CARM portal help - AJAX

If your agreement precedes October 21, 2024, the CBSA has transferred your information into the CARM system.

Commercial importers with paper financial security agreements cannot process any financial security transactions in the CARM Client Portal.

You must demonstrate why you need to use a paper security agreement. A CBSA officer will approve such agreements only if there is enough evidence to support using one, rather than an agreement in electronic format. The evidence must align with one of the exceptions listed in the Financial Security (Electronic Means) Regulations.

Request CBSA approval to use a security agreement in paper format by email: rpp_financial_security_rard-garantie_financiere_map_dcrr@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Processing financial security transactions in CARM

The CBSA may process 4 types of transactions on your behalf :

• Post security
• Allocate security to multiple RM account within the same program
• Amend your financial security
• Cancel your financial security

Refer to D17-5-2: Financial Security for Release Prior to Payment for instructions on how to submit a request.

Your financial security provider may process 2 types of transactions using an API connection only:

• Allocate security to multiple RM accounts within the same program
• Adjust the amount or validity period of your financial security

You cannot obtain a written financial security agreement using the CARM system.

Commercial importers are responsible for obtaining written agreements from a financial security provider before enrolling in the Release Prior to Payment (RPP) sub-program in CARM.

You may post your financial security in the CARM Client Portal by following the instructions in User guide: Post financial security for Release Prior to Payment (RPP) privileges.

Your financial security provider may post it on your behalf using an API connection.

You cannot adjust your financial security agreement in the CARM Client Portal yourself.

Your financial security provider may adjust either the amount of security or the dates for which the agreement is valid. They can make these adjustments in the CARM Client Portal or using an API.

You must meet both of the following conditions to allocate security to multiple RM accounts within the same program in the CARM Client Portal:

1. You are doing so the first time you post a new security

2. The financial security provider has not yet validated (approved) the transaction

Your financial security provider may also allocate security to multiple RM accounts within the same program when posting a new security on your behalf using an API or in the CARM Client Portal. If the security has already been validated in CARM, they can change the allocation using an API only.

You cannot cancel your financial security agreement in the CARM Client Portal.

Your financial security provider may do so on your behalf in the CARM Client Portal or using an API.

For other questions regarding your financial security agreement, complete and submit the client support contact form.

You need a business number (BN9) to register your business in the portal. Consult the following resources to obtain a business number:

• Non-resident: Make a non-resident GST/HST enquiry
• Resident: Register for or modify an import-export program account

We tried to contact you to assist you with your registration issue. Please call the helpdesk: 1-800-461-9999, option 2

The option to "Register my business" is greyed out / not accessible.

Did you submit a "request access to my employer" and the request is pending? If so, cancel the request and select "Register my business."

If this does not work, please complete and submit the client support contact form.

The Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) security protocol verifies that the legal name and address in the CARM Client Portal is an exact match to the information that was registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) when you got your business number (BN9).

If your company's address changed after it was registered with the CRA, please verify whether the new address was updated with the CRA.

You must enter the exact spelling of your business (legal) name. If your company is Ltd. or Co., please verify whether these words are abbreviated or spelled out.

CRA telephone: 1-800-959-5525 or confirm your business name online

Tips:

• The legal name and address is connected to your business number (BN9), not to your import-export (RM) program account name or address
• For sole proprietor type businesses the legal name is the owner's given name and surname
• The legal name may be found on articles of incorporation documents
• The legal name may be found on financial statements
• If the company is a partnership, the name of each of the partners (given name and surname) may be the name of a person and/or a corporation

Please consult Adding CRA program accounts to your business number

If you wish to enrol in a CBSA program through the CARM Client Portal, consult a user guide (filter for "enrol").

To activate a business account, you need a 9-digit business number (BN) and, if applicable, your 4-digit program account identifier (e.g., 123456789RM0001).

You can find this number on CBSA documentation used for previous commercial shipment clearances, such as:

• B3 Canada Customs Coding form
• Daily Notice (DN), Statement of Account (SOA), B2 adjustment request
• Detailed adjustment statement (DAS)

Confirm that you have a program account before you try to register your business in the portal.

If you have one, select "yes" when asked "Do you have a program account?"

If you have a program account but select "no" to this question, the system will generate an error and you will need to contact the helpdesk.

Consult the user guide: Registering a Business on the CARM Client Portal

If you continue to have difficulties, please complete and submit the client support contact form.

If you received a "Registration failed" message, there are 2 possible reasons:

1. "Registration failed - The registration request process could not be completed at this time due to a system error"

This is a connectivity issue, not a data entry error. Here are some things you can try:

• Clear your cache and delete your cookies
• Close your browser completely (not just the tab) and re-open it
• Try again in 15 minutes

2. "Registration failed – errors.carm.business.registration.submit.create.error.message"

This message may appear after the contact pages. Here are some things you can try:

• Clear your cache and delete your cookies
• Close your browser completely (not just the tab) and re-open it
• Delete all of the information you entered in "Contacts/Authorized user/Address" and re-enter it (Do not use autofill or copy and paste)
• Remove the phone number (including Canada 1+) and manually type it in again

If you continue to receive this message, please complete and submit the client support contact form. Indicate in your submission that you have already tried the suggested actions above.

Consult one of the following CARM videos for help with registration:

• How to create sign-in credentials and a user account
• How to set up a delegation of authority for a third party service provider
• How to link a user account to a business account

If you received a "500 Internal Server Error" message:

• clear your browser history
• use a different browser
• use incognito mode (Google Chrome, Firefox) or private mode (Microsoft Edget)

If you are having issues with GCKey or Sign-in Partner, consult these resources:

• Help with GCKey
• Help with Sign-in Partner

If you continue to have difficulties, complete and submit the client support contact form.

During registration, you must provide the total payable from an importer Statement of Account (SOA) for the business number and RM account that you use to activate your business in the CARM Client Portal. The SOA balance must be no older than 6 years from the current date. After selecting the SOA question:

• choose the date of the SOA you are using (MM/YYYY format or use the calendar)
• enter the balance of the SOA
  • use numbers and decimals only (no $ symbol or comma)
  • 0.00 (zero amount) is not accepted (use an SOA that has a positive or negative amount)

Some email domains, especially company domain names, take longer to receive the one-time passcode message. This delay can render the passcode invalid.

If you receive an expired passcode reject, ask your company IT department to "whitelist" (recognize as trusted) the email: cbsa-asfc@auth.canada.ca

You could also update the email address to a different email address that is not linked to the company. If you are unable to update your email address because of the company domain issue as described, complete and submit the client support contact form.

If your GCKey is expired or revoked, you will need to register for a new GCKey or use another one that you have already set up for another Government of Canada department or agency internet portal (except the Canada Revenue Agency).

Help with GCKey

Note: GCKeys expire after 24 months if they are not used.

You could also consider using the Sign-in Partner option to connect to the portal. It is often more convenient for people who do not frequently use their online portal accounts.

Help with Sign-in Partner

Once you have created your new profile in the CARM Client Portal, request access to your business through the "First time setup" page. Your business account manager (BAM) will review your request.

If you do not receive a response from your BAM within 5 business days, complete and submit the client support contact form.

If you are the sole BAM on the account or the sole BAM has left the company, submit the client support contact form for assistance.

If you did not receive your passcode:

• check your junk email folder
• repeat the portal sign-in process or click "Resend" to receive a new passcode

If you continue to have difficulties, complete and submit the client support contact form.

During registration: If you receive the error message "Your account is disabled," wait until 12 pm ET the following business day before retrying.

After registration: If you receive the error message "Your account is disabled," complete and submit the client support contact form.

To change the email address used for the multi-factor authentication process, sign in to the portal and enter your passcode. On the next page (the multi-factor authentication success message page), you will have the option to change your email address.

When you receive a new bank card, lose your bank card, etc., you may lose access to your CARM Client Portal account.

If you still have access to your previous bank card and the card is active, you can transfer access:

Click the "Switch my Sign-in Partner" link at the top of the "Select a Sign-in Partner" page.

If you are not able to transfer access, follow the steps below depending on your role in the company.

Employees of the business (not a sole business account manager, BAM):

Use your new Sign-in Partner account to create a new profile in the CARM Client Portal. Request access to your business through the "First time setup" page. Your BAM will review the request.

If you do not receive a response from the BAM within 5 business days, please submit the client support contact form.

If you are the sole BAM and your bank card is not active, please submit the client support contact form for assistance.

Error code EC-1012

The form could not be submitted because the information provided does not match our records for the selected business number. Make sure that the inputs below correspond to the latest information on file with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for this business number.

Check the following entries if you get this error message.

Validate your business information

• Ensure you have the selected the correct "Ownership type"
• Ensure that the legal name and address information you input is identical to your CRA information
• Type in your information manually (Do not use autofill)

Make sure your RM account number is active

Please contact the CARM client service and helpdesk to request reactivation.

If you continue to experience difficulties, complete and submit the client support contact form.

Error code EC-1023

The form could not be submitted because this business is already registered or is in the process of being registered.

If you receive this message, someone else has already registered your business or is in the process of registering the business.

If you have tried to register the business, you may have done so using a different profile. Sign into the profile that you used initially and continue using that draft.

If you cannot remember the original profile, use the "Forgot username" or "Forgot password" option to get back into the account.

If you continue to experience difficulties, complete and submit client support contact form.

Error code EC-1029

The form could not be submitted because the information provided does not match our records or the selected business. Make sure that the inputs below correspond to the information that is on file with the CBSA.

Validate your transaction information

Try these troubleshooting tips:

Statement of Account (SOA): If the calendar was used to enter the month and year, re-enter the information manually, or vice versa. Zero dollar amounts are not accepted. If the SOA has a 0.00 balance, locate an SOA with a positive or negative value and enter that value.

Transaction number / Total duties and taxes paid:

• Ensure full transaction number (14-digit) is included
• Do not use the $ (dollar) sign with your total duties and taxes amounts

Payment amount:

• If the calendar was used to enter the month and year, re-enter the information manually, or vice versa
• Do not use the $ (dollar) sign with your total duties and taxes amounts

Review your contact information

• In the phone field, select the country before entering the phone number
• Type in your information manually (Do not use autofill)

If you continue to experience difficulties, complete and submit the client support contact form.

This is a known issue. Please complete and submit the client support contact form. Include the following:

• A detailed description of the steps you took in the portal
• Current and expected results
• Screenshot(s) with complete URL(s), date and time

Contact the helpdesk

Adding or deleting employees

If you are the business account manager (BAM) or the program account manager (PAM), go to the "Manage my employees" page. From this page, you can:

• view all of the employees associated to your business/program accounts
• manage users' access details
• review pending requests

Individual functions and user roles

User roles have predefined access rights that control what the user can view and action within the program accounts.

User roles determine individual functions. Therefore, it is not possible to change individual functions within each role. You must edit their user role instead.

Access levels and user roles

Review the access summary associated with each employee request.

After approving the request, you may edit an employee's user role to change their level of access.

1. Select the "edit" icon next to the employee's name to edit their role and access
2. Select whether the employee should have access to "all programs" or "individual programs"
3. From the dropdown list, select the new user role that you would like the employee to have
4. Click "next"
5. Review the details of the employee's user role and access
   • Click "approve" to proceed
   • Click "cancel" to restart the process

Note: Only a business account manager can remove an employee from the business account.

More information: User guide - Delegation of Authority

As roles change and employees shift or leave, business account managers and program account managers will need to modify employee roles. To do so:

• go to the "Manage my employees" page
• select the "edit" icon next to the employee's name
• select whether the employee should have access to "all programs" or "individual programs"
• from the dropdown list, select the new user role that you would like the employee to have
• click "next"
• review the details of the employee's user role and access
  • click "approve" to proceed
  • click "cancel" to restart the process

Note: Only a business account manager can remove an employee from the business account.

More information: User guide - Delegation of Authority, section 3.2 Editing Employee User Roles

Business account managers and program account managers are responsible for assigning employees access to information within program accounts. To do so, go to the "Manage my employees" page.

Select an employee request by clicking on the box beside their name and click on "Edit" to assign the role(s) and functions you want to assign to them.

You can authorize an employee to:

• be a business account manager
• be a program account manager
• have edit access
• have read only access (reader)
• have no access

More information: User guide - Delegation of Authority in the CARM Client Portal

Consult the user guide - Delegation of Authority in the CARM Client Portal