Canadian Customers

As a convenience to our Canadian Customers this page answers your questions regarding Canadian Customs, Bridge Crossing and Currency Exchange.

Canadian Customs Alcoholic Beverages

Alcoholic beverages are products that exceed 0.5% alcohol by volume. You are allowed to import only one of the following amounts of alcohol and alcoholic beverages free of duty and taxes, as part of your personal exemption:

Alcoholic beverage limits

(While bottle sizes vary, the amounts listed are fixed.)

Product Metric Imperial Estimates

Wine: Up to 1.5 liters / Up to 53 fluid ounces / Two 750 ml bottles of wine

Liquor: Up to 1.14 liters / Up to 40 fluid ounces/ One large standard bottle of liquor

Beer or Ale: Up to 8.5 litres / Up to 287 fluid ounces / Approximately 24 cans or bottles (355 ml each) of beer or ale

You are allowed to import only one of the amounts listed in the table free of duty and taxes, as part of your personal exemption.

You must be of legal age in the province of importation. While you are permitted to import alcoholic beverages in excess of the amounts listed above, we remind all travellers that they will be responsible for paying duty and taxes on the additional alcoholic beverages they are importing.

For Ontario customers buying over the personal exemption limit, you may bring back up to 45 liters of wine, liquor, or beer. The duties and taxes due on amounts over the personal exemption limit are 70% duty and 13% HST.

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) classifies “cooler” products according to the alcoholic beverage they contain. For example, beer coolers are considered to be beer and wine coolers are considered to be wine. Alcohol and wine products not exceeding 0.5% alcohol by volume are not considered to be alcoholic beverages.

The quantities of alcohol you can bring in must be within the limit set by the province or territory where you will enter Canada. If the value of the goods is more than your personal exemption, you will have to pay both duty and taxes, as well as provincial tax on the amount over the personal exemption limits.

For further details on bringing back alcohol, consult I Declare.

For more information, visit Canada Border Services Agency

Canadian Customs Forms

Canadian Travel Documents for Residents Returning to Canada