Coral & Seashells 🇨🇦 Canada
Coral & Seashells restricted; documentation or permits may apply
Can I bring Coral & Seashells into Canada?
Coral & Seashells restricted; documentation or permits may apply
Full details
All stony corals are CITES Appendix II listed, requiring export permits for international trade — coral souvenirs purchased in tourist shops likely lack these permits. Giant clams (Tridacna species) are also CITES Appendix II. Sea turtle shell products (hawksbill tortoiseshell) are CITES Appendix I
PENALTIES
- Fine: 500–5000 CAD
- Civil penalty only
Leaving Canada with coral & seashells
All stony corals (and black coral) are listed in CITES Appendix II, so exporting coral from Canada — including souvenir pieces and jewellery — requires a CITES export permit; beach-collected fragments are covered the same as purchased items and are routinely seized at airports. Giant clams and queen conch are similarly listed. Ordinary non-protected seashells in small personal quantities generally move freely, though some origin countries protect specific species and destination biosecurity rules (Australia, New Zealand) require declaration of all shell material on arrival.
Canada restricts import of Coral & Seashells. Cultural-property protection is bilateral: both origin export rules and destination import rules apply. Carry provenance documentation demonstrating lawful acquisition and (where applicable) origin-country export licence. Museum-loan and dealer-import categories operate under separate frameworks with pre-approved dealer registration.
This page covers destination customs rules in Canada. Whether you can carry coral & seashells through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.
Related rules
Coral & Seashells rules in other countries
Coral & Seashells
🇺🇸 United States
Coral & Seashells restricted; documentation or permits may apply
Coral & Seashells
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Coral & Seashells restricted; documentation or permits may apply
Coral & Seashells
🇦🇺 Australia
Coral & Seashells prohibited; penalties for import
Coral & Seashells
🇯🇵 Japan
Coral & Seashells restricted; documentation or permits may apply
Coral & Seashells
🇸🇬 Singapore
Coral & Seashells restricted; documentation or permits may apply
Coral & Seashells
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Coral & Seashells restricted; documentation or permits may apply