Driving a U.S. Plated Car in Canada

[ohCanadaisy]

Thank you so much for your responses! Your advice has helped me immensely. I'm hoping I can call the Canadian government to ask if I have any options since I'll be leaving the country again. I'm the type that always wants to do things by the book! But I'm also not made of money hehe.

BTW, thank you for being kind to the few Americans living up here in Canada right now. I promise we're not all trump-supporting jerks... Most of us are pretty nice

 

[desmat]

Thank you so much for your responses! Your advice has helped me immensely. I'm hoping I can call the Canadian government to ask if I have any options since I'll be leaving the country again. I'm the type that always wants to do things by the book! But I'm also not made of money hehe.

BTW, thank you for being kind to the few Americans living up here in Canada right now. I promise we're not all trump-supporting jerks... Most of us are pretty nice

Did you get response if you called government or someone?

 

[ohCanadaisy]

I did call the government and they confirmed the following:

Canadian PR holders and Citizens cannot drive a US Plated car. So once I receive my PR letter, I will no longer be able to drive my US car. Also, my husband (a Canadian Citizen) cannot legally drive a US Plated car.

It's a real shame, but we will end up just buying another car for now.

 

[desmat]

I did call the government and they confirmed the following:

Canadian PR holders and Citizens cannot drive a US Plated car. So once I receive my PR letter, I will no longer be able to drive my US car. Also, my husband (a Canadian Citizen) cannot legally drive a US Plated car.

It's a real shame, but we will end up just buying another car for now.

Oh. Thank you for info.

 

[Anan Yu]

First of all thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! I have gained a lot of useful information here.
I also have a tricky situation that hope anyone could offer advices. Currently I’m on O1 visa in the U.S. living with my relatives and I have a financed car, U.S. insured and plated. Soon I’ll be going to Toronto on a student permit through the Rainbow Bridge in my car without doing the temporary importation as right now I can’t afford to pay off my auto loan to get my title. My questions are following:
- My U.S. driver’s license will be expired in 7 months. It is impossible to renew my U.S DL as my O1 status will be expired with it. Can I apply for a Canadian DL and still be able to operating my U.S. registered car? Even my car is registered with my U.S. DL.
- Can I drive my U.S. registered car in Toronto for the years I’m on my student permit or I have to follow the 60 days to change to Canadian DL and car registration rules? (I read about the 60 days rules from others’ posts.)
- If I have to officially import my car to Canada at some point. Will I need to enter the U.S. for the exportation procedures at the border? I’m little concerned about entering the U.S. again as I applied for the EB1 (immigration petition for extraordinary individual) in the past and it got denied. I’m still having the valid 10 year U.S. visitor visa though. Will the customs let me in and is it a must to enter the U.S. to import the car to Canada?
Any advices will be largely appreciated. I just don’t want to pay off all my auto loans and in the end I can’t even operate it in Canada.

 

[Alex54321]

First of all thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! I have gained a lot of useful information here.
I also have a tricky situation that hope anyone could offer advices. Currently I’m on O1 visa in the U.S. living with my relatives and I have a financed car, U.S. insured and plated. Soon I’ll be going to Toronto on a student permit through the Rainbow Bridge in my car without doing the temporary importation as right now I can’t afford to pay off my auto loan to get my title. My questions are following:
- My U.S. driver’s license will be expired in 7 months. It is impossible to renew my U.S DL as my O1 status will be expired with it. Can I apply for a Canadian DL and still be able to operating my U.S. registered car? Even my car is registered with my U.S. DL.
- Can I drive my U.S. registered car in Toronto for the years I’m on my student permit or I have to follow the 60 days to change to Canadian DL and car registration rules? (I read about the 60 days rules from others’ posts.)
- If I have to officially import my car to Canada at some point. Will I need to enter the U.S. for the exportation procedures at the border? I’m little concerned about entering the U.S. again as I applied for the EB1 (immigration petition for extraordinary individual) in the past and it got denied. I’m still having the valid 10 year U.S. visitor visa though. Will the customs let me in and is it a must to enter the U.S. to import the car to Canada?
Any advices will be largely appreciated. I just don’t want to pay off all my auto loans and in the end I can’t even operate it in Canada. ☹

I remember people were able to import their financed cars based on the permittion letter from the US lending institution. The import will solve many your problems. As far as renewal of US DL - I think it's doable regardless of your O1 visa status (maybe not legal, since you will not be US resident), if you can do it online. Don't forget about insurance...

So, try to import.

 

[Anan Yu]

I remember people were able to import their financed cars based on the permittion letter from the US lending institution. The import will solve many your problems. As far as renewal of US DL - I think it's doable regardless of your O1 visa status (maybe not legal, since you will not be US resident), if you can do it online. Don't forget about insurance...

So, try to import.

Hi Alex,
Thank you so much for your prompt response. Yeah I have to check with the lending institution (Chase auto) to see if they can let me import the car. But I have read a lot of feedback from others online saying the U.S. lenders won’t allow that. And I’m unable to renew my U.S. DL online so I must get a Canadian DL next year. Will I still be able to drive my U.S. registered car with the Canadian DL although my car is registered under my U.S. DL? Thx again! Also looking forward to others’ insights.

 

[Alex54321]

Hi Alex,
Thank you so much for your prompt response. Yeah I have to check with the lending institution (Chase auto) to see if they can let me import the car. But I have read a lot of feedback from others online saying the U.S. lenders won’t allow that. And I’m unable to renew my U.S. DL online so I must get a Canadian DL next year. Will I still be able to drive my U.S. registered car with the Canadian DL although my car is registered under my U.S. DL? Thx again! Also looking forward to others’ insights.

Your car is not registered under your US DL. You are an owner and the vehicle is registered on your name and insured. The US DL or Canadian DL allow you to drive a vehicle ( any vehicle) in US and Canada. The question is for how long you are able to drive US plated/insured car in Canada from Canada Transport point of view and whether your US insurance will cover you in Canada. I still see a few ( at least 2 in my area) Michigan plated cars here in Windsor, ON with already expired US registration and I assume the owners commute to US to work.

I would work with Chase to get that letter, if not, you can try to find another bank which will allow you import. If you find, you can refinance your load with them.

 

[kr.subhadra]

Hi, I have a similar issue where I am planning to drive to Canada and stay there on Visitor Visa until I get my PR. How long can I drive in Ontario with US License Plate?
I am planning to import the car into Canada once I get PR (I think I have 30 days from the day I get the PR to permanently import it to Canada, as I can't drive with US Plate once I become a PR). Do I need to be physically present in the US to export it or can it be done at any border crossing? The problem is, I don't have US Visa to come back.

 

[Alex54321]

Hi, I have a similar issue where I am planning to drive to Canada and stay there on Visitor Visa until I get my PR. How long can I drive in Ontario with US License Plate?
I am planning to import the car into Canada once I get PR (I think I have 30 days from the day I get the PR to permanently import it to Canada, as I can't drive with US Plate once I become a PR). Do I need to be physically present in the US to export it or can it be done at any border crossing? The problem is, I don't have US Visa to come back.

I think you can drive your US plated/insured car during your Visitor status in Canada, no problem with that during allowed time to be a Visitor. Not sure what happens if your PR process takes long time. Anyways, as you mentioned - "The problem is, I don't have US Visa to come back". It means you cannot yourself properly export the vehicle from US later.

If you know you are going to live in Canada you can export car before/during your "drive to Canada". And you are done with US ( as far as car). Or just drop the idea of properly export at all and concentrate on your new life in Canada.

 

[kr.subhadra]

Thanks for your reply. I thought about exporting the car now itself, but I am not sure if I can import it in Canada on a visitor visa.

 

[canuck78]

Your car is not registered under your US DL. You are an owner and the vehicle is registered on your name and insured. The US DL or Canadian DL allow you to drive a vehicle ( any vehicle) in US and Canada. The question is for how long you are able to drive US plated/insured car in Canada from Canada Transport point of view and whether your US insurance will cover you in Canada. I still see a few ( at least 2 in my area) Michigan plated cars here in Windsor, ON with already expired US registration and I assume the owners commute to US to work.

I would work with Chase to get that letter, if not, you can try to find another bank which will allow you import. If you find, you can refinance your load with them.

If you don’t have a visa to return to the US there may be questions about your status as a visitor. One of the key issues you need to show when arriving as a visitor is that you aren’t planning on remaining in Canada permanently and you have somewhere to go if you have to leave Canada.

 

[Alex54321]

Thanks for your reply. I thought about exporting the car now itself, but I am not sure if I can import it in Canada on a visitor visa.

With visitor visa they (Canada) have something called "temporary import", which could allow to register the vehicle in Canada. Try to read about that.
And canuck78 has a great point as well. It could be tricky, but intent to be in Canada is important.

 

[kr.subhadra]

Yes, that is a good point @canuck78, I am planning on travelling back and forth between India and Canada, since I can't be on visitor visa for long. Alex54321 I did explore that option of Temporary import, but once I get my PR, I would need to change it to permanent import within a month. That is where I have this question of whether I will be able to do it, without being present in the US. (Since I have to export it from US before I can import it into Canada)

 

[Alex54321]

Yes, that is a good point @canuck78, I am planning on travelling back and forth between India and Canada, since I can't be on visitor visa for long. Alex54321 I did explore that option of Temporary import, but once I get my PR, I would need to change it to permanent import within a month. That is where I have this question of whether I will be able to do it, without being present in the US. (Since I have to export it from US before I can import it into Canada)

Ok, as far as export - this is US requirement, the CBSA does not care much about export. They care only about proper import ( and issue Form 1) and possible duties. As you said "during a month" you will have to go to the Canadian border or another internal CBSA office to do the formal import and after that you normally have 45 days to finish up the business with RIV ( proper modifications and RIV inspection). After that in Ontario - Safety inspection and registration at ServiceOntario office ( with your Title and prove of Insurance).

I was missing some paperwork for export, so I proceeded to Canada and did import first and export next day ( driving back to US) when I got my missing documents. The only reason I did export is to have a posibility in the future to re-import my car to US and gift her to my son or to sell in US.