What the CBSA accepts
For commercial shipments, the CBSA asks for one of three things, "in English or French" (Memorandum D1-4-1, paragraph 2, last verified 23 October 2026):
- a commercial invoice with all the information listed in the memorandum's Appendix A,
- a commercial invoice with the buyer, the seller, the price and the goods, together with a Form CI1 for the rest, or
- a fully completed Form CI1.
Paragraph 2 has exceptions in paragraph 4 of the same memorandum. Read them before you rely on a lighter document. The memorandum is dated March 1, 2013, and the page says "October 21, 2024: Page content under review", so check it before you ship.
The CI1 fields
The table above lists the CI1's numbered fields and the fields of this generator that fill them. Two of them are worth a note:
- 2. Date of direct shipment to Canada: the date the goods "began their continuous journey to Canada" (Appendix A).
- 7. Country of origin of goods: where the goods were grown, produced or manufactured. With goods of several origins, give the origin of each line.
Some CI1 fields are checkboxes, totals or adjustments that this generator does not fill: the net weight of field 16, field 18 (an attached commercial invoice), field 22, and the amounts and statements of fields 23 to 25 (transport, construction, export packing, commissions, royalties). Add them by hand on the CI1, or write them in the notes.
No approval from the CBSA
The CBSA does not check invoices in advance: "The CBSA will not review or approve commercial invoices or privately printed customs invoices." The importer or the owner is responsible for the information. Neither the CBSA nor this tool approves your file.
For the fields of the carriers, see the commercial invoice page.