Quick Answer: A CBSA export declaration for a shipping container from Canada is filed in the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS) whenever the goods inside cross the commercial value threshold or are controlled, with the container number logged as the cargo identifier and the file submitted at least 48 hours before marine vessel loading. The empty steel container is usually exempt under tariff item 9801.10.00. Van Blanc supplies and delivers export-grade containers across Ontario, and our team can talk you through which shell suits your destination port.
In This Guide
- What CERS Is and Why B13A Is Gone
- Empty Container Versus Loaded Container: Two Very Different Filings
- The Value Threshold and What Resets It
- Registration Stack: BN, RM Account, CERS Login
- Filing Windows by Mode: Marine, Rail, Highway, Air
- The Container Number Is the Cargo Identifier
- Permits, Controlled Goods, and Why Value Stops Mattering
- Port Routing From Brantford: Montreal, Halifax, or Vancouver
- Penalties, AMPs, and What CBSA Actually Audits
- Our Role: We Sell the Box, You File the Paperwork
- Frequently Asked Questions
Reading Time: 15 minutes.
What Is CERS, and Why Is the B13A Form Gone?
The Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS) is the CBSA portal that replaced the paper B13A form and the older CAED software. CBSA stopped accepting B13A on paper in 2020. Every commercial export that needs a declaration today moves through CERS, the G7 EDI feed, or the Summary Reporting Program for high-volume exporters. For most Ontario exporters loading a sea can with goods bound for offshore, CERS is the live portal where the file gets cut.
The portal is free, and CBSA does not require a licensed broker to file. The underlying obligation, declaring commercial goods before they leave Canada, is identical to what existed under the paper system. We deal with this every time a buyer at our Brantford yard mentions an offshore destination, which is why we keep a plain-language reference handy on how a container clears CBSA on its way out of Ontario.
Paul LeBlanc, owner, Van Blanc Ent. Inc.: “People walk into the yard thinking the hard part is finding the box. The box is the easy part. The part that trips up first-time exporters in Ontario is the reporting, and the rule is simple once you see it: CERS files on what is inside the container, not on the steel. We sell you the steel and point you at the right broker for the rest.”
The Legal Backbone Behind CERS
Export reporting is governed by the Customs Act, the Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations (SOR/2005-23), and CBSA Memorandum D20-1-1 (Exporter Reporting). The regulations spell out which goods require reporting, the timing by mode of transport, the required data elements, and the penalties for non-compliance. CERS is the system; D20-1-1 is the rulebook.
Do You Declare the Empty Container or the Loaded Container?
Empty containers and loaded containers trigger two very different filings, and the difference is the single most common confusion in our yard. An empty shipping container leaving Canada to be reused in international transport is classified under tariff item 9801.10.00 (reusable cargo containers) and is exempt from the per-shipment export declaration because it is a conveyance, not cargo.
A loaded container is different. The goods inside are cargo, and the cargo gets declared. If the cargo value crosses the commercial reporting threshold set in the regulations, a CERS declaration is required. If the cargo is subject to export permits (controlled goods, hazardous materials, Export Control List items), a declaration is required regardless of value. The container number gets reported as the cargo identifier. One of the most common cargoes this catches is a vehicle bound for an overseas buyer; our guide to shipping a car inside a container from Canada covers the loading, securement, and port-side handling that happen before any of this paperwork.
The Used-Container Resale Case
If you are selling a used Cargo Worthy 20ft to a buyer in the Caribbean and shipping it empty as the goods themselves, the declaration is required because the container is now the commercial export. A resale unit comfortably clears the commercial reporting threshold, so the filing is mandatory. The classification falls under HS 8609.00, not 9801.10.00.
What Is the Value Threshold, and What Resets It?
The value threshold is the floor for commercial goods reporting. Below the threshold in declared value, most commercial goods are exempt from CERS filing. At or above it, the filing is mandatory. The threshold applies per shipment, not per invoice; splitting invoices to stay under does not avoid the filing because CBSA looks at the consignment as a unit.
The threshold also does not apply to goods bound for the United States. Exports from Canada to the US are exempt from CERS reporting because US Customs and Border Protection captures the entry-side data. Exports to Mexico, however, require CERS even though USMCA covers the trade flow.
The Brantford Practical Read
Almost every offshore-bound container we sell is loaded with cargo worth far more than the reporting threshold. A 40ft High Cube going to Lagos packed with construction equipment clears it many times over. A 20ft Cargo Worthy going to Kingston, Jamaica with used HVAC equipment clears it too. The threshold only ever matters for small, low-value commercial movements, which are rare for an offshore container.
Registration Stack: BN, RM Account, CERS Login
Before an Ontario business can file a single CERS declaration, three accounts have to be in place in a specific order. First is the Canada Revenue Agency Business Number (BN), the nine-digit identifier that anchors every federal interaction. Second is the CBSA Export Program account, the BN with the suffix RM and four trailing digits, opened through CRA. Third is the CERS portal registration, which requires the RM account already exist because the system pulls the legal entity name from the CRA record.
The registration sequence trips up first-time exporters who try to register for CERS before the RM account is active. The CERS interface asks for the RM number on the registration form; if the number is not in CRA’s system yet, the registration fails silently. The fix is to call CRA at 1-800-959-5525 first, confirm the RM account is open, then go to the CERS portal. The whole stack takes about 10 business days from first call to first declaration filed.
The Three-Account Checklist Before You File
- CRA Business Number (BN): 9-digit federal identifier, opened through Business Registration Online or 1-800-959-5525.
- CBSA Export Program (RM account): BN with RM0001 suffix, opened through CRA, takes 5 to 10 business days to activate.
- CERS Portal Account: Web registration at the CBSA CERS landing page, requires the RM number to be live in CRA records.
- Optional: Customs Broker Designation: Authorization letter (Form BSF715) lets a licensed broker file CERS on the exporter’s behalf without re-keying credentials.
How Far in Advance Must You File, by Transport Mode?
Filing windows are the deadlines CBSA sets for submitting the export declaration before the goods leave Canada, and the lead time depends on the mode of transport. The windows are set in the Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations and are not negotiable. Filing late triggers an Administrative Monetary Penalty (AMP).
There are four standard windows for container exports: marine vessel loading requires the declaration at least 48 hours before loading; rail requires at least two hours before the train departs; highway movement to a non-US foreign port requires submission immediately before the truck reaches the border; air freight requires at least two hours before loading. The 48-hour marine window catches Ontario exporters because the inland transit from Brantford to Montreal or Halifax already consumes shipping-window time.
| Transport mode | CERS filing deadline before departure | Typical Ontario use |
|---|---|---|
| Marine vessel | At least 48 hours before the container is loaded onto the ship | Most offshore container exports via Montreal, Halifax, or Vancouver |
| Rail | At least 2 hours before the train departs | Containers railed to a coastal port or to a non-US foreign destination by rail |
| Highway (to a non-US foreign port) | Immediately before the truck reaches the border | Rare for offshore boxes; relevant for land-border movements onward to a foreign port |
| Air freight | At least 2 hours before loading | High-value or urgent cargo, not full containers |
The Practical Marine Schedule
A 40ft High Cube leaving our Brantford yard for the Port of Montreal typically arrives at the terminal three to five days before the vessel sailing date. CBSA wants the CERS declaration filed 48 hours before the container is loaded onto the ship, not before it arrives. Brokers typically file the declaration the day the container hits the terminal so any reject or query lands well before the 48-hour clock.
The Container Number Is the Cargo Identifier
Inside the CERS declaration, the container number is the field that CBSA uses to physically match the file to the steel box at the port. The format is four letters then six digits then a single check digit (for example, MSCU1234567). The prefix identifies the container owner (MSCU is MSC, MAEU is Maersk); the digits are the unique serial. ISO 6346 governs the format. Our sea can sizes and identification guide walks through the prefix system in more depth.
For a loaded container, the exporter enters the full container number, the seal number applied at loading, and the cargo identifier code. CBSA’s system at the port matches the declaration to the physical container by reading the prefix and digits on the box. If the digits do not match (transposition error, wrong container loaded, mid-route swap), CBSA holds the container until resolved. We have seen 48-hour holds turn into week-long holds because of a single wrong digit.
Photograph the Container Number Before It Leaves the Yard
Every container we sell has the prefix-plus-serial stamped on the door header and on at least two side panels. Before the truck pulls away, the operator should photograph the door header, save the image with the bill of lading, and double-check the digits against whatever the broker is putting into CERS. Christian started enforcing this habit in our yard about three years ago.
Permits, Controlled Goods, and Why Value Stops Mattering
The threshold disappears the moment the goods inside the container are subject to export permits, certificates, or licences. Controlled goods cover a broad band: items on the Export Control List (Global Affairs Canada), firearms (RCMP), hazardous materials (Transport Canada TDG), endangered species products (CITES), pharmaceuticals (Health Canada), nuclear and dual-use technology (CNSC), and certain agricultural products (CFIA). Any of those means CERS, regardless of value, even when the cargo would otherwise fall below the reporting threshold.
The exporter is responsible for knowing which permits apply, applying in advance, and attaching the permit number to the CERS declaration. The permit itself travels with the container and must be presented at the foreign port if asked. Missing the permit entirely is a customs offence under the Customs Act and can trigger seizure at the port.
Christian LeBlanc, second-generation operator: “Exporters call us asking which forms they need to ship a sea can offshore and the honest answer is, we sell the steel box. The CERS declaration, the export permits, the carrier booking, the bill of lading, the customs broker, those are the buyer’s stack. What we do is photograph the container number with them before the truck leaves our yard so the file at CBSA matches the box at the port. That five-minute step has saved more headaches in our customer base than anything else we offer.”
Port Routing From Brantford: Montreal, Halifax, or Vancouver
Once the CERS declaration is filed, the container has to physically arrive at the departure port matching the file. Ontario exporters have three realistic Canadian sea-can departure ports. The Port of Montreal handles East Coast and trans-Atlantic routing, with feeder services through the St. Lawrence Seaway plus direct sailings to Antwerp, Hamburg, and Felixstowe. The Port of Halifax handles deep-water vessel calls for North Atlantic and Mediterranean services. Vancouver and Prince Rupert handle the entire Asia-Pacific routing, including sailings to Shanghai, Yokohama, Busan, and Singapore.
The choice between these ports is rarely the exporter’s first; the carrier (MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, ONE, Hapag-Lloyd, ZIM) sets the routing based on which mainline vessel calls suit the destination. Montreal is the default for most Ontario-to-Europe moves because the inland transit is 700 kilometres from Brantford versus 1,800 to Halifax. Vancouver is the default for Asia-bound containers despite the 4,400 kilometre rail transit. If your cargo has to reach the port under a customs seal, the bonded-export rules add another layer, and we cover those separately in our note on how a sealed, bonded container reaches the dock.
The Brantford-to-Port Inland Pipeline
A loaded container leaving our Brantford yard for Montreal typically moves by truck to a CN or CP intermodal terminal in the GTA, then rail-east on a unit train to Montreal Termont or Cast in three to five days. Halifax-bound moves the same way, but the rail leg is longer. Vancouver-bound containers go through Toronto-area intermodal, then rail-west on CN or CP to Vancouver Centerm or DeltaPort in six to nine days. The exporter books the move through a freight forwarder or directly with the rail carrier.
Penalties, AMPs, and What CBSA Actually Audits
The Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) is the enforcement framework CBSA uses for export reporting non-compliance. A first-offence late filing is cited under contravention C152 (failure to report exported goods), with the penalty scaling up for repeat offences. Wilful misrepresentation or a pattern of non-compliance escalates further and can bring prosecution under the Customs Act. CBSA publishes the current AMPS amounts in its contravention list, and a customs broker can tell you exactly where a given lapse lands.
What CBSA actually audits is the post-export process. CBSA does not stop most loaded containers at the terminal; the volume would crush the port. Instead, CBSA pulls a percentage of declarations for risk-targeted audit. The auditor matches the CERS file against the bill of lading, the commercial invoice, the carrier manifest, and any permits, checking for discrepancies. Audits typically run six to eighteen months post-export.
What to Keep on File for Six Years
- CERS declaration printout with CBSA acknowledgement reference number.
- Commercial invoice: itemized cargo description, value in CAD, foreign buyer details.
- Bill of lading or air waybill: carrier-issued document confirming load and routing.
- Export permits from Global Affairs, RCMP, CFIA, etc., cross-referenced on the CERS file.
- Container number, seal number, gate-in photos as physical chain-of-custody evidence.
- Foreign buyer correspondence: purchase order or sale contract that triggered the export.
The six-year retention rule comes from the Customs Act. CBSA can audit any time within that window.
Our Role: We Sell the Box, You File the Paperwork
Van Blanc has been delivering shipping containers from our Brantford yards since 1995. We supply the steel: new (one-trip), Cargo Worthy, and Wind & Watertight 20ft, 40ft, 40ft High Cube, 45ft High Cube, and reefer containers, in 1 to 3 day lead times across Ontario. Picking the right grade for a port-bound box matters, so it is worth reading how the four condition tiers differ before you commit, which we lay out in a grade-by-grade walkthrough of used units. We do not file CERS declarations on behalf of exporters, we do not act as a customs broker, and we do not provide export permits.
What we contribute, beyond the box itself, is the container number verification step before the truck pulls out, a clean CSC plate carried on every Cargo Worthy unit (the plate matters for international shipping certification under the Container Safety Convention), and a paper trail on the unit’s history. Buyers exporting offshore call us asking which container suits the destination terminal, which freight forwarders we have worked with, and how to schedule the gate-in at a GTA intermodal terminal. If you already know the grade and size you need, you can see what is on the ground right now on our page of export-ready containers for sale. We hand the CERS filing off to the broker; that handoff is the same one described in our Ontario export and port-logistics guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a CBSA export declaration to ship a loaded container from Canada?
Yes, if the cargo value crosses the commercial reporting threshold or the cargo is subject to export permits or controlled goods regulations. The filing is done in the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS), which replaced the paper B13A form in 2020. Exports to the United States are exempt; exports to every other destination require CERS when the cargo crosses the threshold or is controlled.
What is the difference between B13A and CERS?
B13A was the paper export declaration form used until 2020. CERS is the web-based replacement portal that CBSA now requires for electronic export reporting. The underlying obligation, declaring commercial goods before they leave Canada, is identical. CBSA stopped accepting B13A entirely in 2020, so any current reference to filing B13A on paper is out of date.
Is the empty shipping container itself reported on the export declaration?
Usually no. Empty containers used in international transport are classified under tariff item 9801.10.00 (reusable cargo containers) and are exempt from per-shipment export declaration. The exception is when the container is the commercial export itself, for example a used sea can sold to an offshore buyer and shipped empty as the goods. In that case the container is classified under HS 8609.00 and the CERS declaration is required because a resale unit comfortably clears the commercial reporting threshold.
How far in advance do I file the CERS declaration for a marine container?
At least 48 hours before the container is loaded onto the marine vessel. The 48-hour window is set in the Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations and is non-negotiable. Most brokers file the day the container gates in at the port terminal. Rail movements require two hours of advance filing; air freight requires two hours; highway movement to a non-US port requires submission immediately before the border crossing.
Do exports from Canada to the United States need a CERS declaration?
No. Exports from Canada to the United States are specifically exempt from CERS reporting under the Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations. The exemption exists because US Customs and Border Protection captures the entry-side data when the goods cross. Exports to Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania all require CERS when the cargo crosses the commercial reporting threshold or the goods are controlled.
What is the commercial value threshold based on?
It is the declared commercial value of the goods being exported, expressed in Canadian dollars, measured per shipment. Goods that fall below the threshold in declared value are exempt from CERS filing unless they are controlled, restricted, or subject to export permits. Splitting invoices to keep individual line items under the threshold does not avoid the filing; CBSA looks at the full consignment value, not the per-line invoice value. CBSA publishes the current threshold figure in the Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations and on its export pages.
Who can file a CERS declaration?
The exporter of record can file directly through the CERS portal after registering. The exporter’s licensed customs broker can also file on the exporter’s behalf, typically through a broker authorization letter (CBSA Form BSF715). Freight forwarders sometimes file as agents but are not the legal exporter; the responsibility for the accuracy of the declaration always sits with the exporter. The CERS portal account is free.
What happens if I forget to file or file late?
CBSA issues an Administrative Monetary Penalty under contravention C152 (failure to report exported goods). The penalty is modest for a first offence and climbs for repeat offences, with the current amounts published in CBSA’s contravention list. Wilful misrepresentation or pattern non-compliance escalates further and can bring prosecution under the Customs Act. Most penalties are caught during post-export audits six to eighteen months after the shipment, so the consequence often arrives long after the goods are delivered overseas.
Which Canadian port handles most Ontario container exports?
The Port of Montreal handles the majority of Ontario-to-Europe traffic because the inland transit from southern Ontario is shortest. The Port of Halifax handles deep-water vessel calls for North Atlantic and Mediterranean routes when the carrier’s mainline service calls there. The Port of Vancouver and Prince Rupert handle Asia-Pacific routing. The carrier sets the routing based on which mainline vessel suits the destination.
Does Van Blanc file CERS declarations for customers?
No. We supply shipping containers from our 4 Brantford yards and deliver across Ontario in 1 to 3 days. CERS filing, export permits, customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and bill of lading documentation are handled by the exporter or by a licensed customs broker. What we contribute is verified container numbers, clean CSC plates on Cargo Worthy units bound for international shipping, and a paper trail on the unit’s history.
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Family-run in Brantford since 1995 · 200+ containers in stock · 4.9★ across 124+ Google reviews · every box graded by a person, walk it before it lands.
Reach Van Blanc in Brantford
We have been supplying shipping containers across Ontario since 1995. Our warehouse is at 90 Morton Avenue E in Brantford, and we deliver right across the province on a cash-on-delivery basis. If you are scoping an offshore export and want to walk the container before it goes to the port, the One-Trip and Cargo Worthy inventory sits in plain rows you can read by container number.
Van Blanc Ent. Inc., 90 Morton Ave E Unit 1B, Brantford, ON N3R 7J7. Phone +1 888-509-6658.
For an export-grade shell with a current CSC plate, we keep enough Cargo Worthy 20ft and 40ft High Cube inventory on the ground to deliver within the working week to a GTA intermodal terminal or directly to a freight forwarder’s yard.
Sources
- Canada Border Services Agency. (2024). Memorandum D20-1-1: Exporter Reporting. cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- Canada Border Services Agency. (2024). Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS) User Guide. cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- Government of Canada. (2005, current). Reporting of Exported Goods Regulations (SOR/2005-23). laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
- Canada Border Services Agency. (2026). Customs Tariff, Chapter 98: Special Classification Provisions (tariff item 9801.10.00). cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- International Organization for Standardization. (2022). ISO 6346:2022, Freight containers, Coding, identification and marking. iso.org
- International Maritime Organization. (1972, amended). International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC). imo.org