CARM Client Portal for Small Importers in Canada: A Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Last reviewed: August 2026

Importing your first commercial shipment into Canada involves more than finding a supplier and arranging freight.

Before your goods leave the supplier, your business should be registered in the CARM Client Portal, connected to the correct import-export account and—when applicable—authorized to use a customs broker and Release Prior to Payment.

CARM is now the Canada Border Services Agency’s official system for managing the assessment and collection of duties and taxes on commercial imports. Importers use the portal to register their business, manage CBSA program accounts, view transactions, make payments, delegate access and arrange financial security. (CBSA)

This guide explains the setup process in plain language for Canadian small businesses and first-time importers.

Important: This article is for general education. Import requirements depend on your business, product and shipment. Confirm your situation with the CBSA, a licensed customs broker or another qualified professional.

Last reviewed: August 2026. CARM has been the CBSA system of record since October 21, 2024.

What Is CARM?

CARM stands for CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management.

The CARM Client Portal, often shortened to CCP, is the online account businesses use to interact with the CBSA for commercial importing.

Through the portal, an importer may be able to:

• Register its business with the CBSA
• Enrol in the Importer Program
• Manage its import-export program account
• View statements and transactions
• Make payments
• Delegate access to employees or service providers
• Enrol in Release Prior to Payment
• Post financial security

CARM became the official system of record for duties and taxes on commercial imports on October 21, 2024. (CBSA)

Does Every Small Importer Need CARM?

A business importing commercial goods for use or sale in Canada generally needs:

1. A nine-digit Business Number
2. An import-export program account
3. Its business registered in the CARM Client Portal

This applies even when a customs broker will prepare the customs documents. Your broker may work on your behalf, but the broker cannot register your business in CARM for you. (CBSA)

Before You Begin: Understand Your BN9 and RM Account

CARM registration becomes much easier when you understand the two numbers involved.

Your nine-digit Business Number

Your Business Number, or BN9, is a unique nine-digit number assigned to your business. Example:

123456789

A corporation may already have a Business Number from its incorporating authority or the Canada Revenue Agency. A sole proprietor may also already have one if they previously registered for GST/HST, payroll or another government program. (Canada.ca)

Do not create a second Business Number just because you are beginning to import. First check whether your business already has one.

For many new resident businesses, a BN9 may be obtained during the CARM registration process. Some business types must obtain it from the CRA first. A business that also needs CRA program accounts may use the CRA’s Business Registration Online service. (CBSA)

Your import-export RM account

An import-export account is connected to your Business Number. Its program identifier looks like:

RM0001

When combined with your nine-digit Business Number, the full program account is commonly referred to as a BN15:

123456789RM0001

If your business already has an RM account, you will need that information during registration. If it does not, you may enrol in the Importer Program while registering through CARM. (CBSA)

Check your business name carefully

The legal name and business information associated with your Business Number should match the information used on your customs documents. The CRA specifically warns businesses to include all relevant business names when registering because mismatched names may delay goods at the border. (Canada.ca)

Before continuing, confirm:

• Legal business name
• Operating or trade names
• Business address
• Business Number
• Existing RM account, when applicable

A tiny spelling difference can create a surprisingly large bureaucratic headache. Government portals are not known for appreciating creative interpretations of punctuation.

Step 1: Create Your Personal CARM User Profile

Every person who uses CARM needs their own sign-in credential and user profile. Do not share one login between the owner, employee, bookkeeper and broker.

Go to the official CARM Client Portal and sign in using one of the available government sign-in methods, such as:

• GCKey
• Sign-In Partner

Follow the prompts to create your personal user profile. When you reach the First Time Setup page, choose Register my business. Choose Request access to my employer only when the business has already been registered by another person and you are requesting employee access. (CBSA)

Step 2: Register Your Business in CARM

The first person who successfully registers the business automatically becomes its Business Account Manager, or BAM. The Business Account Manager can manage access requests, business relationships and certain account settings. The CBSA recommends assigning a second Business Account Manager as a backup after registration. (CBSA)

During registration, you may be asked to provide or confirm:

• Your nine-digit Business Number
• Legal business name
• Business address
• Contact information
• Existing RM program-account information
• Information required to validate the business

Enter the information exactly as it appears in your government and CBSA records. Once the business has been registered, confirm that the correct legal entity appears in your portal account.

Why the owner should control the account

Even when you plan to use a customs broker, your business should retain control of:

• The primary CARM account
• The Business Account Manager role
• Employee access
• Broker relationships
• Financial-security arrangements
• Portal notifications

A broker can help clear shipments, but your CARM account belongs to your importing business.

Step 3: Enrol in the Importer Program

Your portal profile alone does not necessarily mean the import account setup is complete. Your business must also be enrolled in the appropriate CBSA commercial program. For most small businesses bringing goods into Canada for resale, that will be the Importer Program.

If you already have an RM account, connect or confirm it during registration. If you do not already have one, enrol in the Importer Program to create the RM program account connected to your Business Number. The business account manager can enrol the business in CBSA programs while registering or later through the portal. (CBSA)

After enrolment, verify that the correct BN15 appears in your account. Do not give a supplier, freight forwarder or broker an unverified number copied from an old email. Confirm the number directly inside CARM.

Step 4: Assign a Second Business Account Manager

The first user to register the business becomes the Business Account Manager. That creates a practical risk: what happens when that person loses access to their email, leaves the company or gets locked out? The CBSA recommends assigning a second Business Account Manager as a backup. (CBSA)

For a very small business, the backup might be:

• A co-owner
• A trusted senior employee
• Another authorized person connected to the business

Do not give this role casually. A Business Account Manager may control important account permissions and business relationships.

Step 5: Delegate Authority to Your Customs Broker

Registering in CARM does not automatically give your customs broker access. Your business must create or approve a business relationship and delegate the appropriate authority to the broker. The general process is:

1. Ask the customs broker for its legal business information and CARM instructions.
2. Have the broker send a business-relationship request through CARM, when that is its process.
3. Sign in as the Business Account Manager or Program Account Manager.
4. Open the business-relationship or pending-request area.
5. Review the broker’s identity carefully.
6. Select the RM program account the broker should access.
7. Review the requested permissions.
8. Approve only the access needed for the services you hired the broker to perform.
9. Confirm the relationship appears as active.

Only users with the appropriate management role can delegate authority to a third-party service provider. (CBSA)

Delegation is not the same as transferring responsibility

A broker may prepare declarations, submit accounting information and assist with payments, depending on the authority granted. However, the importer remains ultimately responsible for the accuracy of its customs information, duties, taxes and necessary corrections. (CBSA)

You may also need a written agency agreement

Providing access through CARM does not necessarily replace the written authority your broker needs to act as your agent. Current CBSA guidance states that importers must provide both:

• Appropriate written authority, such as an agency agreement or power of attorney
• Permission for the broker or agent to access the importer’s CARM account

The written authorization should identify the importer, agent, Business Numbers, addresses and authorized transactions. (CBSA) Ask the broker which agreement it requires and keep a signed copy in your records.

Step 6: Decide Whether You Need Release Prior to Payment

Release Prior to Payment is commonly shortened to RPP. RPP is an optional CBSA sub-program that allows an importer to have eligible goods released before the final duties and taxes are paid. (CBSA)

Without RPP, payment arrangements may need to be completed before the goods are released. That distinction matters when:

• Inventory is arriving at a port
• Storage charges may begin
• Delivery appointments have been arranged
• Products are needed for a launch
• A delay could disrupt sales

RPP now requires the importer’s own financial security

An importer that wants RPP must:

1. Register in the CARM Client Portal
2. Enrol in the RPP sub-program
3. Post financial security that meets the requirement calculated through CARM

Importers can no longer rely on a customs broker’s security for their own RPP privilege. (CBSA)

Financial security may generally be provided electronically through:

• A security deposit
• A written security agreement obtained from an approved financial-security provider

The importer remains responsible for obtaining and posting the security, even when it uses a customs broker. (CBSA)

Do all first-time importers need RPP?

Not necessarily. RPP is optional, but you should make the decision before your shipment is in transit. Ask your broker: “Will this shipment require RPP for electronic release, or must duties and taxes be paid before release?” Get the answer in writing and confirm who is responsible for each step. Do not assume that hiring a broker automatically includes RPP. That old assumption has caused more than a few unwelcome port-side surprises.

Step 7: Confirm the Setup with Your Broker

After completing the portal steps, send your broker:

• Your legal business name
• Business Number
• Full RM program account
• Confirmation that your business is registered in CARM
• Confirmation that the broker relationship is active
• Confirmation of RPP status, when applicable
• Signed agency agreement or power of attorney
• Your business contact information

Ask the broker to confirm: “Can you access our account and submit release and accounting transactions under our BN15?” Do not treat silence as confirmation.

A broker may obtain release but later be unable to submit final accounting when the importer has not completed the required registration or delegation. The CBSA has specifically identified incomplete CARM registration and broker delegation as causes of accounting problems. (CBSA)

Common CARM Registration Problems

The portal works smoothly for many businesses, but several issues appear repeatedly.

1. The Business Number is not accepted

Possible causes include:

• Incorrect Business Number
• A newly created number not yet appearing correctly
• The wrong legal entity being used
• An account that requires manual registration
• Existing program information that has not been linked properly

The CBSA’s support tool includes specific assistance for rejected Business Numbers, unavailable registration options and accounts requiring manual registration. (Canada.ca)

2. Legal name or address error

The name entered in CARM may not match the information associated with the Business Number. Check:

• Corporate suffixes such as Inc. or Ltd.
• Legal versus operating name
• Unit numbers
• Postal code
• Punctuation
• Recent address or ownership changes

Update the appropriate government record before repeatedly trying slightly different spellings.

3. “Register my business” is unavailable

This may happen when:

• The business is already registered
• You entered through the wrong first-time setup path
• Another person has already become Business Account Manager
• The account requires support intervention

Use Request access to my employer only when the business has already been registered and you are requesting access as another user. (CBSA)

4. GCKey or multi-factor authentication problems

Common sign-in problems include:

• Lost access to a Sign-In Partner
• Expired or revoked GCKey
• Missing authentication code
• Locked account
• Changed email address

The CBSA maintains a CARM troubleshooting tool covering these situations. (Canada.ca)

5. The broker cannot see the account

Registering the business is only one step. Confirm that:

• A business relationship exists
• The correct broker was approved
• Access was granted to the correct RM account
• The appropriate permissions were selected
• The relationship is active rather than pending

6. RPP security is incomplete

Posting financial security and enrolling in RPP are connected but separate steps. For example, when a security agreement is used, the provider may need to approve it before the importer completes the RPP enrolment. The portal may show the security as awaiting guarantor approval until that happens. (CBSA) Do not assume that submitting one screen means RPP is active. Check the final account status.

What to Complete Before Your Goods Leave the Supplier

Use this checklist before the supplier books freight.

CARM account

• Personal CARM user profile created
• Business registered in the CARM Client Portal
• Correct legal name and address confirmed
• Business Number confirmed
• Importer Program enrolment completed
• Correct RM program account visible
• Backup Business Account Manager added

Customs broker

• Licensed customs broker selected
• Written agency agreement completed
• Broker business relationship approved in CARM
• Correct permissions delegated
• Broker confirms access to your BN15
• Broker confirms responsibility for release and accounting

Release and payment

• RPP requirement discussed
• RPP enrolment completed, when needed
• Financial security active, when needed
• Alternative pre-release payment process confirmed when not using RPP
• Person responsible for duties and taxes identified
• CARM notification settings reviewed

Shipment readiness

• Supplier uses the correct importer legal name
• Supplier has the correct business address
• Broker has the commercial invoice and packing information
• Importer number has been provided accurately
• Product classification, value and origin have been reviewed
• Broker confirms the shipment is ready to move

The CBSA advises commercial importers to obtain the necessary Business Number and import-export account before importing. (CBSA)

Do Not Wait Until the Shipment Is Already Moving

CARM should be part of your pre-order and pre-shipment planning, not an emergency task completed after the container has sailed. Before paying the supplier’s final balance, confirm:

• Who is the importer of record?
• Which Business Number will be used?
• Is the RM account active?
• Can the broker access the account?
• Is RPP active, if required?
• How will duties and taxes be paid?
• Are the customs documents using the correct legal information?

Resolving these questions early is usually far easier than fixing them while inventory is sitting at a terminal.

Where to Get Help

For technical problems, registration errors, locked accounts, delegation issues or RPP support, use the CBSA’s CARM support resources. For urgent requests, the CBSA currently lists:

1-800-461-9999

from Canada or the United States. The CARM help option covers onboarding, locked accounts, changes to the Business Account Manager role, RPP enrolment, financial security and portal technical issues. (CBSA) Keep screenshots, reference numbers and copies of submitted support requests.

Final Takeaway

Your customs broker can manage much of the shipment-clearing process, but your business must still establish and control its CARM account. Before importing, complete these five essentials:

1. Confirm your Business Number
2. Create or confirm your RM import account
3. Register the business in CARM
4. Delegate the correct access to your broker
5. Decide how release and payment will work

Once those pieces are in place, you can focus on the other parts of importing: supplier documents, product compliance, freight, duties and landed cost.