Guides
Cross-border bouquet sales between Canada and the United States
Bouquet sales across the Canada-US border need CBSA paperwork, correct duty treatment, currency cover and clean records. Here is the working detail.
What to take away
- A bouquet crossing the border is an export in Canada and an import in the United States. The commercial invoice decides how smoothly it moves.
- Duty follows the HS subheading and the country of origin, not where the bouquet was assembled. CUSMA-qualifying flowers enter duty free; other cut flower subheadings commonly fall between free and about 6 percent, a planning range rather than a quote.
- Invoice and settle in one currency, hold a US dollar account, and work the currency checklist below.
- Imports from US wholesalers need an importer of record, a broker, and GST paid at the border.
- Keep customs records six years, and treat delivery addresses and gift messages as personal information.
Paperwork the border asks for, by name
The commercial invoice comes first. It must name the shipper, the consignee, the goods, the quantity, the unit value, the currency and the country of origin. "Assorted flowers" fails. "Fresh cut roses, 40 cm, 200 stems" passes.
Commercial invoice must show
- Shipper name and address
- Consignee name and address
- Description of goods
- Quantity and unit value
- Currency and country of origin
Most commercial exports need a record rather than a permit. High-volume exporters report through the Canadian Export Reporting System, which replaced CAED. Couriers report small parcels, but the invoice stays your responsibility.
Exports are zero-rated for GST and HST, so you charge no tax and keep the proof of shipment. Our guide to GST and HST for Canadian florists covers the registration thresholds.
US entry is filed by a broker, and the entry summary is CBP Form 7501. Fresh cut flowers also fall under USDA and APHIS rules, which let inspectors hold a shipment for pests or soil.
Phytosanitary certificates come from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Ask for the current per-certificate fee and turnaround before the box is sealed.
Duty, origin and a worked landed-cost example
Duty is not one number. It follows the HS subheading in Chapter 06 and the origin of the stems. The Canadian customs tariff sets out classification and rates.
Duty, origin and landed cost
What decides duty
- Roses grown in Ecuador, arranged in Ontario
- Ecuadorian origin, no CUSMA preference
- Roses grown in California, sold in Manitoba
- US origin, CUSMA certification claimed
Outcome
- Roses grown in Ecuador, arranged in Ontario
- Duty applies to the value for duty
- Roses grown in California, sold in Manitoba
- Zero duty where the rules are met
Packing is not origin. A bouquet assembled in Canada from imported stems does not become Canadian because of the wrapping. Substantial transformation tests decide.
Trade remedy measures sit outside ordinary duty and can be large, so check the current measures before you quote. Margin arithmetic like this sits behind our notes on florist pricing and profit.
Example: 500 stems of roses into Winnipeg
A Winnipeg florist buys 500 rose stems at USD 0.60, so the invoice is USD 300. Freight to the border is USD 40, giving a value for duty of USD 340.
Where CUSMA applies, duty is zero and the border cost is the broker fee plus GST on USD 340. Where preference is not claimed and the subheading carries an assumed 6 percent, duty is USD 20.40. Confirm the rate before you price.
Currency rules for US-dollar bouquet orders
A US customer paying in dollars is not paying you more. Your rent and wages are in Canadian dollars, so the rate on the day you settle decides your margin.
Quote in US dollars, invoice in US dollars, and deposit those dollars into a US dollar account. Converting twice, at quote and again at settlement, doubles the exposure and the bank fees.
Bank spreads often cost more than the daily rate move, so compare the all-in conversion cost rather than the posted rate.
Currency rules
- Hold one US dollar account for cross-border receipts.
- Convert on a fixed date each month, not payment by payment.
- Review USD/CAD on the first business day of the month.
- Reprice new orders when the rate moves more than 3 percent from the quote date.
If the Canadian dollar strengthens, margin compresses. Our quote template shows wording that keeps a repricing clause enforceable.
Importing from US wholesalers: the clearance sequence
Buying is the mirror image of selling, and it is where most Canadian florists meet customs first. CBSA lists the documentation and release options for anyone who needs to import commercial goods.
Clearance sequence
- Confirm who is the importer of record, and whether the supplier ships prepaid or collect.
- Collect the invoice and the HS classification for every species in the box.
- Check CFIA requirements, including whether a phytosanitary certificate is needed.
- Book the broker before the shipment lands, and send the invoice in advance.
- Pay duty and GST at release, then claim the GST as an input tax credit.
A broker files the entry, calculates duty and tax, and releases the goods. Perishable stems make speed the priority, so a broker with a bonded warehouse earns the fee.
Records, privacy and provincial export support
CBSA can ask you to prove goods left the country. Keep customs records six years, and sales and GST records for six years from the end of the tax year. Our florist compliance checklist lists the documents a new owner has to hold.
US delivery addresses and gift messages are personal information under PIPEDA. Collect what the order needs and delete it when the order closes.
British Columbia publishes tariff response guidance for exporters absorbing tariff costs. Manitoba's exporting guidance covers documentation and market entry. Neither clears a shipment or pays duty.
