Importing a vehicle from the USA - Updated procedure

[joker72z]

I recently imported my 510 from Orgeon and asked lots of questions on how to go about doing this and what was to be expected...There were many answers and quite honestly, most didn't apply.

I thought I might give you an actual accounting of what was needed to bring the car across the border...and I did this December 20th 2007.

-Find your car....make your deal and buy it.
-Get a copy of the title (signed) and a bill of sale from the owner
-Fax a copy of title, bill of sale and border documentation (1 page) to the customs office at the crossing you plan on bringing the car through.
-Make sure this information is faxed early in the morning, at least 3 days in advance of the car coming to the border.
-Confirm after 3 days that they have all their information ready and that you can bring the car across. They should e-mail you confirmation of this
-Arrange for a temporary binder of owners coverage to insure the car for the trip home. It cost me $48.00
-Pick up a temporary permit from the State you are in and now you can drive it home. I paid $29 for Oregon and Washington
-Go and pick up the car, bring it to the customs office at the US side and present the title to them. They will confirm it against their records and you are now clear to cross. ( Yes, that simple)
-Claim the car at the Canadian side and proceed to the office to complete the paperwork and pay the GST.

Important: You will pay NO duty, NO RIV fees and NO federal inspections are required as the car is older than 15 years. You still need to have a provincial inspection done but it can be done at your choice of shop that is approved to do them.

Overall, I was amazed how simple the process was and that I didn't have to pay, pay and pay again. It makes it worth the while to go south and get the car.

Hope this clears up any misconceptions as the government can be quite vague sometimes.

Chris

[Byron510]

Thanks Chris - this should become a sticky!
You have no idea how often this question comes up.
I think its number 2, right after number 1 - "I just bought this bitchin’ 510, totally down with it - how do I install that SR20DETTT TypeRSGTRX, my friend says it bolts right in..."

Byron

[joker72z]

I thought it might assist with people's questions as I was wracking my brain trying to cover all the points and not get stuck at the border.
Chris

[Dimebag]

I also brought up my car from Reno, and had no trouble with the inport process.

-Confirm after 3 days that they have all their information ready and that you can bring the car across. They should e-mail you confirmation of this

in addition to this point: Only the export officer at the US border station can process this, and s/he only works bankers hours. Also Saturday, Sunday, and stat holidays do not count toward the 72 hour waiting period, so if you present them the info on Saturday morning (any officer can accept the paperwork - in person or by fax) - the 72 hour clock won't start ticking until Monday and will clear Thursday. You'll have to leave the vehicle state-side until then.

I heard advice that you don't really need to bother with the US export process, as the Canadian Border Services don't give a rats ass. I asked an officer about this the other day, and he said that while that was technically true, you will find yourself in a world of trouble if you (the new Canadian owner) ever enter the U.S. with that vehicle, and the VIN is checked and discovered that it was not exported properly.

So if you are importing a vehicle with no intention of ever taking it back (i.e. parts car) to the U.S. you can skip their export requirement

[RossParks]

Thought I would add this as we brought back twenty some cars/trucks last year via our club. The most important thing when buying the vehicle is THAT IT IS REAL. That is do your homework. Does this person have a real bank acct. Does the seller fax you a copy of the VIN that matches the Door/window plate BEFORE you give them cash. There is quite a procedure to go thru to make sure you are covered. It funny, because the first poster on this thread is quite right, the govt are very vague. As an example at Calais Maine, the weekend DO count for the three day period and they WILL NOT accept a fax or copy, we MUST mail the original title(for obvious reason as stated previous posts, that one could keep driving to Canada, pay taxes and keep boogieing. Although at StStNB, they do ask every time if we had our pwork signed by US side, so although they don't give a RA, they work with the US to make sure stolen veh don't get exported.
I tell you we've had some duusees of a time at both sides. If anyone needs help with doing research before, during and after feel free to email me(flyingcow@eastlink.ca) and I can help you out. Goodluck and HNY all. Ross.

[caesarDX]

Important: You will pay NO duty, NO RIV fees and NO federal inspections are required as the car is older than 15 years. You still need to have a provincial inspection done but it can be done at your choice of shop that is approved to do them.

Overall, I was amazed how simple the process was and that I didn't have to pay, pay and pay again. It makes it worth the while to go south and get the car.

Hope this clears up any misconceptions as the government can be quite vague sometimes.

Chris

I also found the process quite simple. Just have all your paperwork ready.
I have never imported a japanese car but I did import a french car. I paid
6.1% duty. Are you sure that the Japanese car is exempt from duty?
Anyone else paid duty?

[jason]

I've had both experiences, had to pay duty and not charged duty, it seems to be at the discretion of the officer.

[///FiveOneOh]

I had no duty on my wagon.

[Da5Dime]

So thats where all the 510s are going!!! I have a feeling that its not the same process the other way around!?!?!?

[oe3]

I spoke with someone at the border and she pointed me to this PDF. She said that this means that there would be no duty on the car, I haven't tried it myself but that is what CBSA told me.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/trade-commer ... 99-eng.pdf

Scroll down to page 81 - 82 and look at Tarif Item 9966.00.00

The following vehicles, manufactured more than 25 years prior to the
date of importation, and articles for use solely or principally with those
vehicles:...

Motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons or
goods (other than vehicles specially designed for travelling on snow,
golf cars and similar vehicles, and dumpers designed for off-highway
use);

I would suggest printing off this PDF to take with you to the border.

BUT does this mean that parts for that car would also be exempt? That I don't know and didn't think of until afterwards.

[oe3]

Alright so I went through the process.

The guy at the border I had wasn't aware of the 25 year old rule and was originally going to charge me duty. I gave him a copy of the handbook printout (just the two pages, not the entire thing) he went and checked with someone else and sure enough I didn't have to pay duty on the either the car or the parts for the car (which were brand new in boxes). Had I not known though I would have paid the duty, and honestly I don't think the guy would have looked into it if I didn't have that printout, before I gave it to him he told me I was wrong.

I came prepared, I had the original ad, a copy of the wire transfer, the bill of sale, the title, the handbook printout, my insurance and they basically took my word on everything, they didn't even look in the boxes or even go and look at the car itself. (The US border did verify the VIN when I went for the export stuff)

[cndracer25]

just wondering if anyone has dealt with going thru this process after the car was already brought into canada. meaning i want to make sure this is done properly and i know for a fact the guy that brought this car across did not do this and before i even start on the project i want to take care of this first. i am aware of how to import properly that is not the problem my concern is when i want to take the car across to the u.s. on a car trailer(no motor) what kind of hassle is the u.s. border guys going to give me. I realize that i am going to get hassled on both side of the border because when i then want to bring back to canada there going to want to make me pay more even thought the tax was paid when it was brought up the first time. this would have been alot easier if the guy that bought the car originaly would have just done this right the first time.

[joker72z]

If the car you have now is registered in Canada, the previous owner did it correctly. You cannot register a car in Canada after bringing it across without clearing US customs, declaring it at Canadian customs and paying the tax at the ministry. I actually had to bring my car back across for an additional 3 days in order to appease the US customs people as I did not bring the car through during business hours.

If you have a registration from a Canadian province, you can transport back and forth although they may question your motives.

[tycot1]

i have been looking everywhere for this form that has to go to the U.S. side along with the title and bill of sale. where do i find this form???

[joker72z]

Tyson,

I called the border office at Sumas or Blaine and they gave it to me via link on the website.