CANPASS Private Aircraft Program: Clearing Canadian Customs Guide

The CANPASS Private Aircraft program is a Trusted Traveler Program run by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CANPASS stands for Canadian Passenger Accelerated Service System. It speeds customs and immigration clearance for low-risk, pre-approved travelers entering Canada from the United States on general aviation flights. It covers arrivals into Canada only.

It is one of two aircraft streams, alongside CANPASS Corporate Aircraft, which the next section separates.

The two aircraft streams serve different flights:

• CANPASS Private Aircraft covers private, non-commercial flights.
• CANPASS Corporate Aircraft covers company-owned, leased, or rented aircraft used for business travel.

The right stream depends on aircraft ownership and purpose. Calling the CANPASS number is reporting, not holding a program authorization. General aviation arrivals report by telephone whether or not the pilot holds one.

CANPASS membership depends on CBSA criteria:

• Citizen or permanent resident of Canada or the United States.
• Resident in either country for the last three consecutive years.
• No criminal record, unless pardoned.
• No customs seizure in the past five years.
• No customs or immigration violations.

These criteria come from CBSA, and CBSA assesses each applicant individually. Everyone aboard, including the pilot, must be a member to use the program.

Applicants complete Form E672 and mail it to a CANPASS processing center with photocopies of proof of citizenship or residence and a non-refundable fee. CBSA then runs a security background check before granting authorization. Once granted, CANPASS membership is valid for five years. Because everyone aboard must hold it, each traveler must apply individually and allow time for processing before a planned flight.

The CANPASS Private and Corporate programs are unavailable for chartered aircraft under any circumstances. Charter is a commercial operation, so passengers clear through the standard CBSA general aviation process rather than a membership. That matters for private jet customs clearance. A charter traveler relies on the operator, not personal CANPASS membership, to handle reporting and coordination with CBSA. The rule is firm, regardless of the passenger’s membership status.

A transborder flight must first land at a CBSA-designated Airport of Entry, and Toronto Pearson (YYZ) handles international arrivals. The aircraft typically taxis to an FBO, where a CBSA officer reviews documents and customs declarations. Passengers wait at or near the aircraft, or in a private lounge, until authorized.  Our guide to charter flights from Toronto covers the airports involved in CBSA private aircraft clearance. 

The pilot in command handles CANPASS telephone reporting in two calls:

• Call 1-888-226-7277 at least two hours, but no more than 48 hours, before arrival.
• Give the ETA, aircraft registration, and details for each person aboard, then note the report number.
• Call again immediately after landing, and stay with the aircraft until CBSA authorizes departure.

Provide the report number again on the second call. A short, accurate report helps avoid delays. 

Transborder flights involve US departure formalities and, on the return, Canadian arrival reporting. On a charter, the operator handles the CBSA arrival report and schedules around Airport of Entry hours. Domestic legs, such as private flights between Vancouver and Toronto, involve no border clearance, though any transborder segment still requires reporting. Neither direction requires the traveler to make the reporting call themselves.

A private flight does not bypass immigration rules. Every traveler needs valid travel documents:

• A valid passport.
• A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) if visa-required.
• An eTA for most visa-exempt air travelers, with limited exceptions.
• Proof of citizenship or residence where relevant.

Be ready to make customs declarations for goods, currency above the reporting threshold, and restricted items. Missing documents can delay clearance, so check them early.

CANPASS Private Aircraft holders may land at an Airport of Entry any time the runways are open, regardless of local CBSA office hours. Authorized members may also use designated CANPASS-only airports. Non-members and charter arrivals are tied to CBSA business hours unless after-hours service is arranged. CBSA arranges after-hours service for these arrivals on a cost-recovery basis, outside normal CIQ (customs, immigration, and quarantine) hours. Planning arrival around these hours helps avoid waiting on the ground. 

On a charter flight, the operator manages CBSA general aviation reporting and coordination, so travelers don’t have to. ACASS is a direct Canadian Air Operator Certificate (AOC) operator with 30+ years in business aviation and 24/7 support. A specialist coordinates private jet customs clearance for transborder charter flights to Toronto. See Toronto private jet charter for how departures work in practice. Connect with a Specialist to review the clearance steps for your trip. 

The CANPASS Private Aircraft program speeds clearance for eligible private operators, while charter travelers clear through standard CBSA reporting handled by their operator. Preparation, documents, and Airport of Entry timing keep transborder flights smooth. The pilot completes telephone reporting before and after the flight, and Toronto Pearson handles international arrivals.  Connect With a Specialist to talk through clearing customs on a private flight into Toronto.