Electronics
ISED certification for wireless devices, and getting the right Packing Instruction for lithium batteries — installed, packed with, or shipped alone.
Get a Electronics RateHS 84/85
Machinery & electrical equipment chapters
Free
MFN duty rate, all major codes
0%
Additional CPTPP saving on this commodity
PI965–970
Lithium battery Packing Instructions
ISED Certification Requirement
Wireless electronics need ISED certification and Radio Equipment List listing before they can be imported into Canada
Before wireless equipment — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other radio-frequency devices, which covers most consumer electronics shipped by air — can be imported, distributed, or offered for sale in Canada, a Technical Acceptance Certificate must be issued for it and it must be listed on ISED's Radio Equipment List. That responsibility sits with the manufacturer or importer of record, not the freight forwarder, but an uncertified shipment can still be held at the border.
Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Wireless Equipment Certification / RSS-Gen. Last verified July 2026.
Relevant HS Codes
| HS Code | Description | MFN | CPTPP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8541.10 | Diodes, other than photosensitive or light-emitting diodes (LED) | Free | Free | — |
| 8541.21 | Transistors, other than photosensitive - dissipation rate < 1 W | Free | Free | — |
| 8541.29 | Transistors, other than photosensitive - other | Free | Free | — |
| 8541.30 | Thyristors, diacs and triacs, other than photosensitive devices | Free | Free | — |
| 8541.41 | Light-emitting diodes (LED) | Free | Free | — |
| 8541.42 | Photovoltaic cells not assembled in modules or panels | Free | Free | — |
| 8541.43 | Photovoltaic cells assembled in modules or panels | Free | Free | — |
| 8541.51 | Semiconductor-based transducers | Free | Free | — |
Source: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/trade-commerce/tariff-tarif/2026/html/00/ch85-eng.html
Canadian Import Process
Confirm ISED status
Confirm the Canadian importer holds ISED certification and Radio Equipment List listing for any Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other radio-frequency device before booking.
Classify the battery scenario
Determine whether lithium batteries are installed in the device, packed alongside it, or shipped alone as spares — this determines which Packing Instruction (PI965–970) applies.
DGR declaration
Declare the shipment under the correct PI on the AWB, with a Shipper's Declaration or AWB dangerous goods statement as required by the applicable quantity band.
CBSA examination
Goods clear a CBSA examination against the commercial invoice and HS classification — most electronics clear at the Free MFN rate with no CPTPP claim needed.
Customs release
Shipment released to the importer. Energy-using products may still be subject to a separate NRCan energy efficiency reporting requirement, apart from the CBSA release itself.
Worked example
500kg of smartphones with batteries installed, Kuala Lumpur to Toronto
A 500kg shipment of smartphones with batteries installed (HS 8517.13) needs to move from KUL to YYZ. The fastest confirmed routing on that pair today is China Airlines through TPE, at 2-3 days (TPE freighter connection, limited to Mon/Thu departures).
Before booking, UAL confirms the Canadian importer holds ISED certification and Radio Equipment List listing for the smartphone model — required before it can be imported, distributed, or sold in Canada, regardless of duty treatment. Because the batteries are installed in the devices rather than shipped alone, this is a lithium-ion PI967 (UN 3481, contained in equipment) shipment, not PI965. Within Section II's small-quantity thresholds for consumer devices, no Shipper's Declaration is required, but the AWB carries the dangerous goods statement and the package carries the battery handling mark.
On arrival at YYZ, CBSA clears the shipment against the commercial invoice and HS classification — smartphones under HS 8517.13 are already Free at MFN, so no CPTPP claim changes the outcome here. The shipment releases to the importer once the PI967 documentation and standard commercial paperwork both check out.
Why ship electronics through UAL
Correct PI, every time
We match the actual battery chemistry and shipping scenario to the correct Packing Instruction — not "lithium battery" as a single bucket — before a shipment is tendered.
Time-sensitive, handled that way
Electronics are launch-driven and value-dense. We route via whichever carrier has the transit time your ship date needs, not whichever carrier pays us the best override.
IATA DGR certified
UAL holds IATA DGR certification — lithium battery classification, declaration, and packaging verification are handled directly by our own trained team, not routed to an outside partner.
DGR Warning — Lithium Batteries
Most electronics in this HS range ship with lithium batteries — installed, packed alongside, or as spares
Which Packing Instruction applies depends on the battery chemistry and how it's shipped: installed in the device (PI967 for lithium ion), packed alongside it (PI966), or shipped alone as a spare (PI965, cargo-aircraft-only). Applying the wrong PI for how the battery is actually packed is the single most common DGR error in electronics freight.
Read the full lithium battery shipping guide →Source: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, PI965–970.
Frequently asked questions
No — ISED certification and Radio Equipment List (REL) listing is the manufacturer or importer of record's responsibility, not the freight forwarder's. We flag it before booking so it isn't discovered as a problem at the border, but we don't issue the certification ourselves.
Electronics · 37 HS codes · CPTPP savings on 0 codes
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