Livingston International PARS Tracking Explained

PARS — Pre-Arrival Review System — is a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) program that lets customs brokers file commercial entry data before a truck reaches the Canadian border, so clearance decisions are made before wheels stop at the port. Livingston International, one of Canada’s largest licensed customs brokers, processes tens of thousands of PARS submissions weekly on behalf of importers and carriers. Understanding how PARS tracking works — and how to read its status codes — can mean the difference between a two-minute border crossing and a four-hour hold.

What Is PARS? A Clear Definition

Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS): A CBSA electronic pre-clearance program for commercial highway shipments entering Canada from the United States, in which customs entry data is transmitted to CBSA before the shipment departs its U.S. origin point, allowing border officers to assess and release the shipment before the carrier arrives at the port of entry.

PARS is not optional for most commercial highway freight. Under CBSA’s Advance Commercial Information (ACI) eManifest program, carriers are required to submit electronic cargo and shipment data at least one hour before arrival for highway mode. PARS is the mechanism through which the customs broker’s entry data ties to that carrier manifest.

Each shipment moving under PARS receives a PARS number — a unique identifier structured as a carrier code (typically two to four letters) followed by a numeric bar code. That number travels with the physical shipment (printed on the cargo control document) and links the carrier’s manifest data to the broker’s customs entry in CBSA’s systems.

Livingston International acts as the customs broker of record for many of these shipments. When a shipper or importer designates Livingston as their broker, Livingston receives the commercial documents, classifies the goods, calculates duties and taxes, and transmits the entry to CBSA electronically — all before the truck departs the U.S. warehouse.

According to CBSA, highway commercial shipments account for roughly 67% of all goods entering Canada by value, making PARS the single most important pre-arrival clearance tool in Canada-U.S. trade.

How Livingston International PARS Tracking Works

Step 1 — The Carrier Assigns a PARS Number

When a carrier picks up a commercial load bound for Canada, they generate a PARS number using their assigned carrier code. This number is printed on the cargo control document (CCD) and bar-coded on the shipment. The carrier shares this number with the importer or the customs broker of record — in this case, Livingston International.

Step 2 — Livingston Receives Commercial Documents

The importer or shipper sends Livingston the commercial invoice, packing list, and any applicable permits or certificates (e.g., CFIA certificates for food products, Health Canada permits for controlled substances). Livingston’s entry writers review these documents, assign the correct HTS classification using hts.usitc.gov as a reference baseline, and calculate applicable duties, GST, and any antidumping or countervailing duties listed in the CBSA’s SIMA findings.

Step 3 — Livingston Transmits Entry Data to CBSA via EDI

Using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Livingston submits the entry transaction to CBSA’s Integrated Import Declaration (IID) system. This transmission includes the importer’s Business Number (BN), the PARS number, commodity descriptions, declared values, HTS codes, and country of origin.

Step 4 — CBSA Processes the Submission

CBSA’s automated risk-assessment engine reviews the submission against targeting criteria — commodity flags, importer history, country of origin risk profiles, declared value patterns. The system issues one of three initial responses:

• Release — the shipment is cleared and the carrier can proceed to the port
• Hold — additional documentation or examination is required before release
• Pending — the submission is in queue and has not yet been assessed

Step 5 — The Importer Tracks Status

Importers and operations teams can view real-time PARS status through Livingston’s online client portal. Status updates reflect CBSA’s decisions as they occur. If a hold is issued, Livingston’s brokerage team contacts the importer to resolve the issue — a missing invoice, a flagged commodity, or a valuation discrepancy — before the truck reaches the border.

Step 6 — Border Crossing and Final Release

When the carrier arrives at the port of entry, the border officer scans the PARS bar code. If the status shows “released,” the officer confirms physical identity (checking that the truck and cargo match the manifest) and waves the shipment through. If a hold remains, the shipment goes to secondary examination.

The Regulatory Framework Behind PARS

PARS operates under several interlocking legal authorities:

• Customs Act (Canada), Section 12 — requires that all goods imported into Canada be reported to CBSA at the first port of entry
• Customs Act, Section 32 — governs the accounting (formal entry) process that follows release
• CBSA ACI eManifest program — mandates pre-arrival electronic transmission for all commercial highway carriers, with minimum lead times of one hour before arrival
• 19 CFR Part 123 (U.S. side) — governs the corresponding U.S. CBP requirements for trucks departing the United States into Canada, including export reporting obligations

On the U.S. side, exporters must also comply with 15 CFR Part 30 (Foreign Trade Regulations) for Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing through AES (Automated Export System) when shipment values exceed $2,500 per Schedule B commodity or when an export license is required.

Livingston International, as a CBSA-licensed customs broker under the Customs Brokers Licensing Regulations (SOR/86-1067), is authorized to act as agent for the importer in all these transactions. Their license number and authority to transact are verified by CBSA — the Canadian equivalent of the CBP license verification system used in the United States (where you can search all CBP-licensed customs brokers for U.S.-side compliance needs).

PARS Status Codes: What Each One Means

The table below covers the most common status responses importers see when tracking a PARS submission through Livingston’s portal or through direct CBSA EDI response codes.

Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: Clean Electronic Auto Parts Shipment

A Michigan-based automotive supplier ships a load of brake assemblies to a Toronto manufacturer. The carrier assigns PARS number ABC123456. The shipper emails Livingston the commercial invoice ($48,000 USD, 200 units) and packing list two hours before truck departure. Livingston classifies the goods under the correct HTS chapter, calculates zero duty under CUSMA (Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement), and transmits the entry. CBSA issues a release decision within 90 minutes. The truck crosses the Windsor-Detroit border without stopping. Total delay from submission to release: 93 minutes.

Scenario 2: Food Shipment Flagged for CFIA Hold

A California produce distributor ships fresh avocados to a Montreal grocery chain. Livingston submits the PARS entry, but the importer did not obtain the required Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) phytosanitary import permit in advance. CBSA issues a documentation hold. Livingston contacts the importer; the permit is faxed to the port of entry within three hours. The shipment is released and proceeds — but the driver waited at the border for four hours. The lesson: controlled goods (food, plants, pharmaceuticals) require permits before, not at, the border.

Scenario 3: Value Discrepancy Triggers Secondary Exam

A Toronto electronics importer regularly brings in consumer electronics from a U.S. distributor. One shipment is declared at $12,000 USD — well below the market value CBSA’s systems expect based on transaction history. The automated risk engine flags the value and issues a hold. A CBSA officer requests the actual purchase order. Livingston’s team pulls the documents, discovers the invoice was in Canadian dollars but declared as USD (a common clerical error), corrects the entry, and resubmits. The hold is lifted within six hours.

Common Mistakes That Cause PARS Holds

1. Submitting documents after the truck departs. PARS only works as a pre-arrival system if data arrives before the carrier does. Submitting a commercial invoice after the truck is already en route gives CBSA no processing window. The shipment arrives at the port in “pending” status and goes straight to secondary.

2. Wrong currency on the commercial invoice. Canada requires declared values in Canadian dollars for CBSA accounting purposes, but many U.S. shippers invoice in USD. If the currency field is incorrect or inconsistent, valuation mismatches trigger automatic holds. Under the Customs Act, goods must be valued under the transaction value method first — equivalent to the rules in 19 CFR Part 152 on the U.S. side.

3. Vague or inaccurate commodity descriptions. “Electronic parts” or “machine components” are not acceptable descriptions. CBSA requires enough detail to classify goods and assess risk. Livingston’s entry writers will push back on vague descriptions, but if documents arrive minutes before departure, there is no time to correct them.

4. Missing importer Business Number (BN). CBSA requires the importer’s nine-digit Business Number (issued by the Canada Revenue Agency) on every entry. Without it, the submission cannot be processed. New importers frequently overlook BN registration — which can take several business days.

5. Assuming PARS covers all modes. PARS is a highway-mode program. Air freight uses CBSA’s ACAS (Air Cargo Advance Screening) program. Marine uses ACI marine manifests. Rail has its own pre-arrival requirements. Livingston handles all modes, but the PARS number and tracking system described here applies to truck shipments only.

Tools and Resources for PARS Tracking

Livingston International Client Portal — Livingston’s proprietary web platform where importers can view PARS submission status, download release notifications, and manage document libraries. Access requires an account set up by your Livingston account manager.

CBSA’s eManifest Portal — cbp.gov’s Canadian counterpart tracks highway manifest submissions. Carriers can view their submission status directly; brokers see entry-level detail.

CBSA CARM (CARM Client Portal) — Canada’s new Revenue Management system (replacing legacy accounting systems) where importers manage their duty and tax accounts directly. As of 2024, CARM Release 2 is live, and importers must be registered to receive releases on their own BN.

Harmonized Tariff Schedule — Use hts.usitc.gov to verify HTS classifications before sending documents to your broker. Pre-confirming your classification reduces the chance of Livingston flagging a discrepancy before submission.

CBP Binding Rulings — If you are uncertain about classification or valuation treatment, the CBP binding rulings database contains decades of classification decisions that apply to the U.S. side and are often referenced by CBSA for consistency.

CustomsBrokerIndex.com — If your goods move in both directions — from Canada into the United States as well as U.S.-to-Canada — you need a U.S.-licensed customs broker for the southbound clearance. You can browse by U.S. port of entry to find licensed brokers at every major land border crossing, or browse by specialty if your goods fall under a regulated category like pharmaceuticals, food, or automotive parts.

For a broader understanding of what a customs broker does on the U.S. side of the border, see our guides on 10 Core Duties of a Customs Broker Explained and 10 Key Customs Broker Responsibilities Explained.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) also publishes industry guidance on cross-border compliance that applies to importers moving goods in