What if I have multiple boxes in my shipment? Do I need to process each box individually?
Yes, Canada Post does not support multiple boxes in the same shipment. You will need to process each box as its own shipment. Each box will get its own Declaration ID.
As a Verified Account, what do I have access to?
As a Verified Account, you have access to:
- Item Quoter
- Shipment Quoter (coming soon)
- Orders (order history)
- Invoices
- Shipments (shipment history)
- Settings (including business information, billing information, your account key, and team members)
Do I have to pay a subscription fee?
No. Your Zonos Verified Account (and its tools) are free to use. You will only be billed for duties and processing/clearance fees per shipment that you send to the U.S. using your Verified Account. The cost of the processing/clearance fee is listed in Zonos Dashboard under Settings → Billing, in the Plan section.
Do I need a Verified Account if I am using Shopify to print my Canada Post labels?
No. Shopify has facilitated a partnership with Canada Post and Zonos to create Canada Post labels with prepaid duties. They handle the billing and remittance of duties to CBP with Zonos on your behalf. There are a couple steps to set this up in Shopify. Currently, this only supports labels through Shopify's Canada Post account ("BYOA" or "Bring Your Own Account" not supported).
I ship CUSMA/USMCA items to the U.S. via Canada Post. Will these have duties?
Yes. CUSMA/USMCA shipments under $800 USD will be charged duties when sent via a postal carrier. In this FAQ from CBP, CBP states that USMCA preference cannot be claimed for postal shipments subject to Section 3 of Executive Order 14324. CUSMA/USMCA items require additional documentation that is not currently supported in the postal environment.
Can I print Canada Post labels from a different system, not mentioned in this guide?
Currently, labels must be printed from Snap Ship, Shipping Manager, Ship Online (which uses Declaration IDs instead of a Verified Account), or Shopify. We are working to support other shipping platforms soon. You'll receive an email from Canada Post once this is available.
How much does it cost to use a Verified Account?
Your Zonos Verified Account (and its tools) are free to use. There is no subscription cost and no cost for using Item Quoter or Shipment Quoter. You will only be billed for duties and processing/clearance fees per shipment you send to the U.S. using your Verified Account. The cost of the processing/clearance fee is listed in Zonos Dashboard under Settings → Billing, in the Plan section.
When will I see my shipment in Dashboard?
Your shipments will appear in Dashboard once the post sends the shipment data to Zonos. This can take a few days from when you ship your parcel.
I don't see my Account Key. How can I get it?
Your Account Key won't appear until you have added your billing information to Dashboard. Please ensure you have added billing information, then it should appear in Dashboard → Settings → Integrations.
The other common reason you may not see your Account Key is if you have an existing Zonos account that is not a Verified Account. Contact our support team at support@zonos.com and we can switch your account to a Verified Account.
Can I use my Verified Account on shipments over $800 USD?
Yes. Canada Post systems now require a Declaration ID no matter the value of the shipment, and your Account Key is used to create the Declaration ID.
Since shipments over $800 USD do not require prepaid duties, Zonos will not bill you for duties if the shipment value is over $800 USD. These shipments will be sent DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) to the U.S. customer, and the customer will be asked to pay duty during delivery.
Are postal shipments subject to MFN or IEEPA duty rates?
For the first six months (effective August 29, 2025), Canada Post shipments to the U.S. are subject to IEEPA duty rates only; MFN rates do not apply to postal clearance. This is a key advantage of shipping via Canada Post compared to private carriers, which are subject to both MFN and IEEPA duties.
What happens if a platform or merchant uses a provider other than Zonos for duty calculation?
Not an issue. With a Verified Account, Zonos collects and remits duties to CBP for your Canada Post shipments, regardless of which calculator produced the estimate you used. You’ll be invoiced by Zonos for the actual duties assessed.
If a postal shipment contains multiple items with different countries of origin, how are duties calculated?
Zonos calculates duties per item based on each item’s country of origin and aggregates them for the total. Your Verified Account is then billed for the summed duty amount (plus the postal clearance/processing fee).
How are gifts over 100 USD handled?
Gifts valued over 100 USD are dutiable. Zonos calculates duties on the total gift value and bills your Verified Account accordingly.
What if the gift includes multiple items with different countries of origin?
For gift shipments with mixed origins, Zonos calculates duties per item by origin and sums them for the total duty, which is then billed to your Verified Account.
How do I archive or deactivate my organization?
In your Zonos Dashboard, go to Settings → General. Scroll to the Danger Zone section. From there, you can choose to Archive organization to make your dashboard read-only or Deactivate organization to remove access for all users. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your choice.
What happens if my product description isn’t clear?
If your product description doesn’t align with the HS code, customs authorities may reclassify your shipment based on what they think it is. This can cause duty and tax adjustments, clearance delays, or returns to sender.
Always use a straightforward, accurate description (for example, “leather men’s wallet” instead of “premium accessory”) to ensure your HS code stays correct.
See this guide for more details.
Why does my HS code keep changing?
If you’re noticing your HS code being adjusted, it’s often because the description provided doesn’t match the code. Customs reviews shipments for coherency between the description and code—and when they don’t line up, they’ll correct it.
To avoid reclassification, use detailed, factual wording that clearly defines the item, its material, and its purpose.
See this guide for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)