How to ship orders to the U.S. at a post office using Zonos Prepay app

How to prepay U.S. duty (required)

The free Zonos Prepay app lets you create a customs declaration, calculate duties and pay securely in Canadian dollars (CAD) – all before visiting the post office. You’ll receive a Declaration ID and QR code to show at a Canada Post retail outlet. Without a Declaration ID, your package cannot be accepted for delivery in the U.S.

The app currently supports payment methods including credit card and Apple Pay. Additional payment methods will be made available in the future.

What you can do with the Zonos app

• Take a photo of the items you're shipping or add items manually by typing a description for each item.
• Use advanced AI to calculate accurate duties associated with your items.
• Pay any required duties in Canadian dollars (CAD).
• Create a customs declaration and receive your Declaration ID to bring to a Canada Post outlet.

What is a Declaration ID?

A Declaration ID is a 13-character code that proves you've completed your customs declaration and paid the required duties.

Why a Declaration ID is required:

• Under U.S. regulations, every package under US$800 entering the country by mail must have duties prepaid.
• For packages over US$800, Canada Post systems now require a Declaration ID no matter the value of the shipment. These shipments will be sent Delivered Duty Unpaid (DDU) – meaning duties have not been paid in advance. The U.S. customer will be responsible to pay the duty cost upon delivery.
• Canada Post will scan your QR code and validate your Declaration ID at the outlet.
• Without a Declaration ID, your parcel will not be accepted for shipping into the U.S.

How to prepare your shipment to the U.S. using the Zonos Prepay app

1. Download the Zonos Prepay app, available for iOS and Android devices or access the web version on your mobile or desktop devices.

2. Once downloaded, set up your Prepay Account:

   • Select Create an account.
   • Create an account by signing in with your Google or Apple Account.
   • Alternatively, you can just enter your email address and a password. You will then receive an email with a 6-digit verification code. Enter this code to finalize your account set up.
3. Start your shipment

   • Open the app and select the Ship icon in the bottom middle of the screen.
   • Indicate if the items are a standard package, a gift, a document or a return.
   • Select the country where these items are made. If you do not know, select "I'm not sure."
   • Select Canada Post and then select  Continue. 

   
4. Add your items To add an item to a shipment, select “Take a picture.” If you cannot provide a picture, select  Add items manually to enter this information. If you need to add additional items, select the + icon in the top right of the app. The app then uses AI to detect the following information and calculate an accurate duty for your shipment:

   • Item descriptions
   • Quantity
   • Estimated value
   • Country of origin
   • HS code

   
5. Review your shipment

   • Confirm or adjust values and item details
   • Select Proceed to checkout.

   
6. Pay duties

   • Select your preferred payment method (credit card, Apple Pay®, etc.).
   • Select Pay.
7. Get your receipt

   • The app generates a receipt with your Declaration ID and QR code.
   • Select Print receipt or Share receipt to save your receipt.

   
8. Present the QR code with the Declaration ID (on your phone or printed) to a Canada Post outlet to complete your shipment.
   

   If your shipment includes a business name or looks like a purchase, it will not qualify as a gift – even if marked as one.

   To qualify as a gift:

   • The package must be sent person-to-person
   • The label must include "Unsolicited Gift" in the item description

   Duty charged on gifts:

   • Gifts under US$100: No duty required
   • Gifts US$100 or more: Duty will be charged

   In-app confirmation required for gifts (you’ll need to select all):

   • I did not sell or receive any compensation for this item
   • I am not a business
   • I did not purchase this item while on vacation to send home

   

Shipping documents

You will need to use the Prepay app to create a Declaration ID for any documents you are shipping into the U.S. You do not need to pay duty if you're shipping documents only (e.g., legal papers, certificates, diplomas).

However, if you include goods or merchandise (even in a document envelope), the shipment will be treated like a regular parcel – and duties will apply.

Calculate duties for items in advance

If you’re looking to know how much duty you will be charged for shipping an item to the U.S., you can use the Calculate feature of the Prepay app to see the HS code, duty rate and other item information.

To use the Calculate feature in the Prepay app

You then will see the duty calculation, country of origin and HS code associated with the items you took a picture of.

Using this information, you can add the duty to the item price or shipping price for your customers to pay at checkout.

Cancelling a Declaration ID

When a Declaration ID is first created, it remains in a pending state. Your payment is only finalized once the shipment is linked to a Canada Post tracking number.

• If the Declaration ID is not linked to a tracking number, it will automatically expire after 5 days, and your credit card will not be charged. No action is required on your end in this case.
• If your Declaration ID is already linked to a tracking number, you can still cancel the payment – but the shipping label must be voided first.

To cancel a Declaration ID linked to a tracking number:

• Void the label by requesting the postal clerk to void the transaction at the retail counter. If you created the label in Canada Post Snap Ship™ or Shipping Manager, please contact support@zonos.com with proof that the label was voided.
• Go to your confirmation page.
• Select Cancel order. 

Zonos will verify the label status and issue a refund if the cancellation is valid.

Refunds for duties when voiding a label

If you've already linked a Declaration ID to a tracking number, you can still receive a refund for duties – but you must first void the associated shipping label with Canada Post.

Steps to request a refund:

• Void the shipping label linked to your Declaration ID by requesting the postal clerk to void the transaction at the retail counter. If you created the label in Snap Ship or Shipping Manager, please contact support@zonos.com with proof that the label was voided.
• Visit your confirmation page.
• Select Cancel order. 

Once submitted, Zonos will automatically validate whether the label has been voided. If confirmed, your payment will be refunded.

Help and support

Zonos and Canada Post are here to help.

For issues with the Prepay app please contact support@zonos.com.

For questions about tracking and delivery, lost or damaged packages, and customs clearance delays, please reach out to your Canada Post sales representative or call 1-800-267-1177.

Frequently asked questions

Disclaimer (effective November 4, 2025) Duty rates, tariffs and trade policies continue to evolve and are subject to ongoing change. The information here is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial or tax advice. The content has been compiled from government, industry or other publicly available sources, which may change without notice and have not been independently verified by Canada Post. The user assumes full responsibility for determining the applicability of any information provided. Prior to acting, users should seek independent professional advice tailored to their specific needs and situation