Location: Western Hemisphere
Posted on: 20-03-12 12:41:44
For those who might be interested in importing a personal vehicle from Canada into the USA, here are the steps:
Assumptions:
1. The vehicle is owned (free of liens).
2. The vehicle has a VIN starting with a 1.
3. Your legal status in the US is anything other than a visitor.
Steps:
In most cases, all the States have similar importation document requirements. However, there might be exceptions. Therefore, start with the local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)
1. Visit the local DMV (usually first thing in the morning helps to avoid crowds) and ask them what is the procedure to register a vehicle that is currently registered in <<your province>>.
2. Typically the document list will include filling out a registration application, application that exempts from sales tax / duties, Importation document CBP 7501, current registration and title, current valid Driver's license and proof of insurance in that State.
3. If you have not switched to the State's driver's license, you may have to do that and have to show proof of birth (passport), proof of legal status in the USA, proof of residence (lease, utility bills), Social Security card or proof why you are not eligible to obtain a Social Security card (ex: if you are in F2, H4 status)
4. In Ontario, you registration is the right stub and the title is the left stub plus the letter from your loan company that the lien is released (if the vehicle was loaned). The lien release would have automatically been mailed to you when the loan was cleared.
5. You will most likely have all the documents listed in item 2 except CBP7501.
6. To obtain CBP7501, you will first need a compliance letter from your vehicle manufacturer.
7. The compliance letter has to state that your vehicle complies to all US EPA (includes emissions and environmental stds) and US DOT federal safety standards at the time the vehicle was manufactured. US Customs will reject if these two standards are not specified as compliant.
8. The compliance letter may state certain exceptions such as "labeling might be missing" or "daytime running lights not to US specifications", etc. Those are mostly ok.
9. The compliance letter can be obtained by calling the manufacturer. Website listing the numbers is - http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/manreps.htm
10. The manufacturer may request you to fax a request letter with documents such as your current registration and legal status in the US.
11. Once you receive the compliance letter (in about 2 to 15 days), find out the nearest US customs office if you are not near a border or a port of entry. A number of smaller airports do have a 1 person Customs office. You may have to fix an appointment to meet with a Customs officer or you may be able to walk in. If at the land border, you may be required to leave the US (enter Canada / Mexico) and re-enter with a secondary referral at the entry. Make sure you have all documents to leave and re-enter.
12. The Customs will require your passport, your proof of legal status in the US, current vehicle documents and the compliance letter. Customs will inspect your vehicle.
13. Customs will then fill out the EPA and DOT forms along with the CBP 7501 form. They will give you the original of these documents.
14. This completes the importation process.
15. Make sure you obtain vehicle insurance and take proof of insurance with you for registration.
16. You can now take the CBP7501 along with the rest to register your vehicle in the State of your residence.
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Dimple2001
Quote:
Originally posted by dimple2001
For those who might be interested in importing a personal vehicle from Canada into the USA, here are the steps:
Assumptions:
1. The vehicle is owned (free of liens).
2. The vehicle has a VIN starting with a 1.
3. Your legal status in the US is anything other than a visitor.
Steps:
In most cases, all the States have similar importation document requirements. However, there might be exceptions. Therefore, start with the local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)
1. Visit the local DMV (usually first thing in the morning helps to avoid crowds) and ask them what is the procedure to register a vehicle that is currently registered in <<your province>>.
2. Typically the document list will include filling out a registration application, application that exempts from sales tax / duties, Importation document CBP 7501, current registration and title, current valid Driver's license and proof of insurance in that State.
3. If you have not switched to the State's driver's license, you may have to do that and have to show proof of birth (passport), proof of legal status in the USA, proof of residence (lease, utility bills), Social Security card or proof why you are not eligible to obtain a Social Security card (ex: if you are in F2, H4 status)
4. In Ontario, you registration is the right stub and the title is the left stub plus the letter from your loan company that the lien is released (if the vehicle was loaned). The lien release would have automatically been mailed to you when the loan was cleared.
5. You will most likely have all the documents listed in item 2 except CBP7501.
6. To obtain CBP7501, you will first need a compliance letter from your vehicle manufacturer.
7. The compliance letter has to state that your vehicle complies to all US EPA (includes emissions and environmental stds) and US DOT federal safety standards at the time the vehicle was manufactured. US Customs will reject if these two standards are not specified as compliant.
8. The compliance letter may state certain exceptions such as "labeling might be missing" or "daytime running lights not to US specifications", etc. Those are mostly ok.
9. The compliance letter can be obtained by calling the manufacturer. Website listing the numbers is - http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/manreps.htm
10. The manufacturer may request you to fax a request letter with documents such as your current registration and legal status in the US.
11. Once you receive the compliance letter (in about 2 to 15 days), find out the nearest US customs office if you are not near a border or a port of entry. A number of smaller airports do have a 1 person Customs office. You may have to fix an appointment to meet with a Customs officer or you may be able to walk in. If at the land border, you may be required to leave the US (enter Canada / Mexico) and re-enter with a secondary referral at the entry. Make sure you have all documents to leave and re-enter.
12. The Customs will require your passport, your proof of legal status in the US, current vehicle documents and the compliance letter. Customs will inspect your vehicle.
13. Customs will then fill out the EPA and DOT forms along with the CBP 7501 form. They will give you the original of these documents.
14. This completes the importation process.
15. Make sure you obtain vehicle insurance and take proof of insurance with you for registration.
16. You can now take the CBP7501 along with the rest to register your vehicle in the State of your residence.
Good Information .
are there charges ( like taxes etc ) while importing to US from Canada ?
if you want to bring the vehicle back to canada then what is the procedure to be followed ?
Location: Western Hemisphere
Posted on: 20-03-12 14:58:24
Quote:
Originally posted by sant
Good Information .
are there charges ( like taxes etc ) while importing to US from Canada ?
if you want to bring the vehicle back to canada then what is the procedure to be followed ?
No taxes or duties as long as the importation is done for no other than the normal reasons of use. If you import and sell within a certain time, you may end up with tax / duty. I am not sure of the details.
I don't know the re-importation rules into Canada. However, since this was/is a Cdn vehicle to begin with, I would imagine, the process is much simpler.
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Dimple2001
Let me simplify this - for people who want a quick summary.
First Step: Get a "Compliance Letter" from the manufacturer stating that your vehicle meets US standards.
(They asked me to fax my insurance and the cdn DL first and the letter was mailed to me within a week.)
Second step : Import your vehicle. This can be done while driving your vehicle into the US or if you have not done so, visit your local airport in the US (the airport has to have US customs office). I did this at the airport.
What you need for this - Your passport, status in the US (other than visitor) compliance letter (Bill of Sale for the vehicle). The process will take about 20 minutes. It may also require that you own the vehicle (which I did, when I went through this process). They will give you the final form indicating that you have formally imported this vehicle into the USA.
Third Step: Take the documents from #1 and #2 above to the local DMV and register your vehicle.
Thanks. I was researching on this topic for last month or so. This works for used car buying/importing from US. But looks like many US dealers won't sell to Canadians! - Prevented by the manufacturer to keep charging Canadians more!
Which car are you looking for? If dealer near the border does not sell, go farther in 200 miles, you will get better price and no hassles.
I haven't finalized. Looking at CRV which as a 6-7K price difference and Sorento with a 5K difference!
I will call up some dealers further down south and see if they will sell. Else, gotto have my friend in US buy it and then export to me - additional sales tax! :-(
