PARS (Pre-Arrival Review System) is the CBSA mechanism for Canada-bound freight: the broker pre-files the entry, puts a barcode on the shipping documents, and CBSA links that barcode to the pre-filed entry when the driver arrives at the Canadian port. PAPS (Pre-Arrival Processing System) is the CBP equivalent for US-bound freight: same concept, but the barcode connects to the ACE eManifest. Both systems let customs release freight at the primary booth instead of directing it to secondary.
TL;DR
- PARS = Canada-bound. Broker pre-files with CBSA. Barcode on the BOL and commercial invoice. Driver presents documents at primary; CBSA officer scans the barcode and releases the shipment if the entry cleared.
- PAPS = US-bound. Broker pre-files a CBP entry in ACE. Barcode ties the shipment line in the ACE manifest to that pre-filed entry. Same one-hour advance manifest deadline applies.
- The barcode is not optional. Without a valid, matching barcode the shipment drops to manual examination — the same result as not pre-filing at all.
- Three parties must coordinate. Carrier, broker, and importer all have to move before the truck reaches the border. One slow link holds the load.
What is PARS?
PARS — Pre-Arrival Review System — is the CBSA program that allows freight destined for Canada to be reviewed and (conditionally) released before the truck arrives at the port of entry. CBSA introduced PARS to shift the administrative work away from the primary inspection booth and let officers focus on risk, not paperwork.
Here is how it works in practice. A Canadian importer buying goods from a US supplier hires a customs broker. The broker receives the commercial invoice, packing list, and bill of lading from the shipper. Using that documentation, the broker prepares a Canada Customs Coding Form (B3) or a Release on Minimum Documentation (RMD) entry and transmits it to CBSA's ACI system — ideally four to six hours before the truck is expected to arrive.
CBSA reviews the entry, checks the commodity, confirms the value and HS classification, and — if nothing flags — assigns a "released" status to the entry, tied to the PARS barcode the broker generated. The carrier puts that barcode on the shipping documents. At the port of entry, the CBSA officer scans the barcode at primary, the system returns the released status, and the truck is waved through.
If CBSA hasn't finished reviewing when the driver arrives, or if there is a discrepancy between the entry data and the actual documents, the shipment goes to secondary for examination. A Windsor-Detroit run where the broker didn't file until the driver was already on the road commonly ends in a 45-to-90-minute secondary hold.
PARS is used for most commercial highway shipments entering Canada. It is not used for in-transit freight staying under customs control (those move under a sufferance warehouse or in-bond movement document).
What is PAPS?
PAPS — Pre-Arrival Processing System — is CBP's equivalent for commercial freight entering the United States. Like PARS, it is designed to complete the bulk of the customs review before the truck reaches the primary booth.
The workflow mirrors PARS with one key difference in the filing channel. The US-side broker transmits a CBP entry (typically a Section 321 de minimis release, a formal entry, or a Transportation and Exportation filing) into ACE — the Automated Commercial Environment. That filing generates a shipment control number (SCN). The PAPS barcode encodes the carrier's SCAC and a unique reference number that the carrier uses to link that shipment on the ACE eManifest.
The ACE eManifest, which the carrier must file at least one hour before arrival, lists each shipment with its PAPS barcode. CBP matches the eManifest shipment line to the pre-filed broker entry using that barcode. If the match is clean and the entry has cleared risk assessment, CBP assigns a positive response and the driver is released at primary.
A carrier running Pacific Highway BC-WA (Blaine/Surrey) typically files PAPS through the same service bureau or portal used for ACE. The broker has to be in ACE — not just emailing PDF entries — for PAPS to function. Legacy brokers that work by fax or phone and transmit via a third-party are still PAPS-capable, but coordination timing has to be tighter.
PAPS is mandatory for most commercial entries at truck ports. The exceptions are in-bond movements under CBP Form 7512, which move under a different manifest type.
How the barcode actually works
The PARS or PAPS barcode is a formatted alphanumeric string, not a random serial number. The standard format is: SCAC + a unique transaction reference, where SCAC is the carrier's Standard Carrier Alpha Code assigned by the NMFTA (two to four characters). The reference is typically generated by the carrier's dispatch system or the service bureau handling the manifest filing.
For a carrier with SCAC "WXYZ", a PAPS barcode might look like WXYZ1234567. That same string appears:
- On the commercial invoice (top right corner is the industry convention)
- On the bill of lading
- On a barcode label affixed to the shipment or consolidated with other shipping documents in the driver's packet
- On the ACE eManifest shipment line (exactly as entered, including capitalization)
The critical point is exact matching. If the broker files the entry with WXYZ1234567 and the carrier puts wxyz1234567 on the manifest, CBP's system may not match them, and the shipment drops to a manual hold. Some systems are case-insensitive; don't count on it.
For PARS, the broker generates the barcode. For PAPS, the carrier generates it and provides it to the broker so the entry is filed against the right reference. A common source of PAPS failures is the broker independently generating a reference and the carrier independently generating a different one — they never match because there was no single reference agreed on before the entry was filed.
Barcode stickers for the physical documents are typically 1D barcodes (Code 39 or Code 128). Many TMS and manifest platforms generate these automatically when a PAPS shipment is created, which eliminates the manual copy-paste error point between the carrier's trip record and the broker's entry.
The broker's role
PARS and PAPS are not DIY customs clearance programs. The carrier generates the barcode and files the eManifest; the broker prepares and transmits the actual customs entry. Both have to happen before the truck arrives. That makes this a three-way coordination problem involving the carrier, the importer's customs broker, and the importer (who provides the invoice and classification data to the broker).
Where the workflow breaks down, in order of frequency:
The broker hasn't received the documents yet. The importer's procurement team sends the PO to their supplier, the supplier ships, and the invoice goes to accounts payable — not to the broker. The broker finds out the truck is two hours from the border at the same time the carrier does.
The broker filed but used a different reference. If the carrier didn't provide the PAPS barcode when booking the load, the broker may generate their own reference. The ACE manifest and the entry carry different numbers and CBP can't link them.
The entry was filed but CBSA/CBP hasn't cleared it. This is common during high-volume periods (late afternoon at Ambassador Bridge, Monday mornings at Pacific Highway). The entry is in the system but hasn't received a positive response. The driver arrives, the barcode scans but returns "in progress", and the load goes to secondary for the officer to manually pull the entry and release.
Commodity or value discrepancies. The broker filed based on a draft invoice; the final invoice has a different value or commodity description. CBSA queries the entry; the shipment is held pending clarification.
A well-run cross-border carrier has a standard booking workflow that includes: (1) confirm broker contact for the load, (2) send the broker the PARS/PAPS barcode at time of booking, (3) require the broker to confirm pre-filing status by a hard deadline (typically four hours before pickup). Without that discipline, border delays are unpredictable regardless of technology.
When PARS/PAPS are required vs. in-bond alternatives
PARS and PAPS cover the majority of commercial highway shipments, but they are not the only clearance options.
PARS/PAPS are used when: - The freight is being imported and cleared at the first port of entry - The importer of record has a customs broker who pre-files entries - The shipment is a single-consignee commercial load
In-bond movement (CBP Form 7512 / CBSA Form A8B) is used when: - Freight is transiting the US to reach Canada (or vice versa) under customs control - Freight is moving between ports for examination (carrier move to sufferance warehouse) - The importer wants to defer examination to an inland port
Section 321 (de minimis) applies to US-bound shipments under $800 USD value per consignee per day. No broker entry, no PAPS barcode, but the shipment must still appear on the ACE eManifest with the proper release code.
Carriers moving consolidated freight (LTL) often have a mix: some shipments on PAPS, some in-bond, some de minimis — all on the same ACE manifest, each with its own status. Managing that mix is where dispatch systems earn their keep.
PARS/PAPS tracking on BorderPro.ai syncs your dispatch data with the broker's entry so the barcode on the manifest matches the entry on file — catching reference mismatches before the truck leaves the yard, not after it arrives at the booth.
FAQ
What's the difference between PARS and PAPS?
PARS is the CBSA pre-arrival program for freight entering Canada. PAPS is the CBP pre-arrival program for freight entering the United States. Both use a barcode on the shipping documents to link the physical shipment to a pre-filed customs entry, but they operate on different systems (ACI for PARS, ACE for PAPS) with different agencies.
Who generates the PARS/PAPS barcode?
For PAPS, the carrier generates the barcode using their SCAC plus a unique reference, then provides it to the broker so the entry is filed against the correct number. For PARS, the broker typically generates the barcode as part of the entry preparation and provides it to the carrier to put on the shipping documents. In practice, many carriers use their TMS or manifest platform to generate both, ensuring the reference is consistent across the manifest and the documents.
Can I cross without a PARS or PAPS?
Technically yes, but the shipment will be examined manually at the primary or secondary booth, which means delays of 30 minutes to several hours depending on port volume and the commodity. Some low-risk, low-value shipments are released without pre-filed entries, but that is at the officer's discretion and cannot be counted on for a commercial operation. In-bond and de minimis shipments have separate clearance paths that don't use PARS/PAPS barcodes.
What happens if the broker hasn't pre-filed when I arrive at the border?
The CBSA or CBP officer scans the barcode and gets no match (or a "pending" status if the entry was filed late). The shipment is directed to secondary, where it waits for the broker to transmit the entry and for the agency to review it. At busy crossings like Ambassador Bridge or Pacific Highway during peak hours, secondary queue times can run one to two hours. The carrier cannot fix this at the booth — it has to be resolved by the broker's electronic filing.
Is the PAPS barcode the same as the ACE SCN?
Not exactly. The ACE Shipment Control Number (SCN) is the identifier CBP's system assigns to the shipment record inside ACE. The PAPS barcode is a carrier-generated reference that appears on the physical documents and the ACE eManifest. When the broker pre-files the entry, they tie it to the PAPS barcode. CBP then uses that barcode to connect the eManifest shipment line to the pre-filed entry. The SCN and the PAPS barcode are different strings, but they point to the same underlying freight in CBP's system.
Related reading: - Cross-Border Trucking Canada-US: The 2026 Carrier's Playbook - ACE eManifest Filing Step-by-Step - CBSA CSA Program Guide