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sangela

Full Member
Sep 16, 2013
29
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We have a slight issue with the car and i'm hoping for some sound advice from everyone. My American husband recently landed with his COPR into Canada and properly declared our fully owned car on his B4 form, along with VIN. However, prior to landing, he had driven the car to Toronto to visit me and decided to leave it here. He subsequently flew back. The dilemma now is, how should he export the car from the states into Canada if the car is already physically here? We recently sent an email to the Buffalo border folks to inform them 72 hrs in advance of our arrival and their reply email clearly states that the car has to already be in the U.S. prior to export. What can we do now? :o

Thanks guys!!
 
is it registered and insured in the US? i would think that would make a difference, and mean technically it's just "visiting" canada?
 
It's registered and insured in the States. The 'visiting' excuse was what we were after. The intention was to always import it to Canada via 'flag polling'. We're just looking for a good excuse now when he drives across to Buffalo for a few hours and attempts to 'import' it back to Canada. Would the border agents know or care that the car was just doing a quick spin? Thanks
 
sangela said:
It's registered and insured in the States. The 'visiting' excuse was what we were after. The intention was to always import it to Canada via 'flag polling'. We're just looking for a good excuse now when he drives across to Buffalo for a few hours and attempts to 'import' it back to Canada. Would the border agents know or care that the car was just doing a quick spin? Thanks

i mean, who knows what kind of information they have in their system, though i don't *think* cars are saved in the system. If you have the records of buying it in the states, i would think that also proves it's a US car. personally i wouldn't bring it up unless they ask. if it's on his landing papers, i don't see why it would be a problem to drive it over and back again, and just say - here's the car we declared! also, since he's already declared it, does it really matter where it is? Do you really need to flagpole a car? Or is this necessary because it wasn't with him when he landed?
 
He landed with a rental truck. The car needs to be exported so we can get the proper licensing and insurance up in Ontario. Thanks for your insight. Chances are, he's not going to draw unnecessary attention to the car when he drives to Buffalo.
 
sangela said:
He landed with a rental truck. The car needs to be exported so we can get the proper licensing and insurance up in Ontario. Thanks for your insight. Chances are, he's not going to draw unnecessary attention to the car when he drives to Buffalo.

good luck and keep us updated on how it goes, so the rest of us know what to do when we get to that point! :)
 
There are a lot of steps and paperwork involved with importing a car. I believe you'll need to take it back to the border to do all this at the immigration/customs office. http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/safevehicles-importation-usa-index-445.htm

Keep in mind you may need to make modifications to the car to bring it up to Canadian automotive safety standards (such as having running headlights) before you can import and have any Canadian company insure it.

Also you should check with the US manufacturer, if you will get notice in Canada on any recalls. And also if Canadian dealerships will be able to do warranty work on your US car, or if you will be forced to travel back to US for this. All companies are a bit different so best to call and ask.
 
what if you have a Canadian car that you imported into the US and are now bringing back to Canada
 
uskyoot said:
what if you have a Canadian car that you imported into the US and are now bringing back to Canada

Then its different, you just need to get proper insurance and licence,
that is easy because the car is already in the Canadian system.

Should not be any problem,

In the case of an American car coming to Canada, it need to get the import papers
at the border, I think that the title need to be faxed to the port of entry a couple of days
before the actual entry to Canada. And then proceed with the safety upgrades, that can be
done at any Canadian Tire, naturally, review for any outstanding recalls that need to be attended.
 
You likely need to contact your US border crossing 72 hours in advance. You can find instructions about exactly how to do this here https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/307/~/requirements-for-exporting-a-vehicle-%28including%3A-snowmobile,-atv-and-motorcycle%29 Drive the car back to the US, go to the export office (don't show up early, wait at minimum the full 72 hours). They will require your ID a passport will work fine and the original title to the car. Do not make photocopies of your original title even though the extra sheet that you downloaded and filled out says to bring in 3 copies of your title. Don't worry about that part of it. They will process it in their computer, then they will give the title a stamp and turn you around and set you right back to Canada.

If you have already processed your B4 with your car listed and they have given you the RIV Form 1 then you will just go through the border normally. If you have not already processed your car and have possession of RIV Form 1 then you will need to stop in at your Canadian immigration once you cross back into Canada. They will get your information, look at the title of the car, so on and so forth and give you Form 1.

You will then fax/email that form along with a copy of your recall clearance to RIV. If you can obtain recall clearance online, they will USUALLY accept this, if you must get a manual letter, it can not be older than 30 days when you send it to RIV. Once RIV had gotten your Form 1 along with your fee and your clearance letter they will send you, via email (quickest route) or snail mail Form 2. If you use email double and triple check the email address you provided them as they don't verify it and if you put it in wrong you won't get your Form 2.

You can then make an appointment with Canadian Tire (or whomever is designated to do import inspections where you live). Take both form 1 and form 2 along with the car and have it inspected. It is usually a very short and sweet inspection not involving a whole lot other than looking to ensure all lights work, you have daytime running lights and taking some information from the manufacturers sticker located on inner door sill.
You can also opt to have them complete your emissions testing at the same time. I did not as my local garage was better priced for this.

Once you have your emissions testing done and your RIV inspection done, you can then head to your local service (enter province you are from here). I live in Ontario, so I went to Service Ontario. I gave them all the paperwork and they gave me a registration and title for my car which I then had to take to my insurance agent. The insurance agent then insured my car, and I took this insurance card (proof) back to my local Service Ontario. Once I showed them proof of my insurance they then finished processing my car and gave me license plates.

Voila, car imported into Canada. Roughly 10 days later I got a letter from RIV in the mail. It contained a door sill sticker and instructions on where to place it in the car. I put it just below the original manufacturers sticker on my inside door sill.

I hope this helps you to understand the required steps to get your car into Canada. It doesn't matter if the car has been in Canada already, btw. Mine was stored in my garage here at home in Canada all winter. I just drove it back into the US to have it exported. I told the guard that I had it in storage all winter and am now importing it since I got my PR. There was not a problem with this.
 
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