bringing a US car to CANADA

[fireguyfire]

Hey guys; I am in Southern Canada, and am considering buying a 68 project (un running) Charger and bringing it up from the Eastern US; has anyone out there done this, and if so, any ideas on what kind of paperwork headache, or cost would be incurred bring it up, and getting it across the border?
Any help would be greatly appreciated as it will help me make my buying decision.

           Cheers.

[motorcitydak]

Just smuggle it in the front of a packed semi 


Actually, just make sure you have a complete bill of sale. Does it have a title? Id also call what ever you guys have for a department of motor vehicles before to see what they would want you to have/do with it. I have never taken a complete car over the border, but have brought my fair share of car parts back, Just be sure that you do not have any stupid answers like I did. Border Patrol-'Where are you guys coming from?' Me- Pointing towards the country 'Canada' We were there for a while

[ChargerST]

Have done it once. You need to inform US customs at least 72 hours in advance of the "permanent export" of a motor vehicle. You can probably just go to the US border with the title and do it there. At the border you then have to import the vehicle into Canada (I think you have to fill out "form 1") and pay duties.

That was 8 years ago so things might have changed. I never registered the car (sold it before) so I don't know about the paperwork you need to register.

[Magnumcharger]

I bought a truck on eBay two years ago, located in Los Angeles.
I had it shipped to a border crossing at Montana/Alberta.
I had to have the bill of sale and the registration sent to me from the owner after the sale. These, I faxed to the US customs office at the Sweetwater Montana customs office 72 hours in advance of my crossing.
I drove down to the Montana side and met my delivery driver and claimed my truck. I then went into the customs office and made out the proper forms, showing my title and receipt, which matched my faxed copies. No problem there, as the truck was over 40 years old. I then went to the Canadian customs where I paid the taxes, which were minimal.
I had a temporary tag from my motor vehicle branch, and a days worth of insurance.
I think that was all there was to it.

[maxwellwedge]

Magnum Charger is 100% correct. The key is to have a copy of the title (both sides) or ownership (NY and maybe some other states - some don't issue titles to older vehicles) and bill of sale faxed to customs 3 business days before the vehicle crosses. I do it all the time (much to my wifes chagrin). The transport company I use (TFX International) will handle the whole deal for you including the GST and clearing for a few bucks more.

[71green go]

Just make sure you DO NOT try and claim a lower price then what you paid......they can be brutal at customs, They will ask you how you found the car and be very polite then once you pay the taxes and get ready to leave they will ask you again outside...how much you paid  where did you find out about the car, ...they have access to your ebay profile (trust me) they will look it up to to see if you are telling the truth....once you paid on what you claimed theynow can charge you and seize your tow vehicle and the car you bought.......they have a penalty of 50% for you lieing...75% if they prove you lieing......and 100% of the cars cost as a penalty if they have to call the seller and get him to admit what you paid..
It can get real ugly real quick......................How do I know?..........
My buddy tried it two years ago on a 61 wagon he bought....he paid $8000 claimed $2800 then paid a penalty after we were detained for eight hours of $1400 EXTRA...ouch..
The US customs can work the same way
I bought a boat in MI last year.......had allot of proof of what I paid, print out from ebay.....receipts did everything 100% and was very polite and they still questioned me and searched my truck.........asked me if I had anything else to declare I bought n MI..I saidyes a $5 trailer hitch ball at a hardware store in MI..........he says I should have claimed that......I laughed, he was not amused

So be honest and crossall your t's......the more of a bargain it seems they more they will question you..

[maxwellwedge]

Oh yeah - That too! A buddy got two rubber gloves and healthy fines and even healthier threats on an eBay car deal he lied about!!

[fireguyfire]

good info guys; the transport companies I have quotes from wont bring a car across; I was planning to drive to the Montana border with a trailer and bring it across;
Does anyone know what Duties would be? Also, does GST apply on an old project car that doesn't run? I'm guessing it does.

[maxwellwedge]

good info guys; the transport companies I have quotes from wont bring a car across; I was planning to drive to the Montana border with a trailer and bring it across;
Does anyone know what Duties would be? Also, does GST apply on an old project car that doesn't run? I'm guessing it does.

Yes GST always applies. What year car?   http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5048-eng.html

[charger_fan_4ever]

I've imported many sleds and my 70 charger 2 years ago. If the car comes from a non title state make sure you have the registration in the sellers name. I got across the border fine with just a notorized bill of sale. Different story when you try to licence it. You must have some form of proff from a US DMV in the sellers name. I figured I got it from a non title state(93 and older cars) I was in the clear. WRONG. At the license bureau they said ya come back with a registration.

Basically #1 check and see if the state where your buying the car from is a title state. If it is make sure the seller has one in his name. If it is a non title state make sure you get a registration in the sellers name.

There is no duty on an american made car. Just taxes. You pay federal at the border and provincial when you transfer into your name.

If you buy the car off anything, but ebay your clear. I bought mine off craigslist and paid cash, so nothing they can really do at the border. If you buy off ebay well your screwed.

All the cdn border is worried about is collecting tax money. Most haven't a clue when they see an old rust bucket.

[moparjohn]

How they can access your E-bay file price is crazy, and shouldn't be. There should not be taxes on a used car froma private purchase JMO.

[69bronzeT5]

Just a question.....hope you don't mind I slightly change the topic. I'm trying to figure out if it's cheap to buy a couple of AMD parts I need from a place here at high mark-up or get it sent to a friend's place in Washington state and then me drive down and pick the parts up. Now, when I cross the border I'll have to declare the parts if I'm correct, now if they are out of the AMD packing, can I say I paid say $400 for 2 parts that cost me $1000 from AMD? Will they have anyway of knowing? I just don't want to get raped for duty fees.

[charger_fan_4ever]

I bought a defect charger roofskin(had a quarter sized dent) for $250 and had a bill from the shop for $250. I paid tax on $250. Since its a new part you'd need some sort of bill. Can'y really say you bought it at a show or something as its new.

They did give me trouble on a used fender i declared for $100 without a bill of sale.

They never come out to see the part they just have me come in to pay tax. I think technically you can be charged duty as its made across the water.

If you stay down for a few days you can bring back a substancial amount without paying anything.

[fireguyfire]

It's a 68 charger I am looking at buying.

[Beep Beep Dave]

I have this whole topic covered on my website:

http://mapleleafmopars.homestead.com/ImportingandExporting.html

Dave

[Khyron]

Drive it backward and tell them your leaving?   

[fireguyfire]

Beep beep Dave; thanks for the info; by the way I love your website!

[greatwn73]

Importing a car is very easy if you follow all the steps. If your bringing it yourself then you can save some money.

1 Get the owner to send(fax) a copy of title to the US side of the border crossing you will be using 72 hrs before you get there. Make sure that the crossing is set up to handle vehicle export. ie In New York not all crossings are equipped. Some of the borger crossings will only do vehicles during certain hrs (8-4 Lewiston)(24hrs Port Huron)The copy of title allows customs to verify the vehicle is not stolen or has a lein. Even if the transaction is not complete send the title.
2 Verify that the title has been received before you go to get the car, sometimes US customs will call you.
3 When you get to the US side of customs you will check in and they will stamp the original title and verify the vehicle.
4 When you get to the Canadian side you will be asked for the title and bill of sale. Don't screw around for the cost of a few taxes its not worth it. They can and will check used vehicles for sale on Ebay, craigslist and want ads in the area the car came from. Something I don't agree with is that if the car was A\C equipped even though its not there and production was before the air tax they will charge $100. air tax. At the border they will only charge GST and the air tax. There is no duty on used cars.
5 When you go to register the vehicle in your province They will check for the stamps on the original title and the charge the PST.

In all cases that I have brought cars over I never been at the customs for more than an hour but I have seen others that were detained and " inspected" with a fine tooth comb. If you are prepared and have all the documents ready this a very simple process.

[Bob]

Drive it backward and tell them your leaving?   

[FJMG]

Just a question.....hope you don't mind I slightly change the topic. I'm trying to figure out if it's cheap to buy a couple of AMD parts I need from a place here at high mark-up or get it sent to a friend's place in Washington state and then me drive down and pick the parts up. Now, when I cross the border I'll have to declare the parts if I'm correct, now if they are out of the AMD packing, can I say I paid say $400 for 2 parts that cost me $1000 from AMD? Will they have anyway of knowing? I just don't want to get raped for duty fees.

You need to pay both taxes, AND if the part is not from CAN., U.S. or Mexico then you will be charged duty (19% I think?) which means that the only way to avoid duty is to buy north american. Think about your decision this way; The difference in tax btw the two prices you posted is about $65.00 (if the part is north american and there is no duty), Is that really worth the risk of considerably more fines, detainment etc? As far as picking up vs. buying up here, it is usually cheaper (if you do not count your time) for the larger items. Remember that it is not just the dealer's fault up here since they have to pay the taxes also and then turn around and charge you more taxes upon the sale. C'mon bronzey, Tax me, I'm Canadian remember?

[Dan T]

You have to be TOTALLY honest with what you paid, I tried to B.S. them, and they screwed me hard. Like green go said, the more you lie, the more they screw you. I was scared they were going to take my car..
If I had just been honest, it would have been a simple & painless process & I would have paid a fraction of what I did..
Live 'n learn..

[RoscoePColtrain]

I called Canada Customs a few months ago inquiring about the same thing.  This is what I got from them:
No duty
No RIV
No Green levy
Provide the title to US customs(ownership we call it)
Pay PST when you license the car
Pay 5% GST at the border

At the US border, they will ask for the Bill of Sale/Title/Insurance/Plates/Maybe a temp US plate.

[gers1968rt]

According to customs canada you do not need to give the american customs the 72 hours notice to permanently export a vehicle. That being said, if you in the future get nabbed at the border in that car you will pay a fine of 500 dollars or more for not doing it. you or the future owner of the car, that is.
If the car came with a/c then you will pay an extra 100 dollars. There might be a fee per car at the border as well, I think it was also around 100 dollars.

[mopar_nut_440_6]

How about if you are trading one car for another. I am working on trading a car in Canada for a car in the US. The gentleman will be bringing his car to my home and we will then make the trade and he will take mine back across.

Should we complete the transaction first before he comes across so all paperwork is in order?

[gers1968rt]

I would be concerned about the exporting of the u.s. car, if it isn't done right, you might get fined 500 bucks when going over the border.