Travelling with personal medicines in Canada (2026)
Last reviewed: 9 October 2026
In short: Medication containing a controlled substance may be brought into Canada, up to a 90-day supply, in a labelled container from a health care provider, and must be declared on arrival. Personal quantities of other medicines are limited to a 90-day supply or a single course of treatment.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Ordinary medicines (not controlled)Visitor bringing personal medicines into the country | Visitors may bring a personal quantity of a prescription drug for their own use, and residents and visitors may bring a personal quantity of over-the-counter medicines without a specific import licence. Personal use means no more than a 90-day supply or a single course of treatment, whichever is less, in the original retail package or with the original label. [1] |
| Document for narcotic and psychotropic medicinesVisitor bringing personal medicines into the country | Medication containing a controlled substance must be prescribed by a practitioner, be in a container obtained from a health care provider and carry a label with the patient's and prescriber's names, the medication, the daily dose, form, quantity and strength, and the drug identification number if any. It must be for the traveller, a dependant travelling with them or an animal travelling with them, and must be declared to customs on arrival. A doctor's note is optional. It cannot be sent into Canada by mail. [2] |
| Quantity limit for narcotic and psychotropic medicinesVisitor bringing personal medicines into the country | Up to a 90-day supply, based on the usual daily dose. For a stay of more than 90 days the traveller is told to contact the Health Canada Exemptions Section. [2] |
| Maximum validity of a Schengen medicines certificateVisitor bringing personal medicines into the country | ⚠ Not yet verified |
Notes
- The rules are federal and are the same for entering and leaving Canada. The Health Canada page does not set out separate rules for non-residents and does not mention Schengen-style certificates.
Sources
- Health Canada: Bringing health products into Canada for personal use (GUI-0116) (consulted 9 October 2026) · all sources
- Health Canada: Travelling into and out of Canada with medications that contain controlled substances or Class A precursors (consulted 9 October 2026) · all sources
Related pages
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.