🇨🇦 Canada vs 🇺🇸 United States
Side-by-side customs reference: duty-free allowance, de minimis, VAT, restricted and prohibited categories, and customs authority.
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 🇺🇸 United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Customs authority | Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) |
| VAT / GST | 5% GST + provincial | n/a |
| De minimis (USD) | USD 15 | USD 800 |
| Cash declaration (USD) | USD 7500 | USD 10000 |
| Duty-free alcohol (L) | 1.14 | 1 |
| Duty-free cigarettes | 200 | 200 |
| Duty-free personal goods (USD) | USD 200 | USD 800 |
| Prohibited categories | Obscene materials; Hate propaganda; Counterfeit goods; Certain types of weapons (automatic firearms, prohibited devices); Shark fins (in some provinces) | Narcotics and controlled substances; Counterfeit goods; Obscene material; Products made with forced or child labor; Endangered species products (CITES) |
| Restricted categories | Firearms (requires Firearms Declaration or import permit); Certain food, plant, and animal products (CFIA permits required); Tobacco products (provincial taxes apply); Cannabis (legal domestically but cannot be imported/exported internationally); Prescription medications (personal-use supply limit of 90 days) | Firearms and ammunition (requires permits/licenses); Certain agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, meats — inspection required); Trademarked goods (limited personal-use quantities); Prescription medications (personal-use quantities only); Alcohol (state regulations apply; requires importer license for commercial quantities) |
| Known scams | Unofficial ETA application websites charging well above the CAD 7 official fee. Apply only via canada.ca. • Phishing 'CBSA payment due' SMS or emails. CBSA does not collect duty by SMS link; a real assessment is made in person or by postal notice. | Fake ESTA submission websites that charge inflated fees ($50-$100 instead of the official US$21). Always use the official esta.cbp.dhs.gov domain. • Phishing 'CBP refund' emails or texts claiming a customs payment is owed. CBP does not collect duty by email link. Verify any notice through the official portal. |
Detailed pages: Canada • United States
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