A PARS tracker is a digital lookup tool that shows the real-time clearance status of a Pre-Arrival Review System submission — the advance customs filing required for most commercial truck and rail shipments entering Canada from the United States. If you move freight across the Canada–US border, knowing how to read a PARS status can mean the difference between a driver rolling through without delay and sitting at the port for hours.
This guide covers exactly how PARS works, what each status code means, the regulatory framework behind it, and the mistakes that cost shippers time and money every day.
What Is PARS? Definition and Overview
Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS): A Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) program that allows carriers and customs brokers to transmit commercial shipment data electronically before a truck or train reaches the Canadian border, enabling officers to review and release the shipment in advance rather than conducting manual examination at the port of entry.
PARS is Canada’s equivalent to the United States’ Automated Manifest System (AMS) or the Importer Security Filing (ISF) — programs designed to shift customs review from the physical border crossing to a pre-arrival electronic process.
The program has been mandatory for commercial highway shipments since 2004 under Canada’s Advance Commercial Information (ACI) initiative. Today, the CBSA processes millions of PARS submissions annually across more than 120 land border crossings. According to CBSA operational data, highway commercial shipments account for roughly 73% of Canada’s import trade by number of shipments, making PARS the most frequently used commercial clearance mechanism in Canadian trade.
A PARS tracking tool — offered by CBSA directly through its Portal, and by third-party logistics software vendors — lets you query the CBSA database using the shipment’s unique PARS number to see whether the entry has been reviewed and what action, if any, the agency has taken.
How the PARS System Works: Step-by-Step
Understanding the tracking status starts with understanding the filing sequence. Here is the standard PARS workflow for a commercial highway shipment:
Step 1 — Importer or Broker Initiates the Entry
The Canadian importer instructs their licensed customs broker to prepare a formal customs entry. The broker classifies the goods using the Canadian Customs Tariff (based on the Harmonized System), calculates applicable duties and taxes, and prepares the release documentation (either a Release on Minimum Documentation request or a full accounting entry).
Step 2 — Carrier Assigns a PARS Number
The carrier (trucking company) generates a unique PARS bar code number — typically a 12-character alphanumeric string formatted as the carrier’s Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) followed by a sequential shipment number (e.g., ABCD12345678). This number links the carrier’s shipment data to the broker’s customs entry in the CBSA system.
Step 3 — Broker Transmits Release Data to CBSA
The customs broker transmits the release request to CBSA electronically through the ACI system, referencing the carrier’s PARS number. This is the moment the shipment enters the CBSA’s pre-arrival review queue. For highway shipments, this transmission must occur at least 1 hour before the truck reaches the port of entry. Rail shipments require 2 hours of advance notice.
Step 4 — CBSA Reviews the Submission
CBSA officers — or automated risk-assessment algorithms — review the transmitted data. The agency checks commodity descriptions, values, country of origin, admissibility (whether the goods are permitted to enter Canada), and any flags for examination based on risk profiling. The majority of low-risk shipments are released within 30–90 minutes.
Step 5 — Status Is Returned and Made Available for Tracking
The CBSA system generates a status response linked to the PARS number. Anyone with that number can query the status through the CBSA Client Portal or a compatible third-party PARS tracking tool.
Step 6 — Driver Presents Documentation at the Port
The driver presents the PARS bar code document (often attached to the windshield or handed to the officer). If the status is “Released,” the officer scans the bar code, verifies the release, and waves the truck through. If the status is “Held” or the entry is missing, the shipment goes into secondary examination.
Step 7 — Accounting Entry Filed Within Required Period
Release is not the same as final accounting. After the goods enter Canada, the importer (through their broker) must file a complete accounting entry and pay any duties and taxes within the timeframe set by the CBSA — typically within the same calendar month or within a set number of days depending on the importer’s payment terms.
Regulatory Framework: What Governs PARS
PARS operates under Canadian customs law, but US-side compliance requirements also intersect for northbound shipments. Key legal references include:
- Customs Act (Canada), Section 12.1 — establishes the authority for the CBSA to require advance commercial information from carriers and importers before goods arrive at a Canadian port.
- Reporting of Imported Goods Regulations (SOR/86-873) — specifies the information carriers must provide and the timelines for doing so.
- ACI Highway Technical Specifications — the CBSA’s technical document governing data element requirements for highway mode electronic submissions.
On the US side, outbound export compliance is governed by the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and certain commodity categories require an Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing through AES (Automated Export System) before goods leave the United States. While this is a separate process from PARS, a missing or mismatched export filing can trigger questions at the Canadian border that slow PARS release.
For US importers dealing with PARS-equivalent concepts on the southbound (US-bound) lane, the comparable frameworks are the FDA Prior Notice requirement, USDA admissibility rules, and CBP’s ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) system. You can learn more about how licensed brokers navigate these requirements in our guide to 10 Core Duties of a Customs Broker Explained.
PARS Status Codes: What Each One Means
When you query a PARS tracker, you will receive one of a defined set of status responses. This table explains the most common ones and what action to take.
| Status | Meaning | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Released | CBSA has reviewed and approved the shipment for entry. Driver can proceed. | No action needed. Driver presents PARS bar code at port. |
| Held for Examination | CBSA has flagged the shipment for physical or documentary inspection. | Contact broker immediately. Arrange examination appointment at the port. Do not dispatch truck until instructed. |
| Not Yet Processed | The PARS number has been created but CBSA has not yet received the broker’s release request. | Confirm broker has transmitted the entry. Check that the PARS number was communicated correctly. |
| Cancelled | The PARS submission was voided by the carrier or broker. | A new PARS number and submission will be required. Investigate cause before re-filing. |
| Refer to Examination | The shipment passed initial review but will be referred for secondary inspection at the port. | Advise driver. Carry all supporting documents including commercial invoice, bill of lading, and packing list. |
| Quota/Visa Required | The commodity is subject to import quota controls and additional documentation is needed. | Broker must obtain and transmit applicable import permit or visa before release can be granted. |
Real-World Scenarios: PARS Tracking in Practice
Scenario 1 — The Missing PARS Number
A freight forwarder in Detroit coordinates a cross-border move of automotive parts from Michigan to an assembly plant in Ontario. The broker transmits the entry, but the driver departs without the PARS bar code document. At the Windsor–Detroit Tunnel, the officer cannot scan any bar code. The CBSA officer manually queries the system using the carrier’s reference number — but because the SCAC prefix was entered incorrectly by the shipping clerk, the query returns no record. The truck is directed to secondary, and the driver waits three hours while the broker and forwarder reconcile the correct PARS number by phone.
This scenario is avoidable. Before dispatch, the carrier should always confirm the PARS status is “Released” using a tracker, and the driver should carry a printed copy of the PARS bar code.
Scenario 2 — The Last-Minute Pharmaceutical Shipment
A Canadian hospital pharmacy needs a temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical product from a US manufacturer. The shipment is time-critical. The broker submits the PARS entry with full Health Canada import permit documentation. Because pharmaceutical imports are subject to admissibility review beyond standard customs release, the initial CBSA status comes back as “Refer to Examination.” A second CBSA stream — the Health Products and Food Branch — must confirm admissibility separately. The physical examination takes four hours, and the shipment arrives at the pharmacy eight hours behind schedule.
This is a known risk profile for pharmaceutical imports. Experienced brokers who specialize in this commodity type know to submit pharmaceutical shipments early, include complete permit documentation up front, and communicate realistic timelines to clients. If you import pharmaceuticals across the Canada–US border, find brokers who handle this regularly through our specialty directory.
Scenario 3 — Correct PARS, Wrong Accounting Entry
A mid-size importer uses PARS tracking, sees “Released,” and assumes everything is done. Three months later, they receive a CBSA audit letter noting that the accounting entry filed after release contained an incorrect tariff classification, resulting in underpaid duties. The PARS release was valid — the goods crossed legally — but the subsequent accounting filing had an error that triggered a reassessment with interest and penalties.
This illustrates a critical point: PARS status covers the release phase, not the final accounting phase. Both must be accurate. A licensed customs broker manages both steps. See our overview of 10 Key Customs Broker Responsibilities Explained for more on how brokers handle post-release compliance.
Common PARS Mistakes and Misconceptions
Mistake 1 — Confusing PARS number with entry number. The PARS number is the carrier’s shipment identifier. The customs entry number is assigned by the broker and CBSA. They are different. Searching a PARS tracker with an entry number returns nothing. Always get the correct 12-character PARS number from your carrier before checking status.
Mistake 2 — Assuming “Released” means duties are paid. A “Released” status means CBSA has authorized the goods to enter Canada. Duties and taxes are typically paid on deferred accounting terms — usually within the calendar month — not at the moment of release. Importers on direct security (posting a bond) can defer payment. First-time importers sometimes believe release means they owe nothing further, then receive an unexpected bill.
Mistake 3 — Filing too late. The 1-hour minimum advance notice for highway mode is a hard cutoff. If the broker transmits the entry after that window, the CBSA will not process a pre-arrival release, and the truck will wait at the port while the entry is reviewed on arrival — a process that routinely takes 3–6 hours. High-volume border crossings like Laredo, Detroit–Windsor, and Buffalo–Niagara are busiest on Monday mornings and before holidays; late filing at these times can mean multi-hour delays.
Mistake 4 — Using an expired or duplicate PARS number. PARS numbers are single-use. A number used for a previous shipment cannot be reused. Carriers that reuse numbers — or where a data entry error duplicates a number across two shipments — will find that one shipment’s release overwrites or conflicts with the other. The result is one shipment showing “Cancelled” or “Not Found” with no explanation.
Mistake 5 — Not tracking at all. Some shippers trust their broker to handle PARS and assume no news is good news. But brokers manage dozens of files simultaneously. A transmission failure, a rejected data element, or a system outage can result in an entry that was never successfully received by CBSA. Tracking the PARS number independently — even just once, 2 hours before the truck departs — catches these failures before they become border delays.
Tools and Resources for PARS Tracking
CBSA Client Portal (ccp.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca): The official CBSA web portal allows registered carriers and brokers to submit ACI data and check release status. Direct access requires a CBSA-issued client identifier.
Third-party carrier/broker software: Platforms such as Descartes Systems, BorderConnect, and MagTrans include built-in PARS tracking integrated with carrier dispatch systems. Most Canadian customs broker firms use one of these platforms as their primary ACI filing tool.
CBSA’s official information: www.cbp.gov provides parallel US Customs guidance for northbound shipments. For the Canadian-side regulatory framework, the CBSA’s Memorandum D3-1-1 (Advance Commercial Information — Highway) is the definitive guidance document.
Harmonized Tariff Schedule lookup: When preparing PARS entries, accurate tariff classification is essential. US exporters can verify US HTS codes at hts.usitc.gov. The Canadian Customs Tariff is published by the Canada Border Services Agency.
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