shipments.[1] BorderConnect’s product page states that RNS-PARS Tracking can be paired with ACI eManifest to show up-to-the-minute PARS shipment information and print proof of release documents for shipments.[2]
Video tutorial
Newest Shipments
The most commonly used PARS Checking feature is the Newest Shipments listing. It displays recent shipments that have been accepted or released by CBSA.
To access this listing, open the PARS Shipments menu and select Newest Shipments.
The Newest Shipments page has two main listings:
- accepted shipments; and
- released shipments.
BorderConnect’s mobile RNS-PARS tutorial explains that the Newest Shipments listing contains accepted shipments, which are accepted by CBSA and awaiting arrival, and released shipments, which have been released by CBSA.[3]
Accepted shipments
The accepted shipments list shows PARS shipments that have been accepted by CBSA and are waiting for the driver to arrive at the border. This is the most useful list when dispatchers are checking whether drivers are ready to cross.
A broker's PARS submission appears here once it is accepted by CBSA, provided the broker used the carrier code from your BorderConnect account. BorderConnect’s RNS-PARS tutorial describes accepted shipments as shipments that have been sent by the customs broker, accepted by CBSA, and are awaiting arrival at the border but not yet crossed or released.[3]
For each accepted shipment, BorderConnect displays details such as:
- Date and time - when CBSA accepted or processed the PARS declaration.
- PARS number / Cargo Control Number - the number entered by the broker. Confirm that this exactly matches the PARS sticker and the ACI shipment, including whether the word PARS appears and whether any zeroes were added or omitted.
- Transaction Number - a unique reference number assigned by the broker. It is not always required for the driver to cross, but it is useful if a problem needs to be investigated.
- Release Office - the CBSA office or port where the shipment is expected to obtain release. If the driver is crossing somewhere else, contact the broker to update the port.
- Driver - driver information associated with the shipment in BorderConnect. This does not come from CBSA; BorderConnect can associate the driver from an ACI eManifest, a driver profile PARS sequence, or a manual assignment.
- ACI Trip Status - if BorderConnect ACI is used, the current status of the ACI eManifest containing this PARS number, or a link to create a new ACI eManifest.
- ACI Shipment Status - if BorderConnect ACI is used, the current status of the matching ACI shipment, or a link to create a new ACI shipment.
From the listing, click View on a shipment to see more details, such as broker information, service option, sublocation, container numbers, delivery instructions, internal comments, and the option to send a status query.
Released shipments
The released shipments list shows shipments that CBSA has released. For PARS shipments, this usually means the shipment crossed the border. For in-bond or warehouse-related shipments, it may mean the shipment was authorized to move from the warehouse.
Use this list to confirm that shipments have moved into released status. If a shipment remains accepted even though the driver has crossed into Canada, follow up with the broker, driver, or CBSA as appropriate.
Released shipments display the same core information as accepted shipments. They also include the option to print a Proof of Release or Release Notification Report. BorderConnect states that its RNS-PARS Tracking software can print proof of release documents for shipments.[2]
Status queries
A status query asks CBSA for the status of a particular shipment. BorderConnect’s status query guide explains that automatic PARS updates are provided for shipments using your carrier code, while status queries can be used to request a manual update for a specific cargo control number.[4]
A status query can be useful when a PARS is not showing in Newest Shipments, when another carrier code is involved, when a shipment may have been cancelled or purged, or when you want to refresh the latest CBSA status. BorderConnect’s mobile RNS-PARS tutorial explains that users can send a status query from the PARS Shipments menu by selecting Send New Status Query, entering one or more cargo control numbers, and sending the request to CBSA.[3]
Other PARS lists
Accepted Shipments
This listing works like Newest Shipments, but only shows shipments in accepted status. Use it to focus on PARS shipments that are set up by the broker and waiting for the driver to arrive.
To access it, select Accepted Shipments under the PARS Shipments menu.
Released Shipments
This listing works like Newest Shipments, but only shows shipments in released status. Use it for crossing confirmations and release records.
To access it, select Released Shipments under the PARS Shipments menu.
Purged Shipments
Purged shipments are shipments that BorderConnect has marked as no longer active in the regular accepted/released workflow. This can happen when an accepted PARS remains unreleased for an extended period or when a status query indicates that the shipment is no longer on file with CBSA.
To access it, select Purged Shipments under the PARS Shipments menu.
BorderConnect’s status query guide states that when CBSA returns a “not on file” response for a shipment that was previously accepted, the shipment will be marked as purged.[4]
RMD Shipments
The RMD shipments listing shows shipments released using an RMD service option, such as shipments authorized to be removed from a sufferance warehouse or shipments requiring a paper RMD package at the border.
To access it, select Released Shipments under the RMD Shipments menu.
See also
- PARS Checking Software User Guide
- PARS Shipment Search Feature
- Status Query Feature
- PARS
- ACI eManifest Software User Guide
- Cargo Control Number