What is a B3?

What is a B3 Coding Form?

Importing commercial goods into Canada requires documentation and accounting for duties and taxes. The B3-3, or more commonly known as the B3, is a Canada Customs Coding Form that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) uses for this purpose. When properly completed, the B3 contains all the information that will assist the CBSA to release the shipment.

You can find a blank B3 here. Each field is numbered from 1-51. All applicable fields need to be filled out in full. An explanation of what goes in each field is here. Up to 5 different items can be included on 1 B3. Any additional items will need to be declared on an additional B3 form.

The type of shipment being imported determines the requirements for the documentation that accompanies the B3 when requesting release of the goods. Some examples include the commercial invoice, manifest, certificate of origin and any permits or other government agency documents.

The B3 encapsulates all the relevant info for your shipment that allows the calculation of duties and taxes. The HS code helps determines the duty rate, which helps determine how much you will have to pay for the release of the goods. It is vital to properly fill out all the relevant details of the B3 to ensure your goods are released without issue. Any error can potentially result in costly delays.

Orbit Brokers specializes in the preparation and presentation of B3s for release of imported goods into Canada. Doing these efficiently and properly allows importers to save time and money. Contact us for assistance today!