A carrier code is a four-character unique identifier that is assigned by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify a carrier. Only one carrier code is issued to each legal entity (corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship). Air carriers, marine carriers, trucking companies and freight forwarding companies each receive a different “carrier code”, the first number of which identifies the type of code.

In order to de-consolidate shipments and file export declarations on behalf of exporters in Canada a forwarder must have an 8000-series carrier code from the CBSA. With the implementation of eManifest, freight forwarders will require an 8000-series carrier code (a four-character alpha/numeric code that begins with an 8), in order to transact business with the CBSA and file eHBL data.