Postal Shipment (CBSA Cargo Exemption): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 15:52, 16 January 2026

🔖 This article is part of the Shipment Release Types Guide

How to create a Postal Shipment exemption in ACI.

A Postal Shipment is a Canadian Cargo Exemption / Cargo Exception category under CBSA ACI/eManifest highway rules for mail (Canada Post, U.S. Mail, International).^[1]

In Canada, international mail items are presented by Canada Post to the CBSA for processing through the CBSA mail stream (including assessment of duties/taxes where applicable).^[2]

To qualify for the ACI/eManifest mail exemption/exception handling in highway mode, the load must be mail (Canada Post, U.S. Mail, International) and be reported following CBSA’s highway eManifest rules for either:

Full load only mail (exemption), or
Mail as part of a mixed load (exception – cargo data not required, conveyance data required + exception code).^[1]

Reporting Postal Shipments in ACI eManifest

CBSA lists Mail (Canada Post, U.S. Mail, International) – full load only as a Highway Cargo and Conveyance exemption (no full eManifest cargo/conveyance submission required for that exemption scenario).^[1]

CBSA also lists Mail … as part of a mixed load as an exception to cargo data (conveyance data required, and the mail is indicated using the postal exception code).^[1]

To report a postal shipment the carrier will need to set the Postal exception code on either the truck, trailer or container, depending on where the mail is loaded. This tells Customs that there is a postal shipment aboard. The carrier will not create an ACI Shipment to report the postal shipment, it must be reported using the exception code only. The example below shows how to report Postal shipments using BorderConnect's ACI eManifest software.^[1]

If the postal shipment is the only thing being transported, the carrier can transmit the ACI eManifest with only the trip (conveyance) portion, and no ACI Shipments attached. Otherwise, the other shipments can be added and the manifest can be transmitted normally.^[1]

In order to comply with ACI eManifest requirements you are required to ensure that both your manifest and the broker clearance on any PARS shipments are on file with CBSA for at least one hour before the driver arrives at the border.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 CBSA Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document (ECCRD) – Chapter 7: Advance Commercial Information (ACI)/eManifest Highway Portal (Mail listed as exemption/exception): https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/manif/eccrdhi-deccerout-eng.html
↑ CBSA – Importing by mail: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/personal-personnel/postal-postale-eng.html

[eccrd-hiway-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 CBSA Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document (ECCRD) – Chapter 7: Advance Commercial Information (ACI)/eManifest Highway Portal (Mail listed as exemption/exception): https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/manif/eccrdhi-deccerout-eng.html

[importing-by-mail-2] CBSA – Importing by mail: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/personal-personnel/postal-postale-eng.html

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 {{#ev:youtube|736KWSx5onk|960|center|How to create a Postal Shipment exemption in ACI.}}
-[[Image:Postal-shipment-mail.jpg|360px|thumb|right|A typical '''Postal Shipment''']]A '''Postal Shipment''' is a Canadian [[Shipment Types For ACE and ACI eManifest|Shipment Type]] for goods to clear through the [[Canada Border Services Agency - General Information|Canada Border Services Agency]] and as an exemption in an [https://www.borderconnect.com/aci-e-manifest/index.htm ACI eManifest]. It allows for the release of mail moving via a contract carrier from a foreign postal service to Canada Post.<ref name="ECCRD">ACI Highway ECCRD</ref>
+[[Image:Postal-shipment-mail.jpg|360px|thumb|right|A typical '''Postal Shipment''']]
+A '''Postal Shipment''' is a Canadian [[Shipment_Types_For_ACE_and_ACI_eManifest|Cargo Exemption]] / [[Shipment_Types_For_ACE_and_ACI_eManifest|Cargo Exception]] category under CBSA ACI/eManifest highway rules for '''mail (Canada Post, U.S. Mail, International)'''.<ref name="eccrd-hiway">CBSA Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document (ECCRD) – Chapter 7: Advance Commercial Information (ACI)/eManifest Highway Portal (Mail listed as exemption/exception): https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/manif/eccrdhi-deccerout-eng.html</ref>
-To qualify the shipment must be moving directly from the foreign postal service, e.g. US Postal Service, to Canada Post, and must consist only of letter class mail or correspondence. Merchandise would require a formal or informal entry and would clear under other shipment types.
+In Canada, international mail items are presented by Canada Post to the CBSA for processing through the CBSA mail stream (including assessment of duties/taxes where applicable).<ref name="importing-by-mail">CBSA – Importing by mail: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/personal-personnel/postal-postale-eng.html</ref>
+To qualify for the ACI/eManifest '''mail''' exemption/exception handling in highway mode, the load must be mail (Canada Post, U.S. Mail, International) and be reported following CBSA’s highway eManifest rules for either:
+* '''Full load only''' mail (exemption), or
+* Mail '''as part of a mixed load''' (exception – cargo data not required, conveyance data required + exception code).<ref name="eccrd-hiway" />
 == Reporting Postal Shipments in ACI eManifest ==
-Loads consisting entirely of mail are exempt from ACI eManifest reporting requirements,<ref name="ECCRD" /> however carriers do have the option of preparing a manifest for them anyway. Mixed loads consisting of mail and other shipment types, e.g. PARS, must have the postal shipment reported on the manifest.
+CBSA lists '''Mail (Canada Post, U.S. Mail, International) – full load only''' as a Highway Cargo and Conveyance exemption (no full eManifest cargo/conveyance submission required for that exemption scenario).<ref name="eccrd-hiway" />
+CBSA also lists '''Mail … as part of a mixed load''' as an exception to cargo data (conveyance data required, and the mail is indicated using the postal exception code).<ref name="eccrd-hiway" />
-To report a postal shipment the carrier will need to set the Postal exception code on either the truck, trailer or container, depending on where the mail is loaded. This tells Customs that there is a postal shipment aboard. The carrier will not create an ACI Shipment to report the postal shipment, it must be reported using the exception code only. The example below shows how to report Postal shipments using [http://borderconnect.com BorderConnect's] [[ACI eManifest Software User Guide (CBSA)|ACI eManifest software]].
+To report a postal shipment the carrier will need to set the Postal exception code on either the truck, trailer or container, depending on where the mail is loaded. This tells Customs that there is a postal shipment aboard. The carrier will not create an ACI Shipment to report the postal shipment, it must be reported using the exception code only. The example below shows how to report Postal shipments using [http://borderconnect.com BorderConnect's] [[ACI eManifest Software User Guide (CBSA)|ACI eManifest software]].<ref name="eccrd-hiway" />
 [[Image:Postalexemption2.jpg|800px]]
-If the postal shipment is the only thing being transported, the carrier can transmit the ACI eManifest with only the trip (conveyance) portion, and no ACI Shipments attached. Otherwise, the other shipments can be added and the manifest can be transmitted normally.
+If the postal shipment is the only thing being transported, the carrier can transmit the ACI eManifest with only the trip (conveyance) portion, and no ACI Shipments attached. Otherwise, the other shipments can be added and the manifest can be transmitted normally.<ref name="eccrd-hiway" />
 {{reminder|In order to comply with ACI eManifest requirements you are required to ensure that both your manifest and the broker clearance on any PARS shipments are on file with CBSA for at least one hour before the driver arrives at the border.}}