Canada Prohibited and Restricted Items

• Coin, base or counterfeit
• Customs tariff criminal code importation of offensive weapons
• False description of geographical origin of goods and goods with trademarks - tariff item 9897.00.00
• Firearms and weapons (Canadian Firearms Center)
• Goods manufactured or produced wholly or in part by prison labour
• Importation of used or second-hand motor vehicles
• D9-1-15 policy for the administration of tariff item 9899.00.00 - hate propaganda, treason and sedition
• Used or second-hand mattresses
• Personal shipments of alcohol and tobacco
• Hemp products such as cosmetics, clothing, food, etc. containing Tetrahydrocannabinols (THC)
• Alcohol beverages
• Ammunition of any kind
• All live animals, dead animals and animals that have been mounted
• Money, cash, coins, currency, paper money and negotiable instruments equivalent to cash, such as endorsed stocks, bonds and cash letters
• Collectible coins and stamps
• Hazardous materials and hazardous waste, including, but not limited to, used hypodermic needles, syringes or other medical waste (shipments to Canada classified as "Other Regulated Materials - Domestic" (ORM-D) are allowed if they contain consumer commodities only and are properly labeled.)
• Human corpses, human organs or body parts, human and animal embryos, or cremated or disinterred human remains
• Dangerous Goods
• Firearms, weaponry and their parts (and replicas thereof)
• Explosives, fireworks, flares, matches
• Furs
• Plants, plant materials and seeds, including cut flowers
• Perishables (including, but not limited to, perishable food/foodstuffs/beverages, perishable pharmaceuticals, and any other items requiring refrigeration or other environmental controls)
• Pornographic and/or obscene material
• Tobacco, cigarettes and tobacco products
• Unaccompanied baggage
• Lottery tickets and gambling devices where prohibited by law
• Shipments that may cause damage to, or delay of, equipment, personnel or other shipments
• Shipments that require any special license or permit for transportation, importation or exportation
• Shipments whose carriage, importation or exportation is prohibited by any law, statute or regulation
• Packages that are wet, leaking or emit an odor of any kind
• Improperly packaged shipments
• Waste or garbage for disposal
• Live insects
• Electronic Cigarettes that contains nicotine, propylene glycol and other chemicals listed on the Canadian Food and Drug controlled substance list
• Medical Samples
• Visa Applications

Shipments being processed under:

• Duty drawback claims unless advance arrangements are made
• Temporary Import Bonds
• U.S. State Department licenses
• Carnets
• U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration export permit
• Letters of credit
• Certificate of Registration
• Shipments moving into or out of U.S. Foreign Trade Zones or bonded warehouses

The importation of certain classes of merchandise may be prohibited or restricted to protect the economy and security of Canada, to safeguard consumer health and well being, and to preserve domestic plant and animal life. Many prohibited or restricted imports are subject, in addition to Customs requirements, to the laws and regulations administered by other Canadian Government agencies that the Canada Border Services Agency enforces. These laws and regulations may, for example, prohibit entry; limit entry to certain ports; restrict routing, storage, usage, require treatment, labeling or processing as a condition of release. Customs release only takes place when the additional requirements are met. These requirements apply to all importation types, including shipments made by mail. The main prohibited or restricted articles are listed below. Importers into Canada should consult with the Canadian agencies governing the commodity for detailed information and guidance.