What is a PAPS number for trucking, and who makes it?
By Edwin Horton · Updated
If you haul freight from Canada into the United States, you'll hear "send me the PAPS" from shippers and customs brokers. A PAPS number is how CBP links your truck's electronic manifest to the importer's customs entry before you reach the border.
Who does what before the border
- 1
Carrier creates the PAPS number
Carrier
SCAC plus a unique shipment number, printed as a barcode label for the shipment and paperwork. - 2
Carrier sends the number to the shipper
Carrier to shipper or importer
The shipper passes it to the importer's customs broker with the commercial invoice. - 3
Customs broker files the entry
Customs broker to CBP
The broker files the customs entry using the PAPS number as the shipment control number. - 4
Carrier transmits the e-Manifest
Carrier to CBP
The manifest goes in 30 minutes or 1 hour before the truck reaches the first U.S. port, depending on the system used. - 5
Truck arrives, CBP matches it up
At the port
Officers scan the PAPS barcode; the manifest and entry should already be linked and ready.
| Step | Who | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get a SCAC | Carrier | Before any cross-border load | NMFTA SCAC assignment fee$110 online ($127 by phone or mail); renewal $104 onlineNMFTA fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 for assigning a Standard Carrier Alpha Code. Codes renew annually. Non-Class 8 carriers pay an extra $5 identity verification fee.NMFTA, SCAC pricing, 2026Checked Oct 2026 |
| Create PAPS number and label | Carrier | When the load is booked | Carrier's own numbering |
| File customs entry with the PAPS number | Importer's customs broker | Before arrival | Customs broker |
| Transmit electronic manifest | Carrier | 30 minutes or 1 hour before the first U.S. port | 19 CFR 123.92 Advance electronic manifest for trucks entering the U.S.30 minutes or 1 hour before reaching the first U.S. port, by approved system19 CFR 123.92(a): inbound truck carriers must transmit cargo information electronically no later than 30 minutes or 1 hour before reaching the first U.S. port of arrival, depending on the CBP-approved system used.19 CFR 123.92Checked Oct 2026 |
| Present at the port | Driver | Arrival | CBP |
The number itself
The PAPS number starts with your SCAC, followed by a shipment number you assign. Most carriers use a sequence they never repeat so every shipment is unique. The number goes on a barcode label that travels with the paperwork. CBP has published label and barcode requirements; carriers new to cross-border work usually test their labels before the first trip.
Common delays and how to avoid them
The customs broker never got the number. Send it as soon as the load is booked, and confirm receipt.
Label and manifest don't match. One wrong character means CBP can't link them. Copy, don't retype.
The entry isn't released yet. If the broker hasn't filed or CBP hasn't released the shipment, the truck waits. Call the broker before the driver heads for the bridge.
Driver or truck missing from the manifest. The manifest includes the driver and conveyance; a driver swap means an update.
EXAMPLE A reefer picks up in Ontario for Ohio. The carrier creates its PAPS number at booking, emails it to the shipper, and the shipper forwards it to their customs broker. The carrier's manifest goes in two hours before the driver reaches the bridge. The broker confirms the entry is filed. The truck crosses in minutes instead of parking in a holding lot.
Before your first cross-border load
You'll need a SCAC (see what a SCAC code is), an electronic manifest method, and drivers with the documents to enter the U.S. Freight entering Canada has its own process. Some in-bond loads also need a customs bond; our guide to the bonded trucking company explains which bond is which.
Before your first cross-border load
- Get a SCAC from NMFTA; your PAPS numbers start with it.
- Choose how you'll file e-Manifests: through an approved software provider or a service.
- Set up a numbering system for shipment numbers that never repeats.
- Prepare barcode labels that meet CBP's format, and test them before the first trip if your port requires it.
- Check driver documents for entering the U.S. and returning, and make sure the truck and driver details in the manifest match reality.
- Get the customs broker's name and contact for every load, from the shipper, before pickup.
Questions to ask before accepting a cross-border load
- Who is the customs broker, and do they have the paperwork already?
- Which port of entry, and what are its hours?
- Is the freight going in-bond to an inland port, and does that need a customs bond?
- Who pays for any delay at the border?
- Is there a reload on the U.S. side, so the truck doesn't run empty after crossing?
A load that pays well but sits a day at the border may pay less per hour than a domestic load. Count the border time before you say yes.
EXAMPLE A carrier assigns PAPS numbers from a simple sequence: its SCAC followed by a running number that never repeats. Load 1001, load 1002, and so on, logged in a spreadsheet with the date, shipper and customs broker, so any border question can be answered in seconds.
Our view: the first few cross-border loads are the ones to slow down on. Confirm every step with the customs broker, keep the shipper in the loop, and give the driver the PAPS number and broker contact in writing before the trip. Once the routine works, it runs smoothly every time after.
Cross-border work can also be a way to find new customers; our guide to trucking company leads covers how small carriers build a shipper list. And the driver's pre-trip inspection matters more than usual before a border crossing, since inspectors at ports of entry check equipment too. Naming a new cross-border operation? The trucking company name generator can help.
This explains the process in plain words, not customs or legal advice. A licensed customs broker and CBP's current guidance control the details.
PAPS number questions
01Who generates the PAPS number?
The carrier. It starts with the carrier's SCAC and adds a unique shipment number the carrier assigns. The carrier gives the number to the shipper or importer, who passes it to the customs broker.
02Do I need a SCAC to create PAPS numbers?
Yes. The PAPS number begins with the carrier's Standard Carrier Alpha Code, which NMFTA assigns. Get the SCAC before you take cross-border loads.
03What's the difference between PAPS and PARS?
PAPS is for freight entering the United States. PARS is Canada's equivalent for freight entering Canada. A round trip across the northern border can involve both.
04Why do trucks get held at the border over PAPS?
Common reasons: the customs broker didn't receive the PAPS number in time, the number on the label doesn't match the manifest or entry, or the entry wasn't filed or released before the truck arrived.
05Can a PAPS number be reused?
No. Each shipment needs its own number, and carriers generally use a sequence that never repeats so CBP can match each manifest to one entry.
06Who pays for customs clearance on a PAPS shipment?
The importer or shipper usually hires and pays the customs broker. The carrier's job is the PAPS number, the manifest and getting the truck to the port on time. Confirm responsibilities on the rate con.