Importing Cars from USA into Canada

[burnski]

If anyone is curious about importing from the USA into Canada, I bought my 64 LC in Michigan and brought it into Ontario. Here's basically how my export / import went:

find a car i like on auto trader. go pay, get a receipt, signed title, and the keys. If you are going to pay cash (which I did due to getting the best US exchange rate) you have to declare the cash at both the Canadian side before crossing, and again once you get to the US side. Its no big deal, they just count it. You can carry as much cash as you like but if you dont declare it they can confiscate it all - so dont be a knuckle head, give yourself an extra hour, and declare it at both sides. If you dont end up buying the car you have to declare the cash again crossing back. Also its $10,000 of either CDN or USD so dont think that your OK with $8000 USD because thats more than 10 CDN. Also you cant divide it between passengers in the car. Declare it.

Then I recommend using a broker, they are usually $75-100 and will save you a ton of headache. I used SM Hewitt in Sarnia. They will send you an AES form to fill out. sign it, scan it, send it back along with a scan of the receipt & title. Then you have to wait min 72hrs while the DHS does a background check to make sure its not stolen / used in a crime, has a lien against it. Also, the broker will file for an ACI with the Treasury Dept so that the US knows the value of goods leaving the country. Also on the AES form you have to declare what day your crossing, as well at which port you are going to cross at. Make sure the port you are using does vehicle export, as well as their hours of operation. Most crossings are 24hr, but the export offices are usually mon-fri 830-430. I crossed in Port Huron Michigan ( http://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/port-huron )

The broker will email you with a ITN confirmation number. print this form out. Then, 72hrs later & the date you declared on the AES form, go get a trailer from Uhaul and pick up your car. you have to stop at customs on the US side while on your way back with the car before crossing the bridge. You just park on the side of the highway before the toll booths, cross the highway, and go into the customs office. Assuming the background check clears, they just check that the VIN on the car matches that on the paperwork, then they will stamp the title that the car has been cleared for export.

Then cross the bridge, pull up to canada customs, declare the car. They will send you into secondary. you will go in, they will fill out a "Form 1" that allows you to import the car, and they will charge you HST on the spot (bring your wallet LOL). Also at the Canadian side they will look for the date of manufacture. Most recent cars have this, but not all do. You can deduce the manufacture date from the VIN but there is apparently another plate/sticker with the actual date of manufacture. My 64 did not so they had to go by the vehicle model year. Also at Canada Customs they may ask for paperwork supporting how much you paid for the car (other than the receipt) so print out the ad from AutoTrader, and keep the stub from the bank withdrawal.

Please note, this is for vehicles older than 15 years. Newer than 15 you also have to go through the RIV program. Here is the info on RIV: https://www.riv.ca/USCustoms.aspx Basically RIV is another $300, and you have to have a US dealer enable your DRL's or whatever option might be different between US & CDN models. But if its more than 15 years old you just skip this step.

Then take ALL your forms to the Services Ontario office (or whichever province your in), they will take/keep some of the papers from customs including the US title, customs tax receipt, and give you a Ontario title as unfit/unplated. You can NOT get a 10 day temp tag since it was not previously a Canadian car.

Pay attention to whether you pay 5% or 13% at the Canada Customs office. Apparently they are only supposed to charge the 5% GST at customs then you pay the other 8% at Services Ontario but when I crossed Customs charged the full 13%. not a big deal it got sorted out just the Services Ontario person tried to charge me an extra 8% ontop.

Then go get your safety, then you can get your plates. If its more than 20 years old you can get Historic plates that are significantly cheaper. Your sticker is like $18/yr vs the $108 for a regular car. Here is the details: https://www.ontario.ca/driving-and-road ... nd-sticker




Any questions, let me know!

[Dan Szwarc]

I looked into doing the opposite.

Couldn't quite figure it out.

[Dan Szwarc]

PS: Do you want me to move this to a sticky location because if it stays here (the Wanted Sub-Forum) it will be automatically deleted by the system 30 days after the last reply.

[burnski]

Large update to the OP

I looked into doing the opposite.

Couldn't quite figure it out.

Yeah it took me a few stumbles to get it right LOL

PS: Do you want me to move this to a sticky location because if it stays here (the Wanted Sub-Forum) it will be automatically deleted by the system 30 days after the last reply.

sure, or if there is a better section to move it to - please feel free. I saw your post about going into USA and I had a hard time finding out how to import to Canada so I figured id add my experience.

[Steve K]

Whew, that's a lot of stuff involved.

[burnski]

worth it though. got a better car for $10G less than in Canada (and everything here is rusted out). only cost really was the $100 for the broker (ontop of what i would have paid anyways).

[Dan Szwarc]

Stickied.

[Conv61Canada]

Yup, it's really easy.

I did it with my car 3 years ago and I didn't bother with a broker...no reason to in my opinion. I bought the car out of the Hamptons. The delivery was FAR cheaper to have the car dropped in the US ($950 in Allen Park, MI vs. $2,100 just across the border in LaSalle, ON) so I had it dropped off at work in MI. I did the paperwork a few days earlier and drove it home. You don't need plates to drive it home as long as you have a copy of the title and an insurance certificate.

The process is basically the same in reverse.

Paul

[wasagachris]

Yup, it's really easy.

I did it with my car 3 years ago and I didn't bother with a broker...no reason to in my opinion. I bought the car out of the Hamptons. The delivery was FAR cheaper to have the car dropped in the US ($950 in Allen Park, MI vs. $2,100 just across the border in LaSalle, ON) so I had it dropped off at work in MI. I did the paperwork a few days earlier and drove it home. You don't need plates to drive it home as long as you have a copy of the title and an insurance certificate.

The process is basically the same in reverse.

Paul

Hey Paul now you need a broker to get the paperwork done to take the car out of the USA. The changes are to the US export sytem. The Canadian import sytem is still the same.

[burnski]

Yup, it's really easy.

I did it with my car 3 years ago and I didn't bother with a broker...no reason to in my opinion. I bought the car out of the Hamptons. The delivery was FAR cheaper to have the car dropped in the US ($950 in Allen Park, MI vs. $2,100 just across the border in LaSalle, ON) so I had it dropped off at work in MI. I did the paperwork a few days earlier and drove it home. You don't need plates to drive it home as long as you have a copy of the title and an insurance certificate.

The process is basically the same in reverse.

Paul

Hey Paul now you need a broker to get the paperwork done to take the car out of the USA. The changes are to the US export sytem. The Canadian import sytem is still the same.

I think the aci part with the treasury dept is new, and you need a broker licence to apply for one, so you pretty much have to go through a broker now.

[Conv61Canada]

As far as I know, ACE is not required for personal importation of a vehicle. Unless you are shipping it via commercial truck, rail or boat, you can drive it across the border and file the old-fashioned way. ACE is primarily for importers, not private persons bringing in items for personal use.

[burnski]

no you need it now. i was originally filing it without a broker but got hung up without it. I think the rules just changed like this past April.