Can I send clothes to Canada?
Yes.
Used clothing for personal use is fine. Settlers' and returning residents' effects come in free; otherwise the courier limits apply.
Before you ship to Canada
- Tax-free limit
- Courier shipments from the US or Mexico pay no duty up to CAD 150 (about $106) and no tax up to CAD 40 (about $28). From anywhere else, courier shipments are free of duty and tax only up to CAD 20 (about $14). A gift sent personally by a friend or relative abroad is free up to CAD 60 (about $42). Above that, duty and tax apply only to the amount over CAD 60, and the gift and CAD 20 rules can't be combined. Listed US-made goods can owe the 2026 surtax even below these limits.
- Receiver ID
- No tax number is needed to receive personal boxes. The courier declares personal (casual) goods under its own CBSA business number and bills the receiver. Settlers and returning residents need their stamped BSF186 instead, because goods to follow are cleared against it.
- Transit
- 1-4 business days from the US; 3-6 from Europe; 4-7 from Asia
Questions
Can I send clothes to Canada?
Yes. Used clothing for personal use is fine. Settlers' and returning residents' effects come in free; otherwise the courier limits apply.
Do I pay duty on used clothes and household goods sent to Canada?
Settlers and returning residents who listed them on a BSF186 usually pay nothing. Otherwise the courier limits apply. Above them, the receiver pays any duty, which depends on the item and where it was made, plus GST or HST, and provincial sales tax where the CBSA collects it.
Ask about a specific item
Official sources
- 1.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Bringing food into Canada for personal use (opens in a new tab) - 2.
- 3.
Canada Border Services Agency
Customs Notice 26-23: United States Surtax Order (2026) (opens in a new tab) - 4.
Canada Border Services Agency
Memorandum D17-4-0: Courier Low Value Shipment Program (opens in a new tab) - 5.
Canada Border Services Agency
Importing by mail or courier - Determining duty and taxes owed (opens in a new tab)
General guidance, not legal advice. Customs in Canada makes the final decision on every box.