Guide
What the CBSA A8A(B) In Bond Cargo Control Document is, how its cargo control number works, and when highway carriers still need a paper copy alongside ACI eManifest.
The A8A form is CBSA's Form A8A(B): In Bond — Cargo Control Document. A cargo control document (CCD) is the record of a shipment entering, exiting or moving within Canada, and each one is identified by a cargo control number (CCN): the carrier's four-character CBSA carrier code followed by a unique reference. For non-exempt highway cargo, the cargo report now goes to CBSA electronically as ACI eManifest data at least one hour before arrival, and a paper manifest is generally not required at the first port of arrival. The paper A8A(B) is still used in specific situations, including a CBSA system outage, goods subject to exceptional processing, re-manifests and some in-bond moves.
CBSA defines a cargo control document (CCD) as a manifest or other control document that acts as the record of a shipment entering, exiting or moving within Canada. Form A8A(B): In Bond — Cargo Control Document is the standard CBSA version, and CBSA's specifications say it can be used by all modes of transportation to report goods imported into or exported from Canada. When carriers say "the A8A", this is the form they mean.
The form records the CBSA office where the goods are reported ("Manifest from") and the office where they will be released ("To"), the carrier code and cargo control number, the consignee and shipper, the number of packages, a description with marks and any container number, the weight, the location of the goods, the carrier name and the conveyance identification. For carriers other than marine, CBSA's specifications call for a five-part form: mail, station, longroom, warehouse operator's and CBSA delivery authority copies.
The cargo control number (CCN) uniquely identifies the cargo on a cargo submission. It is the carrier code followed by a unique reference number assigned by the carrier or its representative, and it cannot contain spaces. The first four alphanumeric characters are the CBSA-approved carrier code. In bar-code form a highway CCN can be up to 25 characters: the four-character carrier code plus up to 21 more.
CCNs must be unique. Outside the air mode, CBSA says a CCN cannot be reused for three years, starting January 1 of the year after it was first used. Highway carriers moving commercial shipments in bond must show the CCN in bar-coded format, using their own carrier code, on the cargo control document, and carriers using the fillable A8A(B) must apply bar-coded CCN labels after printing. CBSA must approve bar-coded and human-readable CCNs before the documents or labels are printed.
The same number ties the paperwork to the release. For a PARS (Pre-Arrival Review System) shipment, the CCN in the carrier's electronic cargo data must exactly match the CCN quoted in the importer's or broker's PARS release request, including the letters "PARS" if the carrier embeds them. CBSA warns that a mismatch can keep the shipment from being released, and that inaccurate CCN transmissions can lead to penalties under AMPS.
For highway cargo, the cargo report goes to CBSA electronically: a highway cargo report is mandatory for all non-exempt import cargo, and the data must be received no later than one hour before arrival at the first port of arrival (FPOA). When the ACI eManifest cargo data is linked to a conveyance reference number (CRN), paper manifests are generally not required at the FPOA. Paper does not replace the electronic report: CBSA says ACI sent late, or not at all, can bring delays and a monetary penalty.
CBSA's current guidance still calls for a paper cargo control document in these situations:
When ACI data has been transmitted but a paper CCD is still needed for release purposes, CBSA allows either an A8A(B) or a printout of the ACI transmission that contains the data elements listed in Appendix E of Memorandum D3-1-1.
Searches for an "A8A bond" usually concern goods that are not released at the border. To operate as a bonded carrier, a highway carrier must file security with CBSA. A non-bonded carrier must obtain release at the FPOA unless it posts a single trip bond for the inland movement, links the bonded ACI eManifest cargo to its own CRN, or re-manifests the goods to a CBSA-bonded carrier for furtherance to an inland CBSA office.
A non-bonded carrier using a single trip bond transmits its cargo and conveyance data showing the FPOA as the destination. On arrival it presents the bond application with a paper A8A(B) under a different CCN; CBSA acquits the electronic cargo with the in-bond CCN, and the goods proceed inland on the paper CCD.
A re-manifest is a new A8A(B) presented when, for example, liability or the destination changes. It must be presented at the CBSA office where the goods are located, must match the original cargo transmission, and needs a new CCN with the original CCN in the "previous cargo control number" field. CBSA approves it once the previous CCN is in arrived status. A shipment split between destinations needs one re-manifest per portion, all presented at the same time, and consolidated shipments generally cannot be re-manifested. Confirm your bonded status and the correct process with CBSA or your customs broker.
The A8B is a different form. CBSA describes Form A8B: United States – Canada Transit Manifest as the cargo control document for United States or Canadian cargo transiting the other country's territory: US goods moving from one US point to another through Canada, or Canadian goods moving between Canadian points through the United States. It is prepared in quadruplicate, and the driver presents four copies at the first port of arrival in the country being crossed. A highway carrier moving US goods between US points through Canada must be a CBSA-bonded carrier or obtain a single trip authorization first.
If a carrier submits ACI eManifest cargo and conveyance reports for a domestic in-transit shipment, CBSA says no A8B or seal is required and treats the movement as an import movement. The A8B cannot be used for in-bond goods arriving at a Canadian airport or seaport destined for the United States, or for in-transit goods that change mode of transport. US in-bond movements are covered in the related CBP Form 7512 guide.
Complete each A8A(B) from the source documents. Show the "Manifest from" office where the goods are reported and the "To" office where they will be released, adding the warehouse when the destination has more than one; the consignee and shipper; the package count; a description in common trade terms with marks and any container number; the weight and its unit; the sufferance warehouse under location of goods, with its sub-location code where required; and the conveyance identification. The estimated date and time of arrival must appear in the description and marks field or the location of goods field. Corrections must be made on every paper copy and in the transmitted ACI eManifest data.
BorderPro early access can prepare drafts and run local checks on shipment data such as the CCN, consignee and cargo lines. It does not currently transmit to CBSA or confirm acceptance. For an outage or any paper process, get the current form and instructions from CBSA and confirm the accepted process with CBSA or a licensed customs broker.
It is CBSA’s Form A8A(B): In Bond — Cargo Control Document, the standard paper cargo control document. It records a shipment entering, exiting or moving within Canada and carries a cargo control number (CCN). For non-exempt highway cargo, the cargo report is now sent electronically as ACI eManifest data, and the paper form is used in specific cases such as system outages and re-manifests.
It is the cargo control number (CCN): your four-character CBSA carrier code followed by a unique reference you assign, with no spaces. Outside the air mode a CCN cannot be reused for three years, and for PARS shipments it must exactly match the CCN in the release request.
Generally not at the first port of arrival when your ACI cargo data is linked to a conveyance reference number. A paper cargo control document is still needed during a CBSA system outage, for goods subject to exceptional processing, for re-manifests, and when moving goods in bond after a failed PARS release. Confirm current requirements with CBSA or your customs broker.
CBSA publishes Form A8A(B) on its forms page as a PDF in fillable and savable format. If you use the fillable form, apply bar-coded CCN labels after printing. Carriers can also have cargo control documents privately printed to the specifications in Memorandum D3-1-1, with the bar-coded CCNs approved by CBSA before printing.
The A8A(B) is CBSA’s in-bond cargo control document. The A8B is the United States – Canada Transit Manifest, used for US or Canadian cargo transiting the other country’s territory, such as US goods moving between two US points through Canada.
The form itself is not a bond. Moving unreleased goods inland requires bonded-carrier status, for which a highway carrier files security with CBSA. A non-bonded carrier must obtain release at the first port of arrival unless it posts a single trip bond or uses one of the other options CBSA lists. Check your status with CBSA.
Written for operational context by the BorderPro team. Not legal or customs-compliance advice — verify program specifics with CBSA, CBP, or a licensed customs broker before acting on them. Programs evolve and this page may not reflect every recent change.
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