Home   Canadian Border Crossing Checklist & International Info
Canadian Border Crossing Checklist

PAPERWORK

  • The standard "ARROW" stuff (Airman's cert. & Medical, Airworthiness cert., A/C registration, W&B)
  • Current passport for for all occupants (drivers license/birth certificate no longer sufficient)
  • Canadian Charts (Sporty's has them). Vancouver VTA strongly recommended if your flight goes that way.
  • Canada Flight Supplement (CDN equivalent of our Airport Facility Directory) (Sporty's has it)
  • FCC Radio Station License or temporary permit (main form 605 + sched. C, or sched. F)
  • FCC Radio Operators Permit or temporary permit (main fm 605 + sched. E, or sched. F) [what the....?]
  • Canadian Homebuilt Authorization [MS Word file]
  • US Customs form 178 (optional, can save time clearing customs back in the US) [form (PDF)]
  • US Customs sticker -- may be purchased at POE on reentry into US (but call to verify) or order online)

    FLYING TO CANADA

  • Call 1-888-CANPASS, 2-48 hours in advance. Be ready with your ETA & the names/DOB of all on board [info]
  • File a flight plan with flight service: 1-800-992-7433
  • Use flight following while crossing the border. Post-911, continuous contact with ATC is a requirement.
  • Land within 20 minutes of your filed ETA (don't forget to close your flight plan!)
  • Customs will give you a number, which must be clearly displayed in the aircraft while in Canada
  • NEW Departing Vancouver BC area airports w/o a flight plan, contact 1-888-YVR-CODE for txpdr code 30 minutes before departure [more]
  • HINT Victoria (YYJ) is getting to be quite busy and has some fees, so Nanaimo (YCD) may be a preferred POE if your destination isn't YYJ.
  • For VFR flights in Canada you are required to either file a flight plan for flights beyond 25 miles of the departure airport. Alternately, you can leave a "flight itinerary" with a "responsible person" (in other words, just tell someone where you're going!). [CAR 602.73]

    RETURNING TO THE US

  • Fill out Customs form 178 before arrival (optional) [forms].
  • Call to notify US customs at port of entry, 1-24 hours in advance
  • File a flight plan with flight service (phone #s in Canada Flight Supplement) and obtain a discrete txpdr code
        NOTE: Canadian flight plans use the ICAO flight plan format [form (PDF)] [instructions (PDF)]
  • Use flight following while crossing the border. Post-911, continuous contact with ATC is a requirement.
  • Land within 15 minutes of your filed ETA (don't forget to close your flight plan!)
  • Purchase US Customs sticker from agent ($25 Fee) if you don't already have one.

    PHONE NUMBERS

  • Canadian Customs (all): 888-226-7277
  • US Customs Bellingham: 360-734-5463 24/7
  • US Customs Blaine: 360-332-6318 8-5 Mon-Sat
  • US Customs FHR: 360-378-2080 8-5 Mon-Sat (fee)
  • US FSS (all): 800-992-7433
  • Canadian FSS (all): 800-463-6377

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  • Canadian FSS (all): 800-463-6377
  • Vanc. FSS: 604-775-9505
  • Vanc. txpdr codes: 1-888-YVR-CODE (888-987-2633)
  • Penticton FSS: 250-765-3437
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    • Additional information and updates: go here