CBSA Announces Changes to Form A48 Correction and Proof of Release Procedures
As CBSA no longer accepts Form A48 correction requests for some data elements, accuracy during the initial filing is crucial.
Effective November 1, 2025, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will implement new rules that change how importers manage the Form A48 correction process and how proof of release is validated.
Under the new policy, CBSA will no longer accept Form A48 correction requests for the customs port of release or the sub-location code once goods have been released.
These fields become final at the time of release and cannot be amended under the R.M.D. correction process.
Additionally, an unaltered Release Notification System (RNS) released message will now be recognized as valid proof of release, even if it contains an incorrect port or sub-location code.
If CBSA has already released the goods but the warehouse didn’t get the release notice, the importer or broker can show their copy of the CBSA RNS message as valid proof to allow the warehouse to release the goods.
Departmental Memorandum D17-1-4 (Release of Commercial Goods) will be updated to reflect these updates.
With the updates coming into force tomorrow, we recommend taking these steps to ensure compliance:
At Cole International, we provide customs and compliance consulting and customs brokerage services to help you navigate changing regulations and streamline the importing of goods into Canada.
Reach out to one of our trade professionals to discuss how these changes may affect the release of your goods.