Cross-border
Do I need a customs broker to ship to the US?
This is the single most common question we get from first-time cross-border shippers, and the answer is not complicated.
Yes. If commercial freight is crossing the Canada–US border, somebody has to file a customs entry, and in practice that somebody is a licensed customs broker acting for you.
What a broker actually does
- Classifies your goods under the correct tariff code.
- Calculates the duty and taxes owed.
- Files the entry with CBSA or CBP before the truck arrives.
- Handles any other government department requirements.
- Keeps the records customs can ask for years later.
What a broker is not
A broker is not a carrier. They do not own trucks and they do not move your freight. We do that part. The two roles are separate on purpose, and any company telling you it does both should be asked which licence it holds for each.
Can I file my own entry?
Legally you can self-clear in some situations. In practice, for regular commercial freight, almost nobody does. The classification rules are unforgiving and an error becomes your liability, not the broker's.
The broker fee is almost always smaller than the cost of one truck sitting at the border for a day.
How we work with yours
You keep the broker you already trust. We send them the shipment details ahead of the truck, confirm the entry is filed, and only then route the driver to the crossing. You are not in the middle of that conversation unless you want to be.
If you do not have a broker yet, tell us and we will point you at a few that work our lanes regularly. We take nothing for the referral — we just prefer loads that clear.