# Cross-Border Trucking Checklist: Every Credential a Canadian Carrier Needs to Run Into the US

A Quebec or Ontario truck headed for New York needs a dozen things in order before the border, and the one that is missing is the one the officer asks for. Here's the full list — authority, registration, tax, customs, driver and equipment — in the order a new cross-border carrier should get them, and which ones the telematics keeps current.

Source: https://www.highpointgps.com/resources/cross-border-trucking-checklist-canada-us
By Israel Margulies, CEO & Founder — published 2026-09-18, updated 2026-09-18

## Authority and Registration

A USDOT number from the FMCSA, which identifies the carrier and is the key every other US system references. Operating authority — an MC number — if the carrier hauls for hire; private carriers hauling their own goods do not need it. A process agent designation (BOC-3) on file with the FMCSA. Unified Carrier Registration paid for the year. IRP apportioned plates for each power unit, from the SAAQ in Quebec or the MTO in Ontario, with the IRS Form 2290 Schedule 1 that the IRP office requires for vehicles at 55,000 pounds and over. The FMCSA's insurance filing: $750,000 liability minimum for general freight, more for hazardous materials, with the MCS-90 endorsement.

## Tax

An IFTA licence and decals from the base province, which cover fuel tax in every state. New York's Highway Use Tax certificate and decal for any truck over 18,000 pounds that will touch New York roads, which for a Quebec carrier is nearly all of them. Kentucky's KYU, New Mexico's and Oregon's weight-distance accounts if the lanes go there. Each is a separate account, a separate return and a separate mileage figure, all of which come from the same telematics jurisdiction report.

## Customs and the Border

A customs broker on the US side and a carrier bond, so shipments can be cleared. Registration for ACE, the US eManifest, which must be transmitted before the truck reaches the border, and for ACI on the way back into Canada. PARS and PAPS labels on the paperwork so the broker's entry and the carrier's manifest match. Optionally, C-TPAT and PIP membership for faster lanes, and FAST cards for drivers, which require the carrier to be in those programs. Drivers need a passport or equivalent, and the immigration rules on what a Canadian driver may do in the US — point to point US moves are cabotage and are not permitted — are enforced.

## Driver and Equipment

Drivers hold a licence class valid for the vehicle, a medical certificate, and, for the US, enrolment in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse with the testing program that implies. The ELD must be certified under both regimes: on Transport Canada's list for the Canadian side and self-certified with the FMCSA for the US side, with the driver switching rulesets at the border. The truck carries the cab card, the IFTA licence copy, the HUT certificate, the ELD documents and the inspection decal. High Point GPS sets up the ELD, the ruleset switching, the jurisdiction reporting and the document add-ins for cross-border carriers in Quebec and Ontario, and reviews the list above with new ones before the first trip.

## FAQ

### What does a Canadian carrier need to haul into the US?

A USDOT number, operating authority if for hire, BOC-3, UCR, IRP plates with Form 2290 Schedule 1, FMCSA insurance filing, IFTA, state weight-distance accounts where applicable, a customs broker and bond, ACE and ACI eManifest registration, and drivers with valid documents and a dual-certified ELD.

### Does a private carrier need an MC number?

No. Operating authority is for for-hire carriage. Private carriers hauling their own goods need the USDOT number and the rest of the list.

### Is a Canadian ELD accepted in the US?

Only if it is also self-certified with the FMCSA. Geotab's devices are certified under both regimes; the driver switches rulesets at the border.

### Can a Canadian driver haul between two US points?

No. That is cabotage and is not permitted. Canadian drivers move international freight only.

### What is the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse?

A US database of drug and alcohol testing results. Carriers operating in the US must enrol and query it for their CDL-equivalent drivers.

## Sources

- [FMCSA: Registration](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration)
- [US Customs and Border Protection: ACE](https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated)
- [Canada Border Services Agency: Carriers](https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/carrier-transporteur/menu-eng.html)