Moving Furniture from USA to Canada

Are you planning on moving furniture from the USA to Canada but unsure how to bring your household goods? As with moving anywhere in the world, there are several things to consider before you arrive in Canada, including what items you should take with you, what is better off leaving behind, duties and tax-free items, and the most cost-effective way to transport your belongings. Considerations like customs clearance could prevent you from getting into the country, which is why working with a professional hauling company is beneficial.

While you can attempt to bring as much of your belongings to Canada in your checked luggage, this isn’t going to work for your furniture and other bulky items. With that said, continue reading as we go through the process and formalities involved in shipping household goods from the USA to Canada.

How to Move Furniture from USA to Canada?

When shipping household goods from the USA to Canada, you have two main options: sea or air freight. Your choice will ultimately depend on how much stuff you have to move, the urgency of your relocation, and your budget. Overall, here are some of the most essential terms and factors that you should be aware of when moving furniture from USA to Canada:

• Sea Freight vs. Air Freight. Your two primary options when shipping goods to Canada from the US is sea freight or air freight. While air freight is the quickest choice, it can be as much as twelve times more expensive than sea freight. The only drawback to sea freight is that it is, of course, slower.
• Full Container Load (FCL) vs. Less than Container Load (LCL). FCL means that your furniture will occupy an entire shipping container. Meanwhile, with LCL, you will share the space in a container with someone who is also shipping their stuff to Canada. The main advantage to Less than Container Load is that you also share the costs with the person you’re sharing the container with. However, you must wait until the shipping company fills the rest of the container before your shipment leaves.
• Shipping Container Sizes. The standard sizes for shipping containers are 20 feet and 40 feet. Generally speaking, a 20-foot container is large enough to house the contents of a three-bedroom home. A 40-foot container, however, can fit the contents of a five-bedroom house or a three-bedroom house and a vehicle.
• Port-to-port vs. Door-to-door. Port-to-port shipping means you will be responsible for dropping off your goods at the origin port and being there when they arrive in Canada. With door-to-door shipping, however, you enjoy the benefit of your shifting company packing up your container at your home, transporting it, and then unloading everything at your new home in Canada.

With these terms in mind, the following table outlines the average costs to ship goods via sea freight to Canada from the United States. These numbers are based on the contents of a three-bedroom home in a 20-foot container:

The table below displays some average costs for shipping goods via air freight to Canada from the USA. Keep in mind that there are cargo flights that service Los Angeles. So, if you live on the West Coast, you must opt for sea freight transport.

Customs Clearance

All items shipped internationally must be cleared for entry by customs in the destination country, and moving furniture from the USA to Canada is no exception. In this case, you must declare the value of the goods you are transporting. This is crucial, as the Canadian authorities will use this to calculate how much tax and duty must be applied to said goods.

Anything valued over $20 CAD is subject to tax and duty; thus, anything under $20 CAD is not subject to taxation. However, it’s highly likely that your furniture will exceed this value. Canada’s Goods and Service Tax (GST) is 5% and will be immediately applied to anything you import that is valued at more than $20.

Some Canadian provinces, however, - such as Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Quebec – may also issue a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on your imported goods. Though, this will depend on where you’re headed in Canada.

How to Claim Your Shipped Household Goods in Canada

When you arrive at the airport in Canada, you must present the officer with your completed forms (BSF186 and BSF186A). They will assess the form, complete it, stamp it, and then assign a file number. You will be given a copy of the form as your receipt and will use it to claim the rest of your goods when they arrive.

Once your household goods have arrived in Canada, you will be notified by your relocating company and the logistics carrier. Once you are notified, your next step is to head to a customs depot and present them with your stamped Form BSF186A, Personal Effects Accounting Document (list of imported goods).

This form is used for goods arriving in Canada separately, either after your arrival or with. The other form (BSF186) is what you should have filled out for the goods you brought to Canada. The BSF186A form must specify your goods' value, make, model, and serial number (where applicable). You can attach a separate list if you run out of space on the form.

The customs office will then compare your copy of the form with the one on file. Once successfully matched, they will discharge your goods free of taxes and duties. You may have to pay duties or taxes if there is any inconsistency. At this point, you can arrange to have your moving company pick up your belongings and transport them to your residence in Canada, or you can go pick them up yourself.

Your USA to Canada Furniture Movers

Need help moving furniture from the USA to Canada? You’ve come to the right place. Look no further than Three Movers for all your furniture shipping needs, whether to Canada or anywhere else in the world. Contact us today to receive your free, no-obligation moving estimate and find out how you could save up to 20% on your upcoming relocation!

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