Importing a car from the USA to Canada Q

[marc_scirocco at sympatico.ca (Mtl-Marc)]

Thanks a lot Mark for your time in writing this.

This is definatly very good info that is going in may "to keep" folder.

Cheers.

Marc

> -----Message d'origine-----
> De : Mark F. [mailto:mk1mark@xxxxxxxxx] 
> 
> On 5/10/07, marc_scirocco@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
> <marc_scirocco@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > I have found a web site about this, but the web site being 
> from the gov, the info is not all that clear to me.
> >
> > Any brave soul to give me some hint please?
> >
> > Found something which might be nice for me to import. ;-)
> 
> 
> Marc,
> 
> I've done this more times than I can remember, so if you have 
> any particular questions let me know.  Here's a basic rundown 
> of what you have to do:
> 
> U.S. customs requires a fax of the vehicle title (actually a 
> fax of a photocopied title - if you try and fax the title 
> itself it sometimes ends up all black at the receiving end).  
> You must fax it to the border crossing 72 hours before 
> arriving with the vehicle.  They want to make sure it's not a 
> stolen vehicle, or have any liens against it.
> If you don't do this may tell you to find somewhere to park 
> it for three days while they do the background check (they 
> will NOT let you leave it in the parking lot).
> 
> The Canadian side doesn't need to know you're coming.
> 
> Call the U.S. border crossing you'll be using and ask them 
> for the fax number for exporting vehicles, as well as who to 
> "Attn:" the fax to.
> Also ask them what hours/days you can export a vehicle (not 
> all of them have export officers on staff 24/7 - like the 
> Queenston/Lewiston crossing). Here's a link:
> 
> <http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/ports/>
> 
> Most titles are smaller than a page, so I also write my name, 
> contact info, and VIN number in large letters on the 
> photocopy.  It's not a bad idea to give them a call 20 
> minutes after faxing it to make sure they got it ok.
> 
> When you arrive at the U.S. border on your way back to Canada 
> you have to stop and go into the U.S. customs office to clear 
> your title.  They might want you to provide a receipt, and 
> sometimes they come out to verify the VIN.  If everything's 
> ok they stamp the U.S. title with an embossed stamp.  Most of 
> the border crossings I have used aren't really set up for 
> people to stop on their way OUT of the U.S.  At the 
> Sarnia/Port Huron crossing (my favorite to export a vehicle) 
> I stop on the side of the highway and cross a parking lot to 
> get to the customs office.  I once asked what the "proper" 
> procedure was and was told that I would pay the toll (extra 
> for every axle on the ground - a bummer with a dolly), to 
> cross the bridge, go through Canadian customs, turn around 
> cross the bridge back, go through U.S. customs, park, get the 
> title stamped, and then head back over the bridge yet again, 
> pay the fucking toll AGAIN, and go through Canadian customs 
> for the second time.  Screw that...
> 
> After getting the title stamped, and you get to the Canadian 
> side, tell the border official you're importing a car - 
> they'll ask how much you paid and how long you were in the 
> U.S.  If you were there for more than 24 hours you're allowed 
> $200 duty free, 7 days and it's $750 iirc.  I think the 
> limits have actually been increased, so those
> numbers are probably low.   You'll be asked to pull over at the
> customs office where you will give them the title, receipt, 
> the little yellow paper the border official gave you, and the 
> build date of the car (month/year - labeled on the door jamb 
> sticker).  You will fill out a form, they'll stamp it a 
> million times, you pay GST and any duties.  If the car is 
> older than 15 years you won't have to pay the
> $185 "database registry fee".  If they ask you if the car has 
> air conditioning, say "no".  That'll save you $100 on some 
> bullshit government tax, unless they check (play stupid if 
> they notice - I've never had an issue) ...
> 
> You'll leave the Canadian customs office with a lighter 
> wallet, and a form to bring to your local vehicle licensing 
> office where you'll have to pay PST, and $10 for a Canadian 
> title (which they'll print out on the spot).  You're done.  
> You now have an imported vehicle with a valid Canadian title...
> 
> HTH,
> 
> Mark.
> 75
> 82
> 82 Caddy
> 91 Jetta Coupe