Personal Goods (CBSA Shipment Type)
| This article is part of the Shipment Release Types Guide |
| This article is about the Canadian Shipment Type. For the U.S. Shipment Type, see Personal Shipment (CBP Shipment Type) |
Personal Goods, also known as casual goods, is a Canadian Shipment Type for non-commercial goods being transported into Canada by a highway carrier. In BorderConnect's ACI eManifest software, this shipment type is used when the goods are not being imported for sale or for any commercial, industrial, occupational, institutional, or similar use.<ref name="d2-3-6">CBSA Memorandum D2-3-6, Non-commercial provincial tax collection: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-3-6-eng.html</ref>
Personal Goods are different from PARS shipments, but the highway carrier must still report the cargo on an ACI eManifest when the goods are transported by a commercial highway carrier. CBSA must receive and validate highway cargo and conveyance data at least one hour before the shipment arrives at the First Port of Arrival.<ref name="aci-requirements">CBSA commercial reporting requirements: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/aci-manif-ipec/req-exig-eng.html</ref>
When to Use Personal Goods
Use this shipment type when the goods are being imported for personal use rather than for a business or other commercial purpose. Common examples include household goods, personal effects, or casual/non-commercial purchases being transported for an individual.
Do not use Personal Goods for freight imported for sale, resale, distribution, business use, occupational use, institutional use, or any other similar commercial purpose. Those shipments normally require a commercial release process such as PARS.
Declaring a Personal Goods Shipment in ACI eManifest
To report a Personal Goods shipment in BorderConnect:
- Create an ACI Shipment.
- Select Personal Goods as the Shipment Type.
- Enter the Cargo Control Number, shipper, consignee, and commodity information.
- Attach the shipment to the ACI Trip and transmit the trip to CBSA.
Although a Personal Goods shipment is not a PARS shipment, the carrier still needs a unique Cargo Control Number and the normal ACI cargo data needed to identify the shipment. The Cargo Control Number identifies the cargo submission and normally consists of the CBSA carrier code followed by a carrier-assigned unique shipment number.<ref name="ccn">CBSA cargo control and bar-coded labels: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/services/carrier-transporteur/codes-labels-etiquette-eng.html</ref>
Documents at the Border
The driver should be prepared to present the paperwork needed for the personal shipment at the border. The exact document depends on the type of non-commercial goods and the importer's circumstances.
| Document | When it may apply |
|---|---|
| A8A(B) - Cargo Control Document | Used as a cargo control document when a paper cargo document is required. |
| BSF715 or BSF715-1 - Casual Goods Accounting Document | Used by CBSA to account for casual/non-commercial importations and show applicable duties and taxes. |
| BSF186 - Personal Effects Accounting Document | Used for personal effects, including settlers, former residents, seasonal residents, or beneficiaries. |
| BSF186A - Personal Effects Accounting Document continuation sheet | Used as a continuation sheet for additional imported goods or goods to follow. |
For more information on casual importations, see CBSA Memorandum D17-1-3. For goods of persons moving or returning to Canada, see Moving or returning to Canada and CBSA Memorandum D2-2-1.
| To comply with ACI eManifest requirements, highway carriers must ensure that cargo and conveyance data is received and validated by CBSA at least one hour before the driver arrives at the First Port of Arrival. If the trailer also includes PARS shipments, the carrier should also ensure the broker release information for those PARS shipments is on file before arrival. |
References
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