Glossary

The shipping and supply chain industry is full of terms and acronyms related to shipping domestic or international freight and Canadian customs regulations.

Scroll down to see all terms and acronyms or select from the menu below: Scroll down to see all terms and acronyms or select from the menu below:

• A, B, C
• D, E, F
• G, H, I
• J, K, L
• M, N, O
• P, Q, R
• S, T, U, V
• W, X, Y, Z

 

A, B, C

Administrative Monetary Penalty System ( AMPS) :A system that addresses non-compliance with customs regulations via monetary penalties.

Advance Commercial Information (ACI): :A CBSA risk management program for identifying high-risk shipments prior to their arrival in Canada.

Bill of Lading :A contract of carriage document between a carrier and shipper.

Business Number (BN) :A number issued to commercial importers/exporters by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA): :The agency responsible for assuring compliance with trade and security regulations at the Canadian border.

Canada Customs Invoice (CCI) :The agency responsible for assuring compliance with trade and security regulations at the Canadian border.

Cargo Control Document (CCD) :CBSA Form A8A(B), Cargo Control Document, acts as the initial record of a shipment arrival into Canada.

Carrier :A company engaged in the business of transporting goods.

Certificate of Origin :A form that must be completed by the exporter of goods when claiming a preferential tariff treatment.

Commercial Invoice :An itemized list of goods shipped, usually included among an exporter's collection papers.

Country of Origin :The legal determined country in which goods have been substantially manufactured or produced.

Courier / Low-Value Shipment Program (LVS) :Program that allows international couriers to streamline the processing and release of low value shipments (Imports values at $1600 CAD or less) through customs.

Courier Imports Remission Order (CIRO) :Grants duty exemption for goods imported by courier with a value of $20 CAD or less.

Customs Broker :A company that is licensed as an agent, on behalf of an importer/owner of goods, to carry out customs related responsibilities.

Customs Self Assessment (CSA) :A comprehensive CBSA program based on risk management and partnership with approved importers and carriers.

D, E, F

Dangerous Goods :Articles or substance capable of posing a significant risk to health, safety or property, and that ordinarily require special attention when being transported.

DIM Weight (Dimensionalized Weight) :Determined by calculating length x width x height and dividing by 166.

Drawback :The refund of duties paid on imported materials that are subsequently exported.

Duty :A tax levied by a government on the import, export or use and consumption of goods.

Duty Deferral Program :A program that permits deferred payment of duties on goods for export.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) :The computer-to-computer exchange of information.

Export :To send goods to a foreign country.

Export Declaration :(Form B.l3, Form B.l4) A formal statement made to the Collector of Customs at a port of exit declaring full particulars about goods being exported.

Free and Secure Trade (FAST) :A joint program of the CBSA and CBP that expedites customs clearance via a harmonized process for pre-approved importers, carriers and drivers.

Free Trade Zone :An area to which goods may be imported for processing and subsequent export on a duty free basis.

Frequent Import Release System (FIRST) :A CBSA program that permits pre-approved importers to obtain line release of specific low-risk commodities.

G, H, I

Gateway :Port of entry into a country or region.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) :A federal tax that applies to all goods and services supplied in Canada.

Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) :A combined federal and provincial tax that that applies to imported goods destined for the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Harmonized System (HS) :The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System is an international goods classification system developed by the World Customs Organization to classify imported and exported goods.

HUB :A central location to which traffic from many cities is directed and from which traffic is fed to other areas.

Importer :A person or company responsible for preparing accounting documents for imported goods and paying the duties and taxes owed.

Indirect Air Carrier (IAC) :A security program of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that requires the adoption of strict security measures by organizations that utilize the services of passenger air carriers for the transportation of goods.

J, K, L

LTL :Less than truckload.

M, N, O

Manifest :A list of the goods being transported by a carrier identifying the shipper, consignee, weight and description of goods. Also known as a Carrier Control Document (CCD).

P, Q, R

Packing List :A list detailing the contents of a shipment.

Pallet :Load carrying platform to which loose cargo is secured.

Partners in Protection (PIP) :Load carrying platform to which loose cargo is secured.

Postal Imports Remission Order (PIRO) :Grants duty exemption for goods imported by mail with a value of $20 CAD or less.

Prearrival Review System (PARS) :A line release option available to established importers in which shipment data is transmitted to CBSA in advance of its arrival at the Canadian border.

Provincial Sales Tax (PST) :A provincial tax applicable on goods imported into British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, or Quebec.

Receiver :Term used to describe the consignee of a shipment.

Release on Minimum Documentation (RMD) :The traditional, and most time consuming, method for the processing and release of a shipment through customs.

S, T, U, V

Shipment :Freight tendered to a carrier by one consignor at one place at one time for delivery to one consignee at one place on one bill of lading.

Shipper :Term used to describe exporter or consigner of a shipment.

Tariff Classification :Determination of the appropriate customs tariff number for the assessment of duties. Also known as Harmonized System classification or H.S. Code.

TL :Truckload.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) :The agency responsible for assuring compliance with trade and security regulations at the U.S. border.

Valuation :Determination of the value for duty of imported goods under the provisions of the Customs Act .

Value for Duty (VFD) :The value of goods in Canadian funds upon which duty is assessed.

W, X, Y, Z

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