Customs brokerage, coordinated with your freight.
Customs is coordinated through our licensed customs broker partner, worked alongside your freight booking. Classification, valuation, other government department release, and CARM filings run on one file, with one point of contact, for faster release and fewer holds at the border.
Clearance on the same file as the cargo.
Classification, valuation, OGD release, and CARM filings are handled by our licensed customs broker partner, worked alongside your freight booking. That keeps the entry moving in step with the cargo instead of starting from scratch once it lands.
We do not hold a customs licence and we do not file entries ourselves. The broker holds the licence and files with CBSA or CBP. What we add is coordination: one workflow and one point of contact across the freight and the clearance, so the entry is ready when the shipment is.
Want to plan ahead? Use our free duty calculator to estimate landed cost before you ship, or read our guide on whether you need a customs broker to import to Canada.
What does clearance include?
CBSA and CBP release
Import and export release with the Canadian and US border agencies, including other government department requirements. Worked ahead of arrival so the entry is ready and the goods are not held.
See cross-borderClassification and duty
Tariff classification, valuation, and duty optimization so your goods are coded correctly and you are not overpaying. Estimate landed cost first with our duty calculator, then have the broker confirm it.
Open the duty calculatorFrom documents to release.
Documents
You send the commercial invoice, packing list, and shipment details. We check them against the freight booking.
Classify
Our broker partner classifies the goods, confirms valuation, and flags any other government department requirements.
File
The broker files the entry with CBSA or CBP, with CARM handled for Canadian imports, ahead of arrival.
Release
Clearance is ready when the cargo lands, so the shipment moves to delivery without sitting at the border.
Customs brokerage FAQ.
Does Setara file customs entries in-house?
No. Customs entries are arranged through our licensed customs broker partner. The broker holds the licence and files with CBSA or CBP. We coordinate the entry alongside your freight booking so clearance is ready when the cargo arrives, giving you one workflow and one point of contact. Our guide on forwarder vs customs broker vs 3PL goes deeper.
What does customs brokerage cover?
Through our licensed broker partner, it covers CBSA and CBP clearance, tariff classification and duty optimization, valuation, other government department (OGD) release, documentation and compliance management, and CARM filings. It is worked alongside your freight booking so release is faster and there are fewer holds.
Can clearance be arranged before my shipment arrives?
Yes. Because customs is coordinated alongside your freight booking, our broker partner can work the entry ahead of arrival. On cross-border truck moves that means pre-arrival clearance at major crossings, so loads are not waiting at the bridge.
What is CARM and does it affect me?
CARM is the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management system that changes how importers manage their accounts and pay duties and taxes to CBSA. If you import to Canada it likely affects you. Our licensed broker partner handles CARM filings as part of clearance. Our CARM guide explains the basics.
Do I need a customs broker to import to Canada?
You are not legally required to use a broker, but most importers do because classification, valuation, and OGD requirements get complex fast. We coordinate clearance through our licensed broker partner so it runs on the same file as your freight. Our guide walks through whether you need a customs broker.
Can I estimate duty and landed cost before I ship?
Yes. Our free duty calculator estimates landed cost before you ship, so you can plan ahead. For a binding answer on classification and duty for your specific goods, our licensed broker partner confirms it as part of the clearance work.
Related services and guides.
Clearing goods across the border?
Send us the lane and the commodity. We will coordinate customs through our licensed broker partner alongside your freight.
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