Purolator not Accepting (FDA) Regulated Shipments

Due to increased scrutiny and significant delays at U.S. customs, effective Sept. 25, 2025, Purolator will temporarily not be accepting shipments and/or manifests for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-regulated shipments destined for the United States. This includes:

  • Food products and dietary supplements

    • Packaged foods, beverages, and processed items for human, animal and plant consumption

    • Vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and other supplements

    • Houseware items used for food preparation

  • Drugs and biologics

    • Prescription and over-the-counter medications

    • Biologic products (vaccines, blood products) and samples

    • Eye prescriptions, including glasses and contact lenses

  • Devices

    • All medical devices from thermometers to MRIs equipment

    • Radiation-emitting devices such as X-ray machines and CT scanners

    • Microwaves, computer monitors, and televisions

    • Laser products, such as industrial lasers, welding equipment, laser pointers, and automatic laser toys

    • Security screening systems

  • This pause will remain in effect until further notice as we continue to monitor the situation.

  • As of Aug. 29, 2025, all shipments into the U.S., regardless of value, are now subject to duties and full customs clearance procedures. This change has resulted in a substantial increase in formal and informal customs clearances, leading to significant delays due to increased processing times, and an increase in shipments being returned to the point of origin.

  • We are working closely with our border team to process shipments currently at customs where possible, but they may be subject to extended delays and possibly subject to return.

  • Due to the significant delays, Purolator has also temporarily paused on-time delivery guarantees for all southbound shipments. These shipments are not eligible for refund or credit should delivery be delayed or impacted.

  • If you try to create a shipment, you will see an error message: “Starting Sept. 25, 2025, Purolator is pausing acceptance of shipments that include U.S.-bound FDA-regulated items (food, beverages, supplements, drugs, biologics and devices) because of increased customs scrutiny and delays.”

  • Customers shipping into the U.S. are advised to add robust detail to the commercial invoice prepared for these shipments.

  • For more information or assistance, please contact your Account Executive or contact Customer Care by calling 1 888-SHIP-123 (1 888-744-7123).

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

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