FedEx Crossborder Solutions

Shipment Preparation


It’s important to follow shipment preparation best practices for your northbound shipments. Accurate preparation and documentation are two of the most important elements in international shipping, helping avoid customs-clearance delays so your shipment reaches its destination on time. The following guidelines will help ensure you prepare your packages and shipments correctly.

FedEx International Ground® shipments to Canada require the following:

  • Commercial Invoice. The Commercial Invoice is the official transaction record between an exporter and an importer. In most cases, it’s the form that customs officials use to clear your shipment and accurately assess duties and taxes. Five copies of the Commercial Invoice are required for FedEx International Ground shipments to Canada. For multiple-piece shipments to a single recipient, only one complete set of Commercial Invoices is required. For FedEx International Broker Select® shipments, you must include contact information for the broker designated to clear the shipment.

  • FedEx International Ground bar-code label. Use FedEx Ship Manager® at fedex.com or another FedEx® electronic shipping solution to create a combination bar-code and address label. Or use a preprinted FedEx International Ground bar-code label plus an address label you create yourself.

  • Blue FedEx International Ground shipment label. This label is required on all FedEx International Ground shipments to Canada, whether you have one piece or multiple. When sending a multiple-piece shipment, use the boxes on the label to indicate the number of packages that make up the shipment, for example, package 1 of 3, package 2 of 3 and package 3 of 3.

  • A brokerage-inclusive sticker, if you are not using a FedEx electronic shipping system to create your bar-code label.

  • FedEx Ground customs document pouch. This plastic pouch holds your international paperwork and should be affixed to your package, or to the lead package in a multiple-piece shipment.

  • FedEx Ground Manifest or the FedEx Ground Pick-Up Record. If you create shipping labels electronically, print your daily FedEx Ground Manifest. If you use preprinted bar-code labels, complete a page from your FedEx Ground Pick-Up Record. Give the manifest or pickup record to your FedEx Ground driver along with your shipments.
You may also need:

  • NAFTA Certificate of Origin. Goods that qualify under the NAFTA Rules of Origin require a properly completed NAFTA Certificate of Origin to obtain duty-free status. If the value of the goods is less than CAD$1,600, you can write a qualifying statement on the Commercial Invoice in place of the NAFTA Certificate of Origin. For more information on completing this document, click here.

  • Signed and notarized Certificate of Origin. This may be required if the goods you’re shipping originate outside of NAFTA areas. A state or local chamber of commerce must authenticate it. For more information on completing this document, click here.

  • Ordering supplies
    To order any of the following shipping supplies, call 1.800.GoFedEx 1.800.463.3339.
    • FedEx International Ground bar-code labels
    • Blue FedEx International Ground shipment labels (part No. OP-097)
    • FedEx Ground customs document pouch (part No. OP-091E)
    • FedEx Ground Pick-Up Records (part No. OP-250)
Document preparation tools
For assistance determining if additional documents are required for your FedEx International Ground shipment to Canada, access the Find International Documents tool on FedEx® Global Trade Manager. While there, you can also prepare, store and reuse your shipping documents online at the FedEx Document Preparation Center.