Share this explainer
Let's go
A quick and not-at-all-alarmist primer on how to keep from getting stuck.
CARM inertia is about to get truck drivers delayed at the Canada border.
explainer
Surprise! Importers have been using their customs broker's surety bond all along to secure their imports. Under CARM, they need their own bond. Good news! Importers can get one here.
Customs brokers need access to the importer’s CARM client portal account; otherwise, they can't pay duties and taxes on their behalf. No duty payment; no getting through the border.
Importers that haven’t registered for the CARM Client Portal by May 2024 will have their goods – and the drivers carrying them – delayed at the border. Importers can take advantage of the 180-transition period by getting registered first.
The launch of CARM is an ideal time to figure out what's current, what's outstanding and what you may not have to pay. It's an arduous process, but help is available.
Reconcile your account
4
Surprise! You've been using your customs broker's surety bond all along to secure your imports. Under CARM, you'll need your own bond. Good news! You can get one here.
Get a bond
3
Give your broker access
2
Register ASAP
1
3 - Get a bond
2 - Delegate authority
1 - Register ASAP
Click on tabs below to explore
3 Actions Every Carrier Should Be Encouraging Their Clients to Take
Toggle to learn more
CARM's requirements aren’t optional. Imported goods are going to be delayed at the border (no ifs, ands or buts) until they undergo a full accounting and payments process. That means serious delays for the non-compliant.
Most importers have yet to meet these requirements and the time window to do so is rapidly closing. Carriers should be encouraging them to do so ASAP.
Delays at the border mean disappointed customers, lost productivity and lost personal time for carriers.
Delays in release time and potential downtime for carriers while issues are resolved. Payment arrangements for duties and taxes before goods can be released. Increased shipments moving in bond resulting in further delays and costs.
CARM's requirements aren’t optional. Imported goods are going to be delayed at the border (no ifs, ands or buts) until they undergo a full accounting and payments process. That means serious delays for the non-compliant. Most importers have yet to meet these requirements and the time window to do so is rapidly closing. Carriers should be encouraging them to do so ASAP. Delays at the border mean disappointed customers, lost productivity and lost personal time for carriers.
How it affects you
Why this is important
This is NOT a drill
Payment arrangements for duties and taxes before goods can be released.
Delays in release time and potential downtime for carriers while issues are resolved.
CARM is not a Carrier or even a release initiative so why should you care?
Increased shipments moving in bond resulting in further delays and costs.
How you learn about CARM is up to you. We've got a super-detailed FAQ and web page rife with all the relevant technical terms. Orrrrrrr ... ... you can watch the short, fun videos on this page. Totally your call.
Hide
1. Talk to your clients about CARM and ask if they have completed all three actions. 2. Understand the impacts on your business and proactively avoid dealing with border delays.
See answer
Gathering details to determine the value and number of bonds importers require will vary based on import activity. Livingston can help minimize the number of bonds needed across various customs brokers and business numbers.
A customs bond insures the CBSA against non-payment of duties/taxes. Once CARM is launched, importers must enroll and provide financial security to obtain RPP privilege.
• Valid legal entity name and address • Sign-in credentials • Answers to specific CBSA affinity questions
All importers that have not registered by CARM by Release 2 will not be extended RPP privileges. That means goods will be delayed until they register and pay their duties and taxes in full. Only a small percentage of importers have registered and delegated authority.
Click to learn more
Download now
Download our CARM FAQs to get answers to all your questions (and some you didn't know to ask).
Learn more
Access webinars, how-to videos and more in-depth resources on the impact of CARM and the actions importers need to take.
Restart
The CBSA wants to ensure that it's going to get paid duties and taxes owing from each importer. To do this, it requires each importer to provide financial surety. This can come in the form of a customs bond or a cash deposit. Either way, the surety must be posted by the importer, not a third-party, such as a customs broker.
Surety
Your CARM Client Portal account is YOURS. Just like your bank account. If you plan on having your customs broker pay your duties and taxes on your behalf after May 2024, you will need to give your broker(s) access to the Portal through the Delegation of Authority process. The good news is the CBSA has created a detailed video and web page to help guide you through.
Delegation of Authority
If you've ever had to report a stolen credit card, you probably know that credit card companies grill you with a number of security questions before they'll even entertain a discussion. The same goes with CARM registration. The CBSA is going to ask a series of affinity questions. These are questions about your transactions with the CBSA. The problem is, for most importers, it's their customs broker who takes care of those transactions, and importers don't have much visibility into them. So you may need to get the answers to the affinity questions from your customs broker.
Affinity Questions
GC stands for Government of Canada. The GCkey is basically a way for the government to authenticate who you are BEFORE it gives you the option to sign up for the CARM Client Portal. So you have to register for and get your GCkey before you can register for the CARM Client Portal.
GCkey
back to top
