X

Canadian Customers

Canadian Customers: Important Information

Dec 4 UPDATE

Shipping Calculator is now back online.  Please note that Canadian packages will now be held until the end of the Canada Post strike. 

Part 1: General Canadian Information

At Arms East LLC, we are committed to providing high-quality firearms and components to Canadians in a simple and quick process. If you are legally able to own the item you see on our site, place your order, and it will ship to you. Your only work will be to email us with a scan of the front and back of your driver’s license and your PAL/RPAL.

With our US and Canadian offices, we are able to apply for the Canadian and US licenses required to complete this export process and ensure full compliance in both countries.

Licensing Requirements:

  • Complete Firearms:

    • We ship firearms directly from our Florida office to your home address in Canada. Arms East handles all necessary permissions from both Canadian and US authorities before shipping. This process typically takes around 30 days for your first order. For any additional orders placed within the following 12 months, shipping can occur immediately upon purchase.
    • In the case of Restricted Firearms, we will register and transfer the firearm while it is at our US office.  On completion of transfer, the firearm will ship with the Transfer Confirmation included in the CBSA paperwork bundle for examination and release.

    After purchasing the firearm, please send a clear scan or photo of the front and back of your PAL and Driver’s License, ensuring that your Driver’s License and shipment address are the same.

  • Firearm Parts and Components: Orders totaling $500 USD or below can be shipped under the US Low-Value Exemption, allowing up to 12 annual purchases without a license. See further details below.  Over $500, same as Firearms, we will apply for license.

  • Optics and Red Dot Sights:

    • We will ship optics and red dot sights directly from our Florida office to your home address in Canada. Arms East will obtain all required Canadian and US permissions before shipping. The approval process generally takes about 30 days for the first order. Subsequent orders within the next 12 months can be shipped immediately.

    After purchasing optics or red dot sights, please send a scan or photo of the front and back of your PAL and Driver’s License, ensuring that your Driver’s License and shipment address are the same.

Obtaining licenses typically takes 30. Subsequent orders are shipped in 48-72 hours.  Plan orders in advance to accommodate this timeline.

Canadian Compliance

Arms East tracks current Canadian legislation closely. For items that require proof of a valid PAL, we include your PAL/RPAL and Driver’s License in the Canadian Customs paperwork bundle. This ensures that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has the necessary documentation to verify the legality of your purchase and can release the goods to your home address without additional contact or delay.

Magazine Capacity: If your firearm includes magazines that exceed Canadian legal capacity, we will modify them to compliance before shipping. This applies only to magazines included by the manufacturer.

For magazine purchases not included with a firearm, please ensure the magazine you order is Canadian legal. We may list pre-pinned magazines for Canadian purchase, but orders for magazines with capacities exceeding 10 rounds for pistols or 5 rounds for semi-automatic rifles or semi-automatic shotguns will not be processed.

Ammunition: At this time, we do not ship live ammunition to Canada. However, we do ship unprimed cartridge cases and bullets for reloading.

CBSA FAQ: CBSA processing can be quick, or it can be slow. We routinely see items clear CBSA in under 7 days; however, some items may take longer.

What you need to know: An item “in process” or "held" at CBSA is just that. We advise letting it play out, as contacting us or CBSA while the item shows “received by Customs” will not expedite or delay the process. This status does not mean your item has been “seized.”

Should CBSA decide an item is not legally importable to Canada, they will contact you via a mailed letter with a case number, giving you the options of (A) abandoning the shipment for destruction or (B) returning the shipment to the sender. This is usually a mistake on CBSA’s behalf, as we are confident that what we ship is legally permissible. If you receive such a notice, please contact Arms East with the case number. We will contact CBSA on your behalf, resolve the issue, and ensure the item is delivered to you.

Since 2020, we have shipped hundreds of items directly to Canada, with only three orders stopped by CBSA. All were related to questions about verifying pinned magazine capacity (all were actually correctly pinned). In one case, a customer did not contact us and ultimately lost the magazines; we wish he had reached out! This is why we have stopped selling pinned magazines outside of firearm purchases. The other two customers who informed us received their items after we worked with CBSA on their behalf. Should there ever be a situation where there was a mistake on our part and the item shipped is truly not importable, please choose “Return to shipper,” and we will issue a 100% refund upon receiving the returned goods at our office. We hope this never happens, but this is our policy.

Export Monitoring

Arms East LLC complies fully with US law, tracking both direct exports (orders shipped abroad with licenses) and indirect exports (orders shipped within the US for international use). Orders cannot be shipped to unapproved freight forwarders or carriers within the US. We take all necessary steps to ensure compliance and report any violations to relevant authorities.

Part 2: European Markets

We also export to Poland through our Polish subsidiary. For orders, email info@armseast.com.

Part 3: Canadian Shipping Information

Order Requirements:

To avoid delays, include your full address, PO Box (if applicable), and phone and email. A phone number is required by carriers, and email allows you to track your order.

Shipping via USPS International Priority:

All Canadian orders ship via US Postal Service International Priority. Transit time is generally 7-10 business days once paperwork is complete.

Part 4: International Billing and Shipping Information

Orders with a US shipping address but an international billing address are considered international and follow all related policies.

Part 5: Payment Options

  • Credit Card: The simplest way for international customers. Provide your card details at checkout.
  • Wire Transfers: Contact us at +1 (561) 293-2915 to arrange. A $30 fee applies.
  • Money Orders and Bank Drafts: Accepted in US dollars, payable to Arms East LLC, from a US-based international bank.

Part 6: Additional Fees

  • Import Duties and GST: If applicable, these may be collected by Canada Post on delivery. Arms East LLC is not responsible for, nor do we collect these fees.

  • Order Cancellations Due to Restrictions: Items ordered that are not legal to send to Canada, such as prohibited firearms, pistols, and so forth, will be canceled and a 10% restocking fee will be applied. It is your responsibility to know what is legal to purchase. If you are not sure, please reach out to us prior to placing your order.

Sub-$500 Exportable Items

Certain items are exempt from licensing for orders below $500 USD (excluding taxes, fees, or shipping), provided they’re legal in Canada. Examples:

  • Rifle Components: Barrels, bolts, buffer tubes, and more.
  • Handgun Components: Barrels, grips, strikers, etc.
  • Shotgun Components: Triggers, barrels, bolts, etc.

Customers can place up to 12 sub-$500 orders per year.

For questions or clarifications, contact us at +1 (561) 293-2915 or info@armseast.com.