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Moving to Canada: customs & CFIA checklist

Two agencies read one form. Answer five questions to see whether your household goods clear duty and tax-free as settlers' or former residents' effects (Form BSF186, tariff items 9807.00.00 and 9805.00.00), then check every item against the CBSA and CFIA food, plant, animal and soil rules before you pack.

Form BSF186 — Personal Effects Accounting Document (+ BSF186A list of goods) · Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) + Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), enforced at the border by CBSA · last reviewed 15 October 2026 against the official sources below

1. Do my goods clear duty-free? (Settlers' effects (9807.00.00) and former residents' effects (9805.00.00))

Which of these describes you?
Are the goods your own personal and household property, not for sale or business use?
Have you owned AND used the goods for 6 months or more?
Does your shipment fit the time limits (your arrival and the shipment close together)?
Does the shipment include any of these?

Documents to clear your shipment

  • Form BSF186 — Personal Effects Accounting Document: pre-fill it, but the CBSA officer completes it at your first point of entry, assigns a file number and gives you a copy — that copy is the receipt you need to clear goods to follow
  • Form BSF186A — Personal Effects Accounting Document (list of imported goods), or your mover's inventory: two copies, typed, split into 'goods accompanying me' and 'goods to follow', each item with value in CAN$, make, model and serial number where applicable
  • Passport and immigration documents for every family member — Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) or immigrant visa, work permit or study permit; the officer confirms your status before granting the tariff relief
  • Evidence that you owned, possessed and used the goods abroad — bills of sale, registration and insurance documents; former residents should also be able to show they lived abroad for one year or more and held the goods for six months
  • Bill of lading or air waybill and the cargo control number of the shipment (the BSF186 asks for it); your mover supplies these
  • For jewellery and high-value items: an appraisal or insurance schedule describing each piece, plus dated photographs signed by the jeweller or gemologist
  • Vehicles: title/registration and insurance in your name, proof of the date of manufacture, and Transport Canada Vehicle Import Form 1 (RIV e-Form 1 for US-specification vehicles)
  • Pets: rabies vaccination certificate in English or French signed by a licensed vet (dogs and cats 3 months or older) — or the rabies-free-country certificate where it applies. Used mattresses: a certificate or signed letter from a qualified person confirming cleaning and fumigation in the country of export

What is taxed and what is not

  • Qualifying settlers' and former residents' effects — owned, possessed and used abroad, listed on the BSF186 at first entry: no customs duty, no GST/HST.
  • Goods that fail the test (new, leased, commercial, not on the original list) and, for former residents, the value of any single item above CAN$10,000: duty according to the tariff classification and country of origin, plus 5 % GST and the provincial HST or PST portion that applies to casual (personal) imports.
  • Alcohol above 1.5 L wine / 1.14 L spirits / 8.5 L beer, or shipped unaccompanied in the container; tobacco above 200 cigarettes / 50 cigars / 200 g / 200 sticks or unstamped: duty, excise, GST/HST and provincial levies. Alcohol must also stay within the provincial liquor authority's limits.
  • CFIA inspections collected by CBSA (plus GST/HST, indexed every 31 March): settler's/personal effects CAN$40.65 per lot (max CAN$203.25 per destination per day), used equipment CAN$52.97 per lot, dogs/cats from outside the US CAN$36.95 for the first animal and CAN$6.16 each additional. Cleaning and disinfection of soiled goods at an approved facility — and any removal or destruction — is at your cost.

2. Can I ship it? — CFIA item checker

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) sets the rules for food, plants, animals and related products — meat, dairy, eggs, fruit and vegetables, seeds, soil, wood and wood products, hides, feathers and trophies — and CBSA officers enforce them when your shipment is examined. Canada has zero tolerance for foreign soil: anything more than transport dust on boots, tools, bikes, outdoor furniture or a car sends the item to cleaning and disinfection at your expense or refuses it entry. By law every food, plant and animal item must be declared; the CFIA's Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) gives the current condition for any product and origin.

Don't ship — Prohibited or assessed separately — leave it outDeclare + clean — Declare, clean/dry it, expect inspection or treatmentDeclare — Declare and list it clearlyNo concern — No specific concern
No match — if it is made of wood, plant or animal material, is food, or has been outdoors, declare it and check with the authority before packing.
Don't ship
Fresh fruit and vegetablesRestricted or prohibited depending on country of origin (check AIRS) and limited to 20 kg carried by you — never pack any in the container.
Food
Don't ship
Fresh, dried or cured meat — ham, sausage, salami, biltong, jerky, gameNot permitted from countries other than the US. Baked goods containing meat are also refused.
Food
Don't ship
Shelf-stable cooked meat in sealed cans or retort pouchesAllowed only when carried in by you (max 20 kg), not by mail, courier or unaccompanied shipment — leave it out of the move.
Food
Don't ship
Eggs and egg productsNot permitted from countries other than the US.
Food
Declare
Cheese, yogurt, butter and other dairyPasteurised cheese, yogurt, kashk and ice cream are permitted from any country (20 kg / 20 L); unpasteurised cheese only from countries free of certain animal diseases. Declare it.
Food
Declare
Dry pantry — spices, tea, coffee, rice, pasta, dried herbs, nuts, seeds, grains, tinned and dried fruit and vegetablesGenerally allowed up to 20 kg or 20 L per category; nuts, grains, seeds and dried foods must be checked in AIRS. Declare and list; ship as little as possible.
Food
Declare
Honey, jam, condiments, confectionery, baked goods without meat, infant formulaAllowed within the personal-use limits (honey 20 kg; others 20 kg / 20 L); infant formula must be commercially packaged, sealed and shelf-stable. Declare.
Food
Declare
Alcohol — wine, spirits, beerDuty-free allowance (one of 1.5 L wine, 1.14 L spirits, 8.5 L beer) applies only to alcohol accompanying you. Bottles in the container pay duty, taxes and provincial levies and must respect the provincial liquor authority's limits. Declare every bottle.
Food
Declare
Tobacco, cigars, vaping products200 cigarettes / 50 cigars / 200 g / 200 sticks duty-free only if stamped 'duty paid Canada droit acquitté' and in your possession on arrival; unstamped tobacco pays a special duty.
Food
Declare
Dogs and catsRabies vaccination certificate in English or French from a licensed vet for animals 3 months and older (rabies-free-country certificate option for Finland, Sweden, Ireland, Iceland, UK and others). CBSA inspection fee CAN$36.95 first animal + CAN$6.16 each additional, plus GST/HST.
Pets & animals
Declare
Birds, rabbits, ferrets, reptiles, fish and other petsSeparate CFIA import conditions by species and origin — check AIRS before booking; inspection fee CAN$43.12 for the first animal, CAN$7.38 each additional.
Pets & animals
Declare
Pet food and treatsRegulated by the CFIA — confirm the condition for the product and origin in AIRS before packing and keep it to commercially packaged, sealed products.
Pets & animals
Declare + clean
Saddles, bridles, halters, horse rugs, feeding utensils, pet cages, beds and beddingAnimal equipment must be free of blood, urine, faeces, soil and parasites — otherwise it is sent for cleaning and disinfection at an approved facility at your cost.
Pets & animals
Declare + clean
Feathers, hides, skins, wool, antlers, hunting trophies, taxidermyRegulated animal products — declare and expect inspection; protected species need CITES permits. Items from an area with foot-and-mouth or avian influenza may be refused.
Pets & animals
Don't ship
Fishing bait, aquarium plants, live aquatic speciesRecreational fishing bait is a listed threat; prohibited aquatic invasive species and the equipment they are attached to can be seized or ordered cleaned.
Pets & animals
Declare
Commercially made wooden furniture — tables, chairs, beds, dressers, bookcasesBark-free, commercially processed furniture is exempt from the wood directive but remains subject to inspection: must be free of living pests, signs of pests, soil and debris.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Don't ship
Wooden items with bark — rustic or live-edge furniture, bark decorations, log slicesUntreated bark-bearing wood from outside continental North America is prohibited; with bark it needs heat treatment or fumigation plus a phytosanitary certificate — leave it behind.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare + clean
Wooden carvings, masks, statues, handicrafts, decorative woodDried, bark-free decorative wooden items for personal use travelling as personal effects are exempt but inspected; any piece with bark needs treatment and a phytosanitary certificate.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare + clean
Bamboo furniture, baskets, blinds, poles; rattan and wickerDried bamboo furniture and baskets are exempt only if each piece is 1.5 cm or less in diameter; thicker bamboo and all bamboo poles need fumigation or heat treatment plus a phytosanitary certificate. Check rattan and wicker in AIRS.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Don't ship
Firewood, logs, untreated timber, bark chipsFirewood needs a Permit to Import, heat treatment to 56 °C for 30 minutes and a phytosanitary certificate; firewood with bark from outside continental US is prohibited. Buy locally.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare + clean
Wooden crates, pallets, dunnageWood packaging must meet CFIA directive D-98-08 (ISPM 15 treated and marked); home-made untreated crates are a problem. Used containers and wood packaging may be inspected (CAN$22.18 per lot).
Wood, cane & bamboo
Declare
Musical instruments — piano, guitar, violin, drumsCommercially made instruments: declare and list. Instruments with rawhide, bark or untreated wood are inspected like other animal and wood products.
Wood, cane & bamboo
Don't ship
Live plants, cuttings, houseplants, seeds, bulbsListed threats — most need import permits or are prohibited depending on origin. Do not ship.
Garden & plants
Don't ship
Soil, potting mix, compost, sand, stones or pots with soilCanada has zero tolerance for foreign soil; soil and related matter are prohibited and anything contaminated is refused or cleaned at your cost.
Garden & plants
Declare + clean
Garden tools, lawnmower, wheelbarrow, outdoor furniture, planters, BBQMust be free of soil, sand, plant residue, manure and debris; empty every pot. Soiled items go to cleaning and disinfection at an approved facility at your expense.
Garden & plants
Declare
Dried flowers, wreaths, pinecones, potpourri, straw ornaments, plant-material Christmas decorationsHome-made articles from plants are a listed concern — declare them and check the condition in AIRS; expect inspection.
Decor & ornaments
Declare
Antiques, cultural objects, archaeological piecesCertain antiquities and cultural property cannot enter without the export permit of the country of origin.
Decor & ornaments
Declare
Jewellery, watches, art and other high-value itemsList each piece individually with an appraisal and dated, signed photographs. Former residents: value above CAN$10,000 per item is taxed.
Decor & ornaments
Declare + clean
Hiking boots, football boots, wellies, riding and farm clothingSoiled hiking boots are a listed threat — scrub soles until no soil remains. Footwear and farm clothing with organic material are cleaned at your cost.
Outdoor, sport & camping
Declare + clean
Tents, camping gear, bicycles, kayaks, canoes, fishing and diving equipmentClean soil, mud, plant debris and aquatic growth off boots, boats, bikes and tools before packing; equipment carrying aquatic invasive species can be seized or ordered cleaned.
Outdoor, sport & camping
Declare
Personal car or motorbike (owned and driven abroad)Eligible as settlers' effects if licensed, insured and driven abroad in your name — but admissible only if it meets the Motor Vehicle Safety Act: from outside the US/Mexico generally 15 years old or older, or a returning Canadian-spec vehicle. Must be soil-free; cannot be sold for 12 months.
Vehicles & machines
Declare
US-specification vehicle bought in the USGoes through the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV): Vehicle Import Form 1, RIV fee (CAN$325 plus taxes under the 2020 fee notice) and inspection within 45 days before provincial registration.
Vehicles & machines
Don't ship
Leased or company carLeased goods fail the ownership test — not settlers' or former residents' effects; duty and taxes apply even if the vehicle is admissible.
Vehicles & machines
Declare + clean
Trailers, pleasure boats, motor homes, private aircraftEligible as effects (mobile trailers up to 2.6 m wide, utility trailers, boats and their trailers, motor homes) but subject to Transport Canada requirements and must be free of soil and aquatic growth.
Vehicles & machines
Don't ship
Tractors, farm machinery, farm implements, livestockExcluded from settlers' and former residents' effects — assessed as a normal import and given a full underside soil inspection.
Vehicles & machines
Declare
Used or second-hand mattressesCannot enter without a certificate — or a signed letter from a person qualified in cleaning and fumigating — showing the mattress was cleaned and fumigated in the country of export.
Household
Declare
Firearms (non-restricted) and ammunitionDeclare at the port of entry. Without a Canadian PAL: Form RCMP 5589 (CAN$25, valid 60 days, signed in front of the officer). Restricted firearms also need an Authorization to Transport; since 1 September 2024 ammunition and magazines need a licence or confirmed declaration.
Household
Don't ship
Pepper spray, stun guns, switchblades and gravity knives, push-daggers, silencers, replica firearms, prohibited firearmsProhibited weapons and devices — settlers cannot import them under any circumstances; undeclared weapons are seized and may be prosecuted.
Household
Don't ship
Baby walkers, jequirity-bead jewellery and other prohibited consumer productsProhibited under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act.
Household
Declare
Prescription medicines and health productsListed by the CBSA as restricted — check Health Canada's conditions and declare; do not ship bulk supplies in the container.
Household
Declare
Cash or monetary instruments of CAN$10,000 or moreMust be declared on arrival; undeclared funds can be seized and fined.
Household
No concern
Metal and plastic furniture, sofas, appliances, electronics, books, clothing, linen, kitchenwareNo specific CFIA concern — list them with make, model and serial numbers where applicable, and make sure appliances and kitchenware are clean and free of food residue.
Household
Don't ship
Goods not on your original BSF186 listGoods to follow qualify for duty- and tax-free entry only if they appear on the list presented at your first arrival — anything missing is assessed as a normal import.
Packing
Declare + clean
Straw, hay or plant material as packing; re-used fruit, vegetable or meat cartonsPlant material and soil-contaminated packaging are regulated — use new cartons and paper so the shipment is not held for cleaning.
Packing

How to pack so you clear inspection first time

  1. Clean every item that touched soil, plants, food or animals until nothing but transport dust remains — boots, bikes, garden tools, outdoor furniture, the car underside — then let it dry. Zero tolerance means exactly that.
  2. Check all wood: no bark, no live insects, no frass. Leave firewood, bark-edged pieces and thick bamboo behind unless you hold a phytosanitary certificate.
  3. Type your inventory in two copies with value in CAN$, make, model and serial number per item, split into 'accompanying' and 'goods to follow' — and present it at your FIRST point of entry even if you arrive with nothing.
  4. Keep the officer-stamped BSF186 copy with your passport; your mover and customs broker need it to release the container.
  5. Pack food only in your luggage within the personal-use limits, never in the container; put alcohol and tobacco in your hand luggage so the allowance applies.
  6. When in doubt, declare. Declaring a regulated item costs nothing; failing to declare it costs a CAN$500–1,300 CFIA penalty or 25–70 % of the goods' value.

Penalties and costs

  • Undeclared or falsely declared goods are seized; to get them back you pay a penalty of 25 % to 70 % of their value (the CBSA's 2025 review cites up to 80 %). Alcohol and tobacco not properly declared are seized permanently, and a vehicle used to bring goods in unlawfully can be seized too.
  • Food, plant and animal violations: Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties of CAN$500 (minor), CAN$800 (serious) or CAN$1,300 (very serious) per violation; paying within 15 days halves the amount but admits the violation.
  • The CBSA keeps an infraction record: expect more detailed examinations on future trips and ineligibility for NEXUS and CANPASS. Appeals against a seizure must be filed within 90 days.
  • Selling or giving away duty-free goods within 12 months triggers the duty and taxes; soiled goods are cleaned and disinfected at your cost or refused; a vehicle that fails the Motor Vehicle Safety Act is denied entry, detained at your expense and importing it is a criminal offence. Commercial parties in the chain (carrier, forwarder, broker) face AMPS penalties for reporting failures.

Fees and penalty amounts are revised regularly — confirm current figures on the official pages below before you ship.

FAQ

How long do I need to have owned my goods to bring them in duty-free?

Settlers (first-time residents) have no minimum period, but each item must have been owned, possessed and used abroad before arrival. Former residents returning after a year or more abroad must have owned, possessed and used the goods for at least six months — a rule waived if you lived abroad for five years or more. Leased goods never qualify.

Can my container arrive after me?

Yes. Declare it as 'goods to follow' on your list at your first point of entry; the officer records it on Form BSF186 and there is no time limit for the goods to arrive. Items not on that original list are assessed as a normal import. Goods arriving before you are held in a sufferance warehouse for 40 days before unclaimed-goods procedures start.

Can I ship my wine collection with the household?

You can, but it is taxed. The duty-free allowance (1.5 L wine, 1.14 L spirits or 8.5 L beer) applies only to alcohol accompanying you on arrival. Bottles in the container pay duty, taxes and provincial levies and must stay within the limits of the liquor authority of the province where they enter.

Can I bring my European car to Canada?

Usually only if it is 15 years old or older (by month and year of manufacture) or is a returning Canadian-specification vehicle — the Motor Vehicle Safety Act does not allow a vehicle built to another country's standards to be modified to Canadian standards. US-specification cars go through the Registrar of Imported Vehicles. An eligible car you owned, insured and drove abroad can enter duty-free as a settler's effect, but former residents pay on the value above CAN$10,000, and it must arrive free of soil.

What will the CFIA inspection look for in a household shipment?

Soil and organic matter on anything that was outdoors (boots, bikes, garden tools, furniture, the car), untreated or bark-bearing wood and thick bamboo, food, plants and seeds, and animal products such as hides and feathers. Inspection of settler's effects is charged at CAN$40.65 per lot plus GST/HST; soiled items are cleaned and disinfected at your cost or refused.

Will Flyto handle the BSF186 and CFIA paperwork?

Yes. Our door-to-door service to Canada includes an inventory with values, makes, models and serial numbers ready for the BSF186/BSF186A, pre-screening of your list against the CBSA and CFIA rules before loading, and coordination with our Canadian customs broker so goods to follow clear against your stamped BSF186.

Read next

Official sources

This checker summarises public rules as at the review date for planning purposes. Customs and biosecurity decisions are made by the officers on arrival; your Flyto coordinator confirms the current conditions for your visa and shipment.

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