U.S. Customs and Border Protection has begun rejecting certain Canadian alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motorcycles after new import restrictions took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on September 29, 2026.
The CBP action implements three presidential proclamations issued by the White House on September 8 covering Canadian alcohol, dairy products and motor vehicles.
The agency said entries containing covered goods will be unconditionally rejected rather than cleared into the United States.
Table of Contents
What CBP is rejecting
The restrictions apply to specified Canadian products identified through Harmonized Tariff Schedule classifications listed in the proclamations and their annexes.
- Selected alcoholic beverages, including products covered by the alcohol annex.
- Selected dairy-related products.
- Specified motorcycles and related products.
CBP identified relevant classifications including HTSUS headings 0404, 1702, 1703, 2202, 2203, 2204, 2205, 2206, 2207, 2208 and 8711.
The exact scope depends on the product classification and limitations set out in the annexes.
The alcohol restriction does not automatically cover every Canadian alcoholic beverage.
CBP said the exclusion applies where the merchandise meets the applicable scope limitation in the alcohol annex, including packaging requirements for some products.
Goods outside those limitations may remain subject to the applicable duty rather than the import exclusion.
What happens to shipments already in the system
Entries filed through the Automated Commercial Environment that contain covered products and had not been released were subject to cancellation once the restrictions took effect.
CBP also said covered products cannot be admitted to a foreign-trade zone or bonded warehouse, moved in bond or entered for consumption after the effective time.
Products imported before 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on September 29 remain eligible to be entered for consumption.
Goods placed in a bonded warehouse or foreign-trade zone before the deadline may be withdrawn for consumption, but they remain subject to a 50 per cent ad valorem duty under the related proclamations.
Why the restrictions were imposed
The White House framed the measures as a response to what it described as continued discrimination against U.S. commerce in Canada’s treatment of American alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motor vehicles.
The proclamations rely on Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which allows the president to impose additional duties or exclude goods from a country when the administration determines that foreign measures unfairly burden or disadvantage U.S. commerce.
The administration had previously imposed additional duties on the covered categories.
The new measures move specified goods from a tariff regime into a direct import-exclusion regime.
What Canadian exporters need to check
Canadian companies shipping to the United States must confirm the product’s country of origin, tariff classification, packaging and any applicable annex limitation before filing an entry.
Importers and customs brokers should also review whether a shipment entered the United States, a bonded warehouse or a foreign-trade zone before September 29.
The timing may determine whether the goods can proceed under the earlier rules or face rejection.
CBP said non-compliant submissions could trigger ACE system errors, including codes indicating that the tariff classification is not allowed for the country of origin or is prohibited for entry.
The agency directed companies with questions about Section 338 entry filings to contact its Office of Trade and told filers experiencing entry-summary problems to contact their CBP client representative or the ACE Help Desk.
What happens next
The restrictions remain part of the wider Canada-U.S. trade dispute and could affect exporters, importers, retailers and manufacturers on both sides of the border.
CBP is authorized to issue further implementation guidance and make technical changes to the tariff schedule where necessary to administer the proclamations.
Canadian businesses should expect continued scrutiny of covered shipments while the measures remain in force.
Any change would likely require a new presidential action, revised CBP guidance or an agreement altering the underlying trade measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Canadian products is CBP rejecting?
The restrictions cover specified Canadian alcoholic beverages, dairy-related products and motorcycles or other products identified in the presidential proclamations and annexes.
When did the new U.S. import restrictions begin?
The restrictions took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on September 29, 2026.
Will every Canadian alcoholic beverage be refused entry?
No. The alcohol exclusion depends on the product’s classification and whether it meets the scope limitations in the alcohol annex.
What happens to goods that entered a bonded warehouse before the deadline?
Covered goods admitted before the deadline may be withdrawn for consumption, but they remain subject to the applicable 50 per cent ad valorem duty.
What should Canadian exporters do now?
Exporters should verify the product’s classification, country of origin, packaging and annex eligibility before submitting shipments through the U.S. customs system.
Fact-Checked: Key dates, affected product categories and CBP filing rules were checked against official CBP guidance and White House presidential proclamations.
Disclaimer: Import eligibility can depend on detailed tariff classifications and shipment timing, so exporters should confirm specific cases with CBP or a qualified customs broker.