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What Is An ACI Emanifest And How Do I Register For It To Send ACI Emanifests To CBSA (DIY Customs Consulting)

Last updated 5 August 2026

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This article is part of the Customs Compliance Guide
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Advance Commercial Information (ACI) eManifest lets highway carriers submit electronic pre-arrival conveyance and cargo information to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CBSA states that highway carriers transporting specified goods into Canada must electronically transmit advance cargo and conveyance data to CBSA within the prescribed timeframes.[1]

For highway carriers entering Canada, the carrier is responsible for ensuring that required ACI cargo and conveyance data is true, accurate, complete, and submitted on time. CBSA's highway mode guidance states that clients are responsible for the timeliness, accuracy, completeness, and validity of all transmitted data and that missing, late, inaccurate, or incomplete data may result in Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) penalties.[2]

ACI eManifest gives CBSA officers accurate trip and shipment information before the driver arrives at the first Canadian port of arrival. CBSA explains that ACI/eManifest and arrival reporting are separate obligations: carriers must submit advance data before arrival and must also report the goods upon arrival in Canada.[1]

Filing Timeframes

Highway cargo and conveyance data must be received and validated by CBSA at least 1 hour before arrival at the first Canadian port of arrival. CBSA's client-type requirements state that highway carriers transporting goods into Canada must transmit cargo and conveyance data electronically before arrival and that CBSA must receive and validate it a minimum of one hour before the shipment arrives at the border.[3]

CBSA's highway portal guidance also states that highway conveyance and combined highway documents may be submitted up to 30 days in advance.[4]

Carriers should submit early enough to correct errors before the driver reaches the border. CBSA states that corrections should be sent as soon as the carrier becomes aware of them, and that changes after pre-arrival data has been sent do not restart the clock unless the transmission is cancelled and re-submitted.[2]

Information Required

Information required when filing an ACI eManifest with CBSA generally includes conveyance and shipment information. CBSA's highway portal guidance explains that highway carriers submit highway conveyance documents and highway cargo documents to provide advance cargo and conveyance information to CBSA.[4]

Common conveyance-level information includes:

  • Unique conveyance reference number (CRN or trip number).
  • Port of arrival.
  • Estimated date and time of arrival.
  • Truck or tractor information.
  • Trailer information, if applicable.
  • Driver and crew information.
  • Cargo exemption information, if applicable.

Common shipment-level information includes:

  • Shipment release type.
  • Cargo Control Number.
  • Shipper.
  • Consignee.
  • City of acceptance, if applicable.
  • Description of goods.
  • Quantity and quantity type.
  • Weight.

For PARS shipments, the Cargo Control Number entered on the ACI shipment should match the PARS barcode number sent to the customs broker.

How to Register

To register for ACI eManifest, the highway carrier must first have an approved Canadian Highway Carrier Code issued by CBSA. CBSA's carrier code process states that highway carriers must create an account in the CARM Client Portal, complete the carrier code application, and then apply to transmit ACI after receiving the carrier or freight forwarder code.[5]

After receiving a carrier code, the carrier must apply to transmit ACI and complete the required setup or testing process. CBSA's ACI application form explains that it is used for clients who want to transmit ACI to CBSA electronically by EDI and that third-party service-provider clients must complete the form so the provider can transmit on their behalf.[6]

When registering for BorderConnect ACI eManifest software, the carrier will need to provide:

  • Company information, such as legal company name, Canadian carrier code, SCAC if applicable, head office address, and email address.
  • Contact information and login credentials, such as the registering user's name, title, email address, phone number, username, and password.
  • A signed ACI application or service-provider authorization when required so BorderConnect can complete the CBSA setup process.

BorderConnect Relation

BorderConnect ACI eManifest software is a service-provider option for highway carriers that want to create, transmit, correct, and track ACI eManifests without using CBSA's eManifest Portal directly. BorderConnect's ACI eManifest guide describes the software as a web-based solution for meeting ACI requirements, including preparing manifests, managing shipment data, and generating lead sheets.[7]

BorderConnect does not issue CBSA carrier codes and does not replace CBSA. The carrier must first obtain a CBSA carrier code, complete the required ACI setup, and then use BorderConnect to transmit ACI data to CBSA on the carrier's behalf.

BorderConnect also does not replace the customs broker. For brokered shipments such as PARS, the broker files the customs release while the carrier files the ACI eManifest, and both must use matching shipment identifiers so the data can connect at the border.

BorderConnect Workflow

To create an ACI eManifest in BorderConnect, the user typically starts a new ACI eManifest, enters the trip number, port of entry, ETA, driver, truck, trailer, and shipment details, then transmits the manifest to CBSA. BorderConnect's ACI creation guide describes the workflow as starting a new manifest, entering trip-level details, creating the shipment, syncing with CBSA, and verifying acceptance.[8]

For a PARS shipment, the Cargo Control Number entered in BorderConnect should match the PARS barcode sent to the customs broker. If the number does not match, the customs broker's release and the carrier's ACI eManifest may not connect properly at the border.

Once the manifest is accepted, the dispatcher can print, fax, or email the ACI eManifest lead sheet to the driver. The driver should carry the ACI lead sheet and shipment documents when approaching the first Canadian port of arrival.

Video Tutorial

How to Create an ACI eManifest in BorderConnect

Common Mistakes

  • Sending the driver to the border before the ACI eManifest has been accepted.
  • Arriving before the 1-hour filing period has elapsed.
  • Entering a Cargo Control Number that does not match the PARS barcode sent to the broker.
  • Using the wrong carrier code for the carrier physically reporting the goods.
  • Assuming ACI acceptance means the shipment has been customs released.
  • Forgetting to update the manifest when the port, ETA, driver, truck, trailer, or shipment details change.
  • Filing the wrong shipment type for a shipment that should move in bond, PARS, CSA, temporary admission, or another ACI shipment type.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 CBSA Memorandum D3-1-1 - Policy Respecting the Importation and Transportation of Goods
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 CBSA - Highway mode: Transmit electronic commercial data
  3. ↑ CBSA - Requirements by client type
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 CBSA - Advance Commercial Information (ACI)/eManifest Highway Portal
  5. ↑ CBSA - Highway Carrier Code Application Process
  6. ↑ CBSA - Application for Advance Commercial Information (ACI)
  7. ↑ BorderConnect - ACI eManifest Software User Guide
  8. ↑ BorderConnect - Creating and Submitting a New ACI eManifest
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