Reference Guide

eManifest & ACI Requirements, Explained

Last reviewed: June 2026 · 5 minute read

Advance Commercial Information (ACI) — delivered through the CBSA's eManifest systems — is electronic cargo data that must reach the CBSA before goods arrive in Canada. If the data is late or wrong, cargo doesn't move, and penalties land on whoever was responsible for transmitting. Here's who files what, and when.

Who transmits what, by mode

Mode	Who files	General deadline
Marine	Ocean carrier (cargo & conveyance data)	24 hours before loading at the foreign port
Air	Air carrier	4 hours before arrival (or at departure on short routes)
Highway	Trucking carrier	1 hour before reaching the border
Rail	Rail carrier	2 hours before arrival at the border
Consolidated freight	Freight forwarder (house bill data)	Same pre-arrival timeframes as the mode

Where importers fit: you typically don't transmit ACI yourself — but your release depends on the carrier's and forwarder's data being on file and matching your customs entry. Mismatched house bills are a classic cause of containers sitting released-but-unmovable.

Ocean carrier code reference

Carrier (SCAC) codes appear at the front of master bill numbers and throughout eManifest data. The majors on the China–Canada trade:

Carrier	SCAC / B/L prefix
MSC — Mediterranean Shipping	MEDU
Maersk	MAEU
CMA CGM	CMDU
COSCO Shipping Lines	COSU
Evergreen Marine	EGLV
ONE — Ocean Network Express	ONEY
OOCL	OOLU
SM Line	SMLM

What late or wrong filings cost

ACI violations are enforced through AMPS administrative penalties — late or missing pre-arrival data can draw penalties in the thousands of dollars per occurrence, and repeat contraventions escalate. The operational cost is usually worse: held cargo, missed rail cutoffs, and demurrage stacking while data gets corrected.

How we keep this off your desk

We verify carrier and house-bill transmissions are on file before vessels arrive
Our entries are matched to the manifest data, so release isn't held up by mismatches
For cross-border trucking we coordinate the carrier's eManifest alongside the PARS entry

Educational overview only — transmission rules and timeframes are set by CBSA and change; carriers may apply earlier internal cutoffs. Verify current requirements for your shipment or ask our team.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ACI and ACE?▼

ACI (Advance Commercial Information) is the CBSA's pre-arrival cargo data requirement for goods entering Canada, transmitted through eManifest. ACE is the US equivalent, run by CBP for goods entering the United States. A truck doing a cross-border round trip deals with both systems — one per direction — and they don't share data with each other.

Do I need to file eManifest myself as an importer?▼

Generally no — the transmission obligation sits with carriers and, for consolidated freight, freight forwarders. But your release still depends on their data being on file and matching your customs entry, so "not my filing" doesn't mean "not my problem." Someone should be verifying the match before arrival; a broker can typically do this as part of pre-arrival clearance.

What is the 24-hour rule for ocean shipments to Canada?▼

For marine cargo, CBSA requires the ocean carrier's ACI data before the container is loaded at the foreign port — the commonly cited window is 24 hours pre-loading, though carriers apply their own earlier documentation cutoffs. For importers the practical effect is upstream: your supplier's shipping instructions and invoice details need to be final days before the vessel sails, not after.

Can a truck cross into Canada without eManifest?▼

Not in the normal course — the carrier's ACI eManifest must be on file with CBSA before the truck reaches the border. Arriving without it risks the driver being turned around or delayed, and AMPS administrative penalties against the carrier. Note that eManifest and the broker's PARS release request are separate filings; a border crossing needs both.

Why is my container "released" but the terminal won't let it go?▼

Customs release is only one of several gates. Carrier holds (unpaid freight or original bill of lading not surrendered), terminal holds, and manifest mismatches — classically a house bill that doesn't line up with the master — can each block pickup after CBSA has released. Someone needs to check all hold types daily, because free time burns while any one of them is open.