Plan a move from Canada to the USA or from the USA to Canada with directional guidance, household inventory preparation, packing and delivery coordination.
Montreal MoversUpdated October 6, 2026Moving preparation guide
01 / Cross-border planning
A cross-border move is two coordinated journeys
A Canada–USA relocation combines a moving plan with an import process. Your travel documents and permission to enter the receiving country are separate from the documents for your furniture and household belongings. Plan both before choosing pickup dates. A truck booking alone does not establish that your goods qualify for entry or a duty exemption.
Start with your origin and destination addresses, an inventory, your intended arrival date and the date you can receive delivery. Tell our Lasalle office whether you are establishing a home, returning after living abroad or moving to a seasonal property. Those circumstances help identify which official guidance you need to review. If you are relocating office equipment or goods for sale, identify them separately: personal-effects guidance should not be assumed to cover a commercial shipment.
02 / Cross-border planning
Canada → USA: prepare your inventory and Form 3299
For household belongings travelling without you, CBP guidance identifies Form 3299 as the declaration for unaccompanied articles. Review the current instructions with your own circumstances in mind; citizenship, residence history and the nature of the goods matter. Keep the inventory consistent with what will actually be packed. Identify purchases, gifts and items needing separate review rather than describing the shipment simply as “used furniture.”
Arrange who will provide documents, who can answer questions about the shipment and how changes to your arrival plans will be communicated. Do not place your passport or the only copy of a required document in a sealed moving carton. Montreal Movers can help coordinate shipment preparation, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines customs requirements and release. Review the official Form 3299 instructions below before completing the declaration.
USA → Canada: distinguish accompanying goods from goods to follow
CBSA advises people moving or returning to Canada to prepare two copies of their personal-effects list and separate goods arriving with them from goods arriving later. Include values, makes, models and serial numbers where applicable. Your mover’s packing inventory and your border declaration serve related purposes, but a carton count alone may not contain all the information needed for customs.
Even when the truck arrives after you, report the goods-to-follow list at your first arrival as described in the CBSA guidance. Keep the completed border paperwork available for the later shipment. BSF186 is the Personal Effects Accounting Document, with BSF186A available for additional items. Eligibility depends on your situation and the goods; do not assume every item is automatically duty-free. New purchases, vehicles and restricted goods need their own assessment with the relevant agency.
Pack for inspection, identification and protection
A useful inventory connects each numbered carton to a room and a clear description of its contents. Set aside valuable, fragile and unusually large items for discussion before the quote is finalized. Photographs of furniture condition and the contents of fragile-item cartons can support your own recordkeeping. Tell us about specialist crating or handling needs before loading day rather than at the truck.
Review regulated categories with the receiving country before packing. Food, plants, medicines, alcohol, firearms and vehicles can involve requirements beyond ordinary furniture transport. Keep essential medication and personal documents with you, and confirm suitable transport for temperature-sensitive belongings. If an item needs separate clearance or handling, agree the arrangement in writing. The goal is a shipment that matches its documents, with protective packing suitable for the items and the journey.
05 / Cross-border planning
Compare the complete cross-border scope
A useful cross-border quote explains the shipment and services, not just the number of kilometres. Compare packing, loading, transport, delivery access, any storage and the documentation responsibilities. Ask how changes to the inventory are priced, what payment schedule applies and which possible charges are excluded. Confirm the arrangements for declared-value protection, exclusions and reporting loss or damage; do not treat every reference to “coverage” as the same product.
Prepare a receiving plan with your building manager before agreeing a delivery window. Condo elevator reservations, loading docks, staircases and long carrying distances can affect the work at either end. Border inspection or an incomplete declaration can affect timing, so coordinate personal travel and accommodation with some flexibility. Ask whether any transfer or separate transport arrangement applies to your route. Remote and island destinations require an individual review rather than a promise based only on a directory listing.
06 / Cross-border planning
A practical checklist before cross-border pickup
Use this checklist to prepare your enquiry and document review. It is a planning aid rather than a customs approval. Montreal Movers coordinates moving services from 8040 Rue Jean-Brillon #102, Lasalle, QC H8N 2L5. The office can discuss packing, storage, address-level access and your requested route; formal import eligibility must be confirmed with the appropriate government agency.
Keep one accessible folder containing the written moving scope, inventory, official documents and the contact details for the person receiving the goods. Update the office if your shipment, arrival date or destination address changes. Dates and times entered in the quote form are preferences until availability and booking arrangements are confirmed.
Confirm the direction and review the receiving country’s official guidance.
Reconcile your inventory, declaration and packing plan.
Identify restricted goods and separately arranged services.
Agree pickup, delivery access and document responsibilities in writing.
Each listed Canadian city to every listed U.S. destination, and each U.S. city back to Canada. Ask for an individual review of island, northern or remote destinations.
Border and customs requirements can change. Montreal Movers can help coordinate your move; government agencies remain the authority for current formal requirements.
No. A quote describes moving services. Customs authorities assess documents, eligibility and release; your own entry is a separate matter.
Which documents should I review for a Canada-to-USA move?+
Review CBP guidance for household goods and the current Form 3299 instructions for unaccompanied articles. Confirm requirements for your situation before pickup.
What if my belongings arrive in Canada after I do?+
CBSA guidance explains declaring goods to follow at your first arrival and retaining the documentation for the later shipment. Review the instructions before travelling.
Can I include business inventory with household goods?+
Identify commercial equipment and goods for sale separately. Household personal-effects guidance should not be assumed to apply to a commercial shipment.
Can you guarantee an exact cross-border delivery day?+
Ask for the agreed pickup and delivery arrangements in writing. Transport, access and customs processing can affect timing; requested dates remain preferences until confirmed.
