Business Owners: requirements to export to the U.S.

What permits or other licenses are required before shipping products to the U.S.?

The answer to this question depends on what product is being shipped. Some products can be exported to the United States as easily as they can be shipped within Canada, while the export process for other products may involve all sorts of red tape. Generally, products that might damage health (such as pharmaceuticals and foods) or security (such as explosives and radioactive isotopes) are more likely to require permits and other licenses than more innocuous products. Similarly, products that are the subject of trade disputes (softwood lumber), protectionist measures by the United States (Buy American requirements) or quota systems (cheese) are more likely to be subject to regulatory constraints.

The Canada Border Service Agency offers Exporting Goods from Canada - A Handy Customs Guide for Exporters, which provides helpful information for exporters and would-be exporters, and which includes links to other sources of export information. A good general overview of exporting is Canada Business's online resource for exporting. Western Economic Diversification Canada has links to information on exporting for small businesses, and BDC's site has many useful articles as well as information on BDC programs such as financing and consulting.