Shipping machinery from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico

How U.S. cargo reaches Canada and Mexico

Most machinery for Canada and Mexico goes by road or rail across the land border. In 2025, 2,945,388 trucks entered the U.S. at Laredo, Texas, the most of any land crossing, followed by Detroit and Port Huron on the Canadian border^[10]. Within the U.S. the truck works to the federal size and weight limits, or a permit from every state on the route^[13].

Mexico also has RoRo sailings from the Gulf and East Coast. Grimaldi’s ships reached Veracruz 1 to 2 days after leaving Freeport and Altamira in 4 to 5^[1], NYK’s North–South service took 2 to 4 days from Freeport to Veracruz^[2], and a Höegh ship was listed at 5 days from Charleston^[12]. A sea leg suits a machine that is already near one of those ports and is going to a site in central or southern Mexico.

Published sailings to Mexico

Each column is one carrier service. Days run from the ship’s call at the U.S. port shown to its arrival, across the voyages the schedule listed when we checked it.

Busiest truck crossings

The land ports where the most trucks entered the U.S. in 2025. BTS counts trucks entering the U.S. and publishes no count of trucks leaving it, so the table shows inbound traffic.

Paperwork at the border

Canada: a shipment whose final destination is Canada needs no Electronic Export Information, but the exemption does not cover used self-propelled vehicles, which are filed in AES whatever the destination^[3][4]. The truck’s carrier sends its eManifest to the CBSA between 30 days and one hour before the truck reaches the first Canadian port^[5].

Mexico: a shipment worth $2,500 or less per Schedule B number needs no EEI^[8], again except a used self-propelled vehicle^[4]. On the Mexican side the importer must be listed in the Padrón de Importadores and clears the machine through a customs broker with a pedimento^[6][7], and the road or rail leg inside Mexico travels with a CFDI that carries the Carta Porte supplement^[11].

Rules that apply on this lane

Exports to Canada: EEI exemption (15 CFR 30.36)U.S. Census Bureau

A shipment from the U.S. whose country of ultimate destination is Canada needs no Electronic Export Information. The exemption does not cover goods stored in Canada for a later move to a third country, goods passing through Canada to another country, or shipments that always need EEI whatever their value or destination: goods under an export license and used self-propelled vehicles. A used excavator, loader or tractor sold to a Canadian buyer is still filed in AES.^[3][4]

Applies to: Shipments whose final destination is Canada

Advance cargo data for trucks entering Canada (ACI eManifest)Canada Border Services Agency

The highway carrier, or a service provider it authorizes, transmits the cargo and conveyance data to the CBSA no earlier than 30 days and no later than one hour before the truck reaches the first Canadian port of arrival. Data received later is accepted with an insufficient review time warning, and the carrier can be fined under the Administrative Monetary Penalty System.^[5]

Applies to: Every commercial truckload crossing into Canada

Importing into Mexico: importer registry and pedimentoANAM and SAT (Mexico)

The importer must be listed in SAT’s Padrón de Importadores, and in a sector registry for goods that have one, and clears the goods through a customs broker (agente aduanal) or an authorized customs representative. The pedimento is the import declaration; it goes with a Spanish commercial invoice, the bill of lading and any permits or NOM certificates, and since 1 January 2025 every declaration carries the importer’s RFC tax ID. Goods claiming USMCA preference need a certification of origin with nine minimum data elements, which the importer, exporter or producer may issue.^[6][7][14]

Applies to: Every commercial import into Mexico

Carta Porte for goods moving inside MexicoSAT (Mexico)

Goods moved within Mexico travel with a CFDI electronic invoice that carries the Carta Porte supplement, version 3.1 since 17 July 2024. For goods in foreign trade it has been enforceable since 1 January 2024, so the leg from the border or the port to the site needs one.^[11][7]

Applies to: Goods carried in Mexico by road, rail, sea or air, imports included

Used self-propelled vehicles: 72-hour ruleU.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. regulations count self-propelled construction and agricultural machinery as vehicles. A used one must be filed in AES at least 72 hours before export, whatever its value or destination, and the ITN, the VIN or serial number and the ownership documents go to CBP at the port of export. Filing after departure is not allowed.^[15][9][16]

Applies to: Used machines that drive: excavators, loaders, dozers, tractors, trucks

Federal truck size and weight limits (23 CFR 658)FHWA

On the Interstate system a truck may gross 80,000 lb, with 20,000 lb on a single axle and 34,000 lb on a tandem; on the National Network the load may be 102 in wide. There is no federal height limit: states set 13.6 to 14.6 ft. A load over any of these needs an oversize or overweight permit from every state on the route.^[13]

Applies to: Every road move to and from the port

Which method for which machine

Import rules by country

Duty and tax as recorded in our country guides, with the authority that publishes them and the month we checked. Preferential duty under USMCA depends on where the machine was made, not where it ships from, so the certification of origin is checked before the machine ships.

Questions about shipping to Canada and Mexico

Countries We Serve in North America

• United States
• Canada
• Mexico