If I buy a car from Canada , can the car be brought into the states by the owner and delivered without the seller incurring a great deal of costs? I know the title issues as I have been through that before. I am trying to avoid the costs associated with having Mackie Shipping bringing it across the border. Thanks John
Hello, To be a bit "lawyerish" this really is a "U.S."question ,not a "Canadian" one.On the seller side as to costs I suppose there is Canadian income tax(if a trader) or capital gains but there would be no witholding tax if being sold by a resident of Canada.In terms of getting the vehicle physically through the border that would be all U.S. law.Our Canadian law is crazy-requiring 72 hours notice of the vehicle particulars to be sent to the border crossing in advance of the vehicle entry from the U.S. My sister and brother in law just moved to Canada from south Florida last week(and brought their vehicles).One is a Toyota Landcruiser with a Chevy smallblock which presently does not run(and was trailered from Florida).It must be taken back to the U.S. border within two months(along with their two other vehicles) because they did not give the 72 hours notice! Insane! Rod
Are you looking at a parts car or complete? Could you get a title for it in the States after it's there? If so, just do the old don't ask don't tell. The seller is taking it across to visit a good friend (you) and going for a nice cruise. They take two vehicles and only one comes back. Easy Breezy. They tell the Government here they scrapped it, no taxes and you get a title for it. TA DA!
Sorry to correct you Rod, but it is the US customs that require a copy of the bill of sale and copy of the title to be registered with them 72 hours before exporting the car from the US. I know from personal experience having imported 4 cars in the past 3 years. All the Canadian customs wants is their 7% GST and to ensure that the car meets Canadian standards. Meeting Canadian safety standards is not an issue for cars more than 15 years old. As for going the other way (Canada to the US) I am just going through this now. The Canadian customs have no restrictions. US customs requirements on importing a car are simply to ensure that the car meets the safety standards of the year it was built. They will check the compliance sticker on the door and send you on your way. You also need a bill of sale and the title (not a copy) when you cross. There is no duty. The only taxes you will pay are the local state taxes where you register the car. A word of caution, this only when you (the buyer) are importing a car for personal use. If you are importing for re-sale or are in the "business" there are other rules. Check the US Customs website. Most of the information is there. Cheers Harvey
Thanks for the correction Harvey.I should never take as gospel what my sister has told me! At least there appears to be no great problem going in to the U.S.. Rod
Exporting the car into the U.S., no real issues. Bill of sale & the registration are all that's needed. Importing a US car into Canada.....whole different can of worms. Paid 15%HSt on the purchase price & then another $100.00 levy because the car has AC. Original title had to be at the US side of the particular border crossing 72 hours prior. I hired a local broker to handle it for me if things started getting funny. $ 75.00 well spent.
72 hours A friend just had a big problem importing a Cadilac from the US.He did not send in his paper work in advance 72 hours or more. It took 2 weeks to get it sorted out. Bill V is going through this right now ,maybe he can tell us what he had to do?Chris
We don't use titles on vehicles (in Alberta anyways) so hopefully a bill of sale is all that is required. Even a year old car only has to have the back of the registration signed to complete the sale. Brian
OK. The Canadian seller drives the car across the Border, I pay him and get the registration and he goes home by whatever conveyance he arranges. No paperwork at the Border for him or me? I have done the transfer before and the costs for shipping from BC was only 1700.00 but there was another $873.00 for Border costs and duties. I am trying to save that cost.
Talked to the St. Stephen Customs Office today. They are adjacent Calais, Maine. I'm working in the area. Signed off registration & bill of sale are all you need to bring. Best bet is to call the border crossing you intend to use & find out what they expect. It should be exactly the same across the board but rules are always interpreted differently.
The border costs you are referring to (873.00) must have been for broker fees. There are no duties to pay for cars built in Canada or the US. (NAFTA) Harvey
