CBP Form 3299 is the US Customs and Border Protection declaration for free entry of household goods and personal effects. You sign it as the owner of the goods, and it travels with your shipment to the border. A household move from Canada to the US does not need a customs broker.
Last updated October 25, 2026 · Klacar Inc., Burlington
CBP Form 3299 is titled “Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles.” US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uses CBP Form 3299 when household goods and personal effects arrive in the US separately from their owner. The revision in use on cbp.gov as of October 2026 is dated December 2023.
A household move from Canada to the US enters on CBP Form 3299. The owner of the goods signs the form. A customs broker is not needed for household goods.
Duty-free entry depends on the conditions printed on CBP Form 3299. Under HTSUS item 9804.00.05, household effects bought abroad must have been used for at least one year by you or your family. Goods intended for another person or for sale do not qualify.
The paperwork depends on the direction of the move and the type of goods.
| Move | Main document | Who clears the goods | Customs broker? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household goods, Canada to US | CBP Form 3299 plus a packing list | You sign; the form travels with the shipment | No |
| Household goods, US to Canada | Inventory of goods; goods travel in bond | You clear them at Canadian customs (CBSA) | No |
| Commercial goods, either direction | Commercial invoice and customs entry | A licensed customs broker | Yes |
Gather these before your pickup date. Confirm the current list with CBP, because CBP sets the requirements.
The owner of the goods reviews and signs CBP Form 3299 before the truck leaves.
CBP Form 3299 asks for a packing list. A room-by-room inventory built at loading time works for this.
A copy of your passport, and your US visa or green card if you have one.
The one-year use rule applies to items bought abroad. Receipts help for anything less than a year old.
Alcohol, firearms, plants and some foods follow separate US rules. Declare them in advance.
The address where the goods will be delivered and a phone number that works in the US.
Klacar moves households from Ontario to the United States on its own trucks with its own crews. The Klacar crew builds the inventory with you, and CBP Form 3299 is prepared with you before pickup. You review the form and sign it as the owner of the goods.
Klacar confirms what CBP needs from you before the move date. Moves in the other direction, from the US into Canada, travel in bond, and you clear the goods yourself at Canadian customs. Details for both directions are on the cross-border moving page.
Straight answers to the questions we hear most.
The owner of the goods signs CBP Form 3299. On a Klacar move, the crew builds the inventory with you and the form is prepared with you before pickup. You review it and sign it.
No. A household move from Canada to the US enters on CBP Form 3299 without a customs broker. A licensed customs broker is only involved when the goods are commercial.
Household effects can enter free of duty when they meet the conditions printed on CBP Form 3299. One condition, under HTSUS item 9804.00.05, is that items bought abroad were used for at least one year by you or your family. Items that are new or meant for sale do not qualify.
CBP Form 3299 asks you to attach a packing list of the goods. US Customs and Border Protection may also ask for a copy of your passport and visa or other proof of your status. Confirm the current list with CBP before the move date.
Alcohol, tobacco, firearms, plants, soil and some foods have their own US rules. Tell your mover about these items before the truck is loaded. US Customs and Border Protection publishes the rules for each one.