Bringing goods to Canada

When you move to Canada from another country, you may bring your personal and household goods with you without paying duty. You’ll have to pay duty on any item you bring that hasn’t been used.

A duty is a fee that the government charges on some goods when they enter Canada.

You don’t have to pay duty on:

  • books
  • linens
  • clothes
  • jewellery
  • antiques
  • furniture
  • silverware
  • musical instruments
  • gifts worth CDN $60 or less each
  • hobby tools and other hobby items
  • private collections of coins, stamps or art
  • appliances, such as a stove or refrigerator

You do have to pay duty on:

  • farm equipment
  • equipment you plan to use in:
    • contracting
    • construction
    • manufacturing
  • vehicles you plan to use for business
  • items you have bought on your way to Canada
  • items you have leased or rented
    • we don’t consider leased or rented items things that you own

If you’re not sure if you have to pay duty on some items, bring sales receipts and registration documents with you.

Wedding gifts

You may bring your wedding gifts without paying duty if you:

  • get married within three months of coming to Canada
  • plan to marry no later than three months after you arrive here

However, you must have owned the gifts before you arrived in Canada. These same conditions apply to household goods you bring in as wedding gifts.

Alcohol and tobacco

If you bring alcohol or tobacco, you may have to pay duty on it.

Learn more about rules regarding these products.

Vehicles

Vehicles you bring into Canada for personal use are duty-free. There may be some limits. Cars must meet Canadian safety and pollution control standards.

Learn more about importing vehicles into Canada.

Restricted items

There are different restrictions on bringing firearms into Canada depending on if you’re:

There are also restrictions on bringing endangered species, animals and plants into Canada.

Jewellery or precious ornaments

Officers may ask you questions about your jewellery or precious ornaments during your customs interview. Make sure you describe these items on your list of goods. To avoid delays at customs when you enter Canada:

  • use the wording from your insurance policy or jeweler’s appraisal on your list of goods
  • include photographs of the items
  • know how much you paid for the items or have a receipt showing how much you paid
    • you don’t need to pay duty or tax on family heirlooms

Gifts

You must declare all gifts to the Canada Border Services Agency. You:

  • can bring in gifts worth CDN $60 or less each duty-free and tax-free
  • may have to pay duties and taxes on any amount over CDN $60
  • can’t import tobacco and alcohol as gifts

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