Not everything can be imported into Canada without conditions, especially when you’re dealing with restricted and prohibited goods.
Some products are regulated and can only be imported if specific conditions are met. Others are completely banned from entering Canada under federal laws and regulations.
For many importers, the difference isn’t clear until a shipment is examined or held at the border.
In this article, we explain the difference between restricted and prohibited goods and address common misconceptions about them.
Understanding this will help you determine whether your goods can enter Canada and avoid unnecessary delays, penalties, or additional costs.
Most goods can be imported into Canada.
Being unrestricted goods, these products do not require special permits, licences, or government approvals to be imported (beyond standard customs requirements)
On the other hand, restricted and prohibited goods are subject to stricter control.
They may require specific documentation to be released, or they may be banned from entering the country altogether.
Here’s a closer look at how restricted and prohibited goods are defined under Canadian law:
Restricted goods are products that can be imported into Canada, but only if they meet specific conditions.
These conditions may include permits, licences, certifications, testing requirements, or approvals from Other Government Departments (OGDs) before the goods arrive in Canada.
If you import restricted goods without meeting the required conditions, your shipment may be detained or refused release.
This could happen even if the goods are not illegal.
Restrictions are often related to public health and safety, environmental protection, national security, or consumer protection.
Prohibited goods are products that cannot be imported into Canada under any circumstances.
No permit, licence, or workaround can make these goods admissible.
If prohibited goods are found in a shipment, they may be seized, destroyed, or forfeited, and, in some cases, penalties may apply.
The difference between restricted goods and prohibited goods often becomes clear only when a shipment is stopped at the border.
To avoid such a situation, here are the three most common misconceptions you must watch out for:
Having the correct HS code doesn’t mean your goods are automatically admissible into Canada.
A product can be correctly classified for duty and tax purposes and still be refused entry if it does not meet Canadian regulatory requirements.
That’s because tariff classification only determines the duties and taxes payable on your goods, not whether a product is restricted or prohibited.
Regulatory requirements are assessed separately and may apply regardless of the tariff code used.
Suppliers may confirm that a product is legal, certified, or previously exported without issue.
However, approvals from other countries do not automatically apply in Canada.
And, in many cases, suppliers are not familiar with Canadian regulations.
Compliance is always the responsibility of the importer of record, not the supplier.
Some importers may assume that missing permits or approvals can be submitted after a shipment arrives.
In many cases, this is not possible.
Certain import permits must be issued before the shipment leaves the country of export.
Moreover, late submissions are often not accepted, which can result in the shipment being held or ordered removed from Canada.
At Cole International, we offer trade consulting and customs brokerage services to help Canadian businesses understand the restrictions and prohibitions on goods imported into Canada.
Our team works with importers every day to:
We don’t believe in guesswork. We get it right the first time.
Reach out to one of our trade professionals if you need support assessing whether your goods can be imported into Canada.