FedEx Wine Shipping - U.S. to Canada FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who can ship wine to a consumer to Canada?
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FedEx® accepts alcohol (wine) packages only from approved licensed entities. Consumers are not allowed to ship wine to other consumers but may engage an approved licensed entity to ship on their behalf. Go to www.fedex.com/us/international/wine-shipping/ to get started.
- Can I ship wine to consumers in all Canadian provinces?
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Approved licensed entities may ship wine to consumers in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec under the authority of the Provincial Liquor Control Board.
- Can I ship wine to licensed recipients in all Canadian provinces?
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An authorized agent of the destination provincial liquor control authority may ship wine to licensed recipients in that province, subject to destination provincial rules and regulations.
- How do I ship wine to a consumer in Canada?
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If you are shipping licensee-to-consumer shipments to Ontario, you are encouraged to use the Private Ordering process. The direct-purchase process is available for shipments to Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
- What is the direct-purchase process?
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The direct-purchase process enables licensee-to-consumer shipping by consigning the shipment to the customer, delivering it in care of the destination provincial liquor control authority. Click here to locate and download a detailed flowchart.
- What are the advantages of using the direct-purchase process?
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The direct-purchase process offers the following advantages:
- The direct-purchase process enables licensee-to-consumer shipping by consigning the shipment to the customer, delivering it in care of the destination provincial liquor control authority. There is no minimum purchase size.
- An upfront deposit fee is not required.
- Delivery times can be quicker since the shipment is not consolidated with other shipments.
- FedEx Express maintains custodial control of the shipment.
- What is the Ontario Private-Ordering process?
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The private-ordering process was established by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to enable Ontario residents to import wine not available in LCBO stores. Click here to obtain and download a detailed flowchart. You can find complete information on the private-ordering process at LCBO site.
- What are the advantages of using the Ontario Private-Ordering process?
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The private-ordering process offers the following advantages:
- Lower alcohol markup taxes: As of Sept. 4, 2009, the tax rate was 64.0 percent for the private-ordering process versus 102.2 percent for the direct-purchase process. Tax rates are subject to change.
- Proper shipment valuation is assured since the Ontario government values the wine.
- Providing proof of payment to the broker prior to shipping is not required.
- What is the private-ordering deposit fee?
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The LCBO requires a minimum deposit of 25 percent of the estimated retail value of the order. The LCBO reserves the right to change deposit requirements and/or request a larger deposit amount.
- Is there a minimum shipment size for licensee-to-consumer shipping?
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The private-ordering process has a minimum order requirement of one case. There is no minimum purchase size with the direct-purchase process.
- Is there a maximum shipment size for licensee-to-consumer shipping?
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45 liters (five cases of twelve 750 ml bottles) is the maximum shipment size. For Quebec, it is 45 liters maximum per one calendar year. For Alberta, it is 45 liters maximum per 90 days period.
- What shipping paperwork is needed?
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At minimum you will need an international air waybill and a Commercial Invoice. A wine-specific Commercial Invoice and a detailed guide on international wine shipping can both be downloaded here.
- What FedEx® delivery services are available for wine shipping to Canada?
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Choose from the following services: FedEx International Priority®, FedEx International Economy®, FedEx International Priority® Freight and FedEx International Economy® Freight. FedEx International Ground® is not available for wine shipments to Canada.
- Can I put anything other than wine in my shipment?
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No. Do not include non-alcohol items in the shipment.
- What shipment value do I put on the paperwork?
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The sales price of the wine must be the value declared on the shipment paperwork.
- How is the total shipment cost calculated?
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The total shipment cost is the sum of the transportation charge, customs brokerage fees and fees levied by the Canadian government (duties, taxes (PST, GST) and alcohol markup fees).
- How much are the provincial duties, taxes and alcohol markup fees?
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Duties, taxes, and alcohol markup fees vary by each province. Click here to locate and download the U.S.-to-Canada Wine Shipping Calculator.
- Can I use my own customs broker for clearance?
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No. For all wine shipments to Canada, the provincial liquor control board is always the importer of record and therefore selects its own broker
- When do I pay the clearance fees?
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Clearance fees are paid when the shipment is imported. They cannot be paid at the time of shipment because the fees have not yet been calculated.
- How can I pay the clearance fees and remaining duties, taxes and alcohol markup fees?
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Method of payment acceptance depends on the destination province:
- Alberta: The buyer can pay only by certified check or money order and only by mail. Buyers may pay at the AGLC Head Office in St. Albert (stores will not accept payments) or send via courier at their own expense.
- British Columbia: The buyer can pay by credit card or check.
- Ontario: The buyer can pay only by Visa or MasterCard.
- Quebec: The buyer can pay by credit card.
- How long will it take for the shipment to be delivered?
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The total number of transit days is estimated, not guaranteed, and varies depending on the FedEx service used, the destination (allow longer for more-remote areas), the Canada post delivery commitment and the method of payment used for duties, taxes and fees (payment via credit card is assumed where available). Estimates below utilize the FedEx International Priority service.
- Alberta: Allow approximately 8 business days from order to delivery.
- British Columbia: Allow approximately 6 business days from order to delivery.
- Ontario (direct-purchase process): Allow approximately 6 business days from order to delivery.
- Ontario (private-ordering process): Allow approximately 6 business days from order to delivery. Go to LCBO site for more details on the Ontario Private-Ordering process.
- Quebec: Allow approximately 5-6 business days from order to delivery.
- How can I contact the LCBO?
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LCBO contact info is below.
- Phone: 1.800.668.5144, 1.416.864.6739 (Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., EST)
- Fax: 1.416.365.5934
- What are the applicable provincial liquor control authorities and Canadian customs?
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The acronyms and descriptions are below.
- AGLC: Alberta Gaming Liquor Commission
- BCLDB: British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch
- LCBO: Liquor Control Board of Ontario
- CBSA: Canada Border Services Agency
- SAQ: Société des alcools du Québec
