I know this question has been asked before but thought I would put it out there.Has anyone here ever purchased a car in Canada from the USA? I am currently looking at a car in Ontario which is only about 4 hrs from my home.I like the car at a good price especially with the exchange rate.i have heard arguments on both sides Some say it's a nightmare and some say it's easy.I would appreciate this forums thoughts and some shared experiences of going thru this process.Thanks!
Buying a car in Canada
- Thread starter chry73luv
- Start date
Contact the United States border patrol office, where you will be bringing the car through to get it back to the United States and ask them what type of paperwork you would need. They will probably have to transfer your call a few times and will probably have to look up the paperwork in a reference manual I did this over 20 years ago get the name of whoever you speak to plan on spending a few hours at US customs. Good luck.
Thank you for that info.
I bought Regina, my 1970 FQ3 Polara 'vert, from Canada back in 2020. That was a few months before export rules for "significant cars" changed. @Tobias74 was the owner, and he helped me with the process. He has posted at length on the topic, see here:
www.forcbodiesonly.com
Search results for query: export
www.forcbodiesonly.com
300rag
It's Not Going to Shift Itself
I believe the rules are different for a Canadian exporting/delivering the vehicle, as opposed to an American coming here, purchasing and bringing it home themselves.
FWIW, and this was from a lot of years ago when a buddy of mine was working with some Canadian Mopar guys, I was told it's easier if the car was built in the USA as it was already imported into Canada and now it's just coming back to the states... But they were mostly dealing with B and E bodies so they were USA built.
As I said, that was many years ago.
As I said, that was many years ago.
From a horror story I heard from the guy that went through a lot of nonsense at the border, this is very important. The rules seem to be slightly ummm....fluid at times.
Carmine
Old Man with a Hat
You might pick up some ideas in my thread from 2018. In the end, worked out well for buyer and seller.
If the car were driven from Canada into the US by the current owner, under the guise of attending a car show, and then you took delivery of it on the US side, got it home, with what-ever paperwork / title the Canadian owner could give you, if you went to your state DMV and then began the ownership / title process to put the car in your name, would your DMV require any federal-level importation documents to complete that? Or would your state DMV just treat this as an out of state ownership transfer, and not really care about the US importation part?
Register an Imported Vehicle | NY DMV
"To register an imported vehicle in New York, the vehicle must
clear the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Contact the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the nearest Port of Entry, or visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for information about (A) vehicles imported by US residents, and (B) vehicles imported by non-residents and returning members of the US government or the US Armed Forces.)
comply with NYS safety and emissions standards (The DMV can require your vehicle to comply with the minimum NYS safety and emissions standards even if your vehicle meets or is exempt from federal safety and emissions standards.)
You must provide the DMV:
acceptable U.S. Customs and Border Protection documents
acceptable proof of ownership of an imported vehicle
all other documents needed to register and title a vehicle"
This question, like most others, have been answered by @Tobias74 in the posts to which I linked above. FWIW, in Illinois, I had to show all the proper paperwork from Canada and from the border/customs. All this info is consistent with what @Big_John just posted.
PS: If it has to be "under the guise" then it's not legal, period. Add "border" in the same sentence, and the likely outcome is not one that you should want to ever contemplate.
I live in Michigan and purchased my '72 Polara in Ontario in Feb. 2024. The vehicle was built at the Newark, Delaware plant and exported to Canada.
- First, I went to my local DMV to ask what I needed to register it in Michigan. They gave me two Federal form numbers (U.S DOT and EPA). I looked them up and printed them for the return trip at the border.
- The seller provided the Ontario vehicle registration (title) and bill of sale.
- U.S. Customs did a visual inspection of the vehicle and completed the DOT and EPA forms, plus a CBP Entry Summary form. On the DOT form, they checked Box 1 that states "The vehicle is 25 or more years old, etc." and entered the date of manufacture from the door sticker. They had all the forms in their system, so I didn't need to bring them.
- I took all the paperwork and proof of insurance to my local DMV and registered the vehicle, plus the 6% tax on the sale price.
- First, I went to my local DMV to ask what I needed to register it in Michigan. They gave me two Federal form numbers (U.S DOT and EPA). I looked them up and printed them for the return trip at the border.
- The seller provided the Ontario vehicle registration (title) and bill of sale.
- U.S. Customs did a visual inspection of the vehicle and completed the DOT and EPA forms, plus a CBP Entry Summary form. On the DOT form, they checked Box 1 that states "The vehicle is 25 or more years old, etc." and entered the date of manufacture from the door sticker. They had all the forms in their system, so I didn't need to bring them.
- I took all the paperwork and proof of insurance to my local DMV and registered the vehicle, plus the 6% tax on the sale price.
it wasnt "under the guise", it was made clear that i was delivering the car to @Carmine. it was simple, easy and took a minute to get a no fee charge stamped form from the officer. the only regret was that we didnt have time for a short visit..............
I am sorry if I misunderstood. From the conditional tense in @MoPar~Man 's post, I took his scenario as hypothetical. My note was therefore not a comment on actual actions that may or may not have taken place. I hope that I did not offend anyone.
oh not all !
Carmine
Old Man with a Hat
Holy cripes, I guess I forgot that was your car! If I never told you, it ran great the whole trip... Seattle to Phoenix via the PCH and I-10.
Years later, I kind of wish I'd bought the R body NY'er instead. My father came with us last minute and the bigger car would have been more comfortable. All the spare parts you kindly included filled up the trunk, so we rode with suitcases in the back seat penalty-box... Each of us had to take a turn back there.
Rustyrodknocker
Senior Member
If it's a vintage car I would make sure you are dealing with a seller that wants to put in the work to sell it to you and do so on a deposit and final payment agreement.
We hashed out the Canadian Heritage act or rules a few years ago and they have a broad description. Ultimately I don't think alot of US jurisdictions care, they can only work from the perspective of what's legal here.. The seller however, could be at risk of being penalized by their government for exporting property that the government sees as belonging in part to the public.
Canadian-born, 30 year U.S. resident and citizen. I've brought three cars south in the past five years, two of them "exempt" by virtue of age. Zero headaches on the older girls, the late model Mercedes I imported last year was more of a hassle because of the differing FMVSS/CMVSS requirements. But for something built before 1980, all you'll be looking at is taxes applicable depending on your state of residence. I have used Mackie's since we immigrated, and haven't been disappointed in any of the four car movements (the first involved three all at once, in 1996) and Willson as the broker on the last couple. If you intend to haul your newly-acquired treasure back yourself, make sure you have all the paperwork filled in before you set out. Administrivia is your enemy - the cost of a broker is modest in comparison with the hassles of showing up at a port-of-entry and having the car denied because you've missed some stupid form that they want.
SportFury70
Senior Member
My stepdad bought this copper and tan 1969 Charger from Alberta Canada a couple of years ago back in 2022, and had it shipped to our house here in Connecticut. He did not have tooo much of a problem, it took a few months and a few thousand shipping dollars to get the car though. He bought it in the middle of September of 2022 and it was delivered in the middle of January of 2023, it cost about $3ish thousand to get it shipped here… BUT it was WELL worth it with the car coming in one piece with no damage. It got shipped by a company called TFX transport located in Canada by the previous owners recommendation, this one here…. Vehicle Shipping Across Canada & to the US | TFX International
Got this one in 2019 from Canada. I have all the paperwork in the file cabinet. If I recall about 800.00 in paperwork plus 2 different haulers. I think it sat in a holding station between haulers. Maybe total 3 grand to get home.
jim almond
New Member
I bought one up near Calgary, paperwork at the border was actually pretty easy. They had a sample form that had highlighted areas for you to fill out. If there was any fee, it was pretty minimal. I looked at having the paperwork done for me, and it was several hundred bucks.
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