PARS barcode — format, structure, and common errors

A PARS (Pre-Arrival Review System) barcode is the identifier that links a specific cargo line on your ACI eManifest to a specific broker release on the CBSA side. It is encoded in Code 128 barcode format and printed on the lead sheet that travels with the shipment. The barcode contains two parts: your CBSA-assigned 4-character carrier code, and a unique per-shipment identifier. Getting the format wrong is one of the top causes of RNS mismatch and last-minute crossing delays.

At a glance

Full name: Pre-Arrival Review System barcode
Barcode symbology: Code 128
Format: Carrier code (4 chars) + unique identifier (up to 25 chars)
Max length: 29 characters (including carrier code)
Allowed chars: Uppercase letters and digits only (A-Z, 0-9)

Anatomy of a PARS number

A typical PARS looks like `XCRS12345678`. The first four characters (`XCRS`) are the CBSA-assigned carrier code — unique to your company, issued when you register as a highway carrier. The remaining characters are a unique shipment identifier that you control.

The unique portion can be sequential (12345678), timestamp-based, tied to your TMS load ID, or any scheme that guarantees uniqueness across your entire carrier history. Re-using PARS numbers — even years apart — can cause RNS ambiguity.

Rules for the identifier portion

CBSA rules on the unique portion are narrow:

Characters: uppercase A-Z and digits 0-9 only. No lowercase, no punctuation, no spaces.
Length: total PARS length (including the 4-char carrier code) should not exceed 25-29 characters — practical limit is 25 to accommodate downstream broker and EDI systems.
Uniqueness: a PARS must be unique per carrier within a multi-year window.
No reuse: once a PARS has been used on an eManifest cargo line, do not reuse it on another shipment.

Barcode printing

The barcode itself is Code 128 — a high-density 1D symbology that supports the full ASCII character set. The printed representation includes both the barcode graphic and the human-readable text directly below it.

Print quality matters. Faded thermal-printed lead sheets that have sat in a truck cab for hours can become unscannable. A PARS that cannot be scanned must be keyed in manually at the booth — which is slower and more error-prone than a clean scan.

Common errors

The most common PARS-level error is the carrier code prefix — carriers using a generic or demo prefix (`XXXX`, `TEST`) in production will find their PARS rejected immediately.

The second most common error is lowercase characters — `XCRSabcd` is invalid because the unique portion contains lowercase letters. Most modern eManifest software normalises automatically; manually-written PARS numbers on hand-prepared lead sheets still cause this regularly.

The third error is length overflow — some carriers embed their full TMS load ID in the unique portion and exceed the practical 25-character limit, which silently gets truncated downstream and breaks the match.

Common questions

Can I use letters and numbers in any combination?

Yes — uppercase A-Z and digits 0-9, in any order, for the unique portion. No special characters, no lowercase, no spaces.

What happens if two shipments get the same PARS?

RNS will match against whichever broker filing arrives first, and the second shipment will show "not matched" until someone manually resolves it. This is disruptive enough that avoiding PARS reuse is one of the simplest high-value compliance habits to build.

Is PAPS different from PARS?

PAPS is the US-bound equivalent — same concept, different jurisdiction. PAPS links your ACE eManifest cargo line to a US broker entry. The format rules are similar (carrier code + unique identifier, uppercase alphanumeric).

Who issues my carrier code?

CBSA issues carrier codes when you register as a highway carrier. The code is permanent and specific to your company. It is the same code that appears on your bond and in your carrier profile.

Related guides

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.