subject: What Paperwork Do I Need To Ship Across The Canadian American Border? [print this page] International shipping is always going to be slightly more complicated than shipping domestically. There is just no getting away from that fact. This means that when you're shipping from Canada into the United States, or vice versa, there are going to be several documents and pieces of paperwork that you're going to need that might not be required when you're just shipping something across the city, state or even the country. If you're using a Las Vegas courier service to help you ship internationally, the first thing you're going to want to do is sit down with them and give them an accurate description of the goods that you are shipping, as the policies and paperwork that has to be followed and filled out can be different depending on the specifics of what you're actually transporting.
The two most basic pieces of paperwork that are going to have to accompany every international shipment are a commercial invoice and a BOL or bill of lading. A commercial invoice is even needed for tiny personal purchases made over the internet on sites like eBay, so it is a sure bet that when you're shipping anything commercially that you will need one. This will just be a written declaration of the sale which is needed for tax purposes among other things.
The Bill of Lading will also include the value of the shipment, but it will also list all of the information which is applicable to the shipping transaction. This is a very basic but very important document in almost all shipping situations. It will show who the courier is that is transporting the goods, where they are moving the products from and to, and the relevant dates. It will also disclose the amount which was paid for transportation of those goods and any other applicable shipping information.
When you're shipping large loads of cargo and not simply a small product to a single consumer, you begin to get into the realm if import/export law, and if you're inexperienced in this area its best to talk to a shipping consultant or customs broker to see what you'll require based on your specific shipment. Once you're shipping in volume there are a number of international trade agreements which can come into play on your goods, such as NAFTA, and you have to be aware if your goods are covered under any of those agreements.
