Exporting a Vehicle from the U.S. and Importing into Canada: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

[skarme312]

Hi, I am staying in Atlanta Georgia and planning to move my car from Detroit Ambassador bridge next month. My question is that AES filing broker should be from the same state port of entry or I can get it done in Atlanta only well before time ?

It does not matter. The following seem to be the most popular on these forums-

https://www.autoexports.us/
https://simplifiedtradesolutions.com/

 

[BAZ2019]

Hello,

Importing a US titled car into Canada that I purchased from a friend -

Does the car title need to be in my name to export from the US/ import into Canada? Or can the former owner sign over the title to me (on the title in his name), and I have a new title issued in Canada following import?

Thanks!

 

[Singhgem]

I've very recently completed steps 1 to 8 and am safely in Ontario now. Everything went pretty much as described.

Here's a couple of notes :

1. Step 3 about researching your choice of port of entry is very important. Where I crossed it was pretty much impossible to find where you actually needed to go, or even where to park. They are not setup to handle civilians in cars. And if you don't figure it out in time you find yourself stuck in traffic on a bridge or tunnel or whatever into Canada which apparently will totally screw things up. I just parked somewhere awkward and probably illegal and then chased down the first armed customs guy dressed in blue and wearing a bullet proof vest. He was extremely courteous and walked me over to the cryptically marked door around the back of the building in a loading dock that I needed to enter and then line up for my turn. Incidentally, I had emailed the direct address for my chosen point of entry. No response..
2. Step 4 about enlisting a customs broker to get an ITN. I was asked several times at US customs if I had an ITN - it's the magic password to everything. I guess a lot of people show up without one. For an online broker, I used these guys and it could not have been faster, cheaper or easier : https://simplifiedtradesolutions.com . I was travelling with two vehicles so I filled out their web site online form twice - once for each vehicle. They caught that and put both on the same ITN so that I was only billed once! Total cost for me : $35 instead of $70. Great outfit - highly recommended.
   
3. Step 7 about the US side - the export. First, see comment 1 above. Secondly, nobody on the US side asked for my ID or passport or a bill of sale. They took my titles and the ITN that I supplied, typed away on their computer for about five minutes, stamped the titles with the name of the border crossing and returned them to me.
4. Step 8 on the Canadian side. They took the value of my vehicles as declared on my B4 and never asked for bills of sale either. But I'd owned both for quite a while and had been living in the US for more than 10 years.

As always, my free advice is worth what you pay for it and your experience and circumstances might not match mine. But having KHB's fantastic write-up was an unbelievably huge help and stress relief!

thank you so much !! Just want to check which port entry did you go through ?

 

[skarme312]

Hello,

Importing a US titled car into Canada that I purchased from a friend -

Does the car title need to be in my name to export from the US/ import into Canada? Or can the former owner sign over the title to me (on the title in his name), and I have a new title issued in Canada following import?

Thanks!

Title has to be in your name.

 

[jaydoshi3292]

I have a dumb question. I am exporting my car from port huron. Do I have to go to us customs and border office - port of entry located somewhere in the city or will the people at the checkpoint on the bridge take care of it?

 

[skarme312]

I have a dumb question. I am exporting my car from port huron. Do I have to go to us customs and border office - port of entry located somewhere in the city or will the people at the checkpoint on the bridge take care of it?

You have to do your export formality at the CBP facility on the US side before proceeding to Canada. If you just go straight to Canada, you will never encounter a CBP officer or a CBP checkpoint so there is no way for you to take care of export paperwork. On the Canada side you will meet a CBSA officer at a booth. He/she can take over for the import formality. I personally am not familiar with the location for Port Huron. Won't hurt to call CBP, but don't expect top notch customer service. There is 50 % chance if not more you will come across an arrogant and rude officer who really wont be of much help. But don't let that hold you back.

 

[expat63]

thank you so much !! Just want to check which port entry did you go through ?

I have a dumb question. I am exporting my car from port huron. Do I have to go to us customs and border office - port of entry located somewhere in the city or will the people at the checkpoint on the bridge take care of it?

You have to do your export formality at the CBP facility on the US side before proceeding to Canada. If you just go straight to Canada, you will never encounter a CBP officer or a CBP checkpoint so there is no way for you to take care of export paperwork. On the Canada side you will meet a CBSA officer at a booth. He/she can take over for the import formality. I personally am not familiar with the location for Port Huron. Won't hurt to call CBP, but don't expect top notch customer service. There is 50 % chance if not more you will come across an arrogant and rude officer who really wont be of much help. But don't let that hold you back.

Went through Port Huron recently and exported a vehicle. It's a bit tricky but I'll tell you what I learned.

But first of all, the CBP people I met were excellent. I was pretty much lost trying to find the office so I asked an officer who was walking across the parking lot where to go. Rather than just tell me (it was complicated) he walked me over to the right place after first making sure I had the correct paperwork (i.e. the title and an ITN). The guy at the counter inside was pleasant and efficient. No arrogance or rudeness to be found. YMMV.

At Port Huron, you need to understand that the CBP office is setup for trucks incoming from Canada. It's not actually part of the outgoing traffic pattern headed to Canada so here's what you need to do.

As you approach the toll booth for the bridge to Canada, immediately get way over to the left and parallel park beside the concrete "jersey barriers". Do not go through the toll booth! Get out of your car, climb over the barrier and look at the truck loading dock on the back of the building in front of you (the CBP building for incoming trucks from Canada). On the right end of that big long loading dock is a steel door with a sign on it that says "Driver's Entrance". Go up the stairs to that door, enter, turn right, and walk 50 ft down the hall to the door at the end of the hall that says "Wait here". There may be a line up but when your turn comes, look through the glass in the door until you see a CBP officer waive you inside. Give him your title and ITN and you will be out of there in five more minutes.

FWIW, I understand the Detroit CBP office is much harder to find.

 

[skarme312]

Went through Port Huron recently and exported a vehicle. It's a bit tricky but I'll tell you what I learned.

But first of all, the CBP people I met were excellent. I was pretty much lost trying to find the office so I asked an officer who was walking across the parking lot where to go. Rather than just tell me (it was complicated) he walked me over to the right place after first making sure I had the correct paperwork (i.e. the title and an ITN). The guy at the counter inside was pleasant and efficient. No arrogance or rudeness to be found. YMMV.

At Port Huron, you need to understand that the CBP office is setup for trucks incoming from Canada. It's not actually part of the outgoing traffic pattern headed to Canada so here's what you need to do.

As you approach the toll booth for the bridge to Canada, immediately get way over to the left and parallel park beside the concrete "jersey barriers". Do not go through the toll booth! Get out of your car, climb over the barrier and look at the truck loading dock on the back of the building in front of you (the CBP building for incoming trucks from Canada). On the right end of that big long loading dock is a steel door with a sign on it that says "Driver's Entrance". Go up the stairs to that door, enter, turn right, and walk 50 ft down the hall to the door at the end of the hall that says "Wait here". There may be a line up but when your turn comes, look through the glass in the door until you see a CBP officer waive you inside. Give him your title and ITN and you will be out of there in five more minutes.

FWIW, I understand the Detroit CBP office is much harder to find.

I guess the officers at Port Huron are nicer. To be fair the CBP officers at the Detroit Windsor tunnel are reasonable. Even the ones on the bridge are fine. Some of the folks (mainly the ones outside) at the CBP facility for export or Nexus are just obnoxiously rude. I too had a pleasant officer for export formality and Nexus.

 

[jaydoshi3292]

Went through Port Huron recently and exported a vehicle. It's a bit tricky but I'll tell you what I learned.

But first of all, the CBP people I met were excellent. I was pretty much lost trying to find the office so I asked an officer who was walking across the parking lot where to go. Rather than just tell me (it was complicated) he walked me over to the right place after first making sure I had the correct paperwork (i.e. the title and an ITN). The guy at the counter inside was pleasant and efficient. No arrogance or rudeness to be found. YMMV.

At Port Huron, you need to understand that the CBP office is setup for trucks incoming from Canada. It's not actually part of the outgoing traffic pattern headed to Canada so here's what you need to do.

As you approach the toll booth for the bridge to Canada, immediately get way over to the left and parallel park beside the concrete "jersey barriers". Do not go through the toll booth! Get out of your car, climb over the barrier and look at the truck loading dock on the back of the building in front of you (the CBP building for incoming trucks from Canada). On the right end of that big long loading dock is a steel door with a sign on it that says "Driver's Entrance". Go up the stairs to that door, enter, turn right, and walk 50 ft down the hall to the door at the end of the hall that says "Wait here". There may be a line up but when your turn comes, look through the glass in the door until you see a CBP officer waive you inside. Give him your title and ITN and you will be out of there in five more minutes.

FWIW, I understand the Detroit CBP office is much harder to find.

This is true for Port Huron. I completed my export a week back. I actually ended up reaching to their parking lot rather than on bridge. I went inside, they checked my paperwork and explained to me where I need to park my car for export. It has to be on the bridge facing Canada. It will feel like illegal parking but that what needs to happen. DO NOT CROSS the toll. The reason for this is that your car needs to be in US but in a place from where you cannot go back. You can only go to Canada. CBP officer were pleasant and extremely patient. I was driving from Chicago and I was tired and flimsy but they were very nice to me. I also had wrong VIN in my email to CBP but they let that go since my VIN number was correct in ITN. Please note, not all CBP officer will be so nice so double check your email before sending it to the Port. I completed my Vehicle import form 1 on RIV and paid $350 which speeds up the process significantly on Canada side. Interesting point, the guy who processed my landing did not bother asking me an address for PR card and he entered US address. They cannot update it once it is submitted and then you have to call CIC to change it.

In Ontario, if you are exchanging your license, they ask for official vehicle record from DMV for 2+ years. I had official stamped copy from California for 1.5yrs and another 1.5yrs from Arizona which was downloaded online. For records downloaded online, they asked for receipt of payment to order this copy. More or less, process is straight forward. Be very careful about the US side formalities. Canadian side is easy and if you don't have everything, they will also help you through it.

 

[adessak]

I just got off the phone with customs and was a little nervous. I asked if I have to cross during office hours specifically and he said yes.

To clarify, for Port Huron, that would mean M-F 8am-4:30pm?
https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/port-huron

 

[Alex54321]

This is true for Port Huron. I completed my export a week back. I actually ended up reaching to their parking lot rather than on bridge. I went inside, they checked my paperwork and explained to me where I need to park my car for export. It has to be on the bridge facing Canada. It will feel like illegal parking but that what needs to happen. DO NOT CROSS the toll. The reason for this is that your car needs to be in US but in a place from where you cannot go back. You can only go to Canada.
...Interesting point, the guy who processed my landing did not bother asking me an address for PR card and he entered US address. They cannot update it once it is submitted and then you have to call CIC to change it...

1. It's different at Detroit Ambassador Bridge. You drive in their area "under" the bridge way before no point of return and will be able to return to US. I was there twice - first time for Nexus interview (returned back to US) and second time for vehicle Export (proceeded after that to Canada).
2. In our case during the landing Canadian officer entered correctly our Canadian address for PR card (August 2018), but still later (October 2018) we got an email that they are ready to issue the PR card, but we need to change online US address (we applied for PR from US) on our account for Canadian address in order to mail the card. After the online change of the address in late October the actual card came in in the middle of November 2018 to our home in Canada.

I have to add that vehicle export/import was done later, not during the landing.

 

[jaydoshi3292]

I just got off the phone with customs and was a little nervous. I asked if I have to cross during office hours specifically and he said yes.

To clarify, for Port Huron, that would mean M-F 8am-4:30pm?
https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/port-huron

Yes but to be on the safer side, be there after 9 or before 3.30PM

 

[american_dream]

Yes but to be on the safer side, be there after 9 or before 3.30PM

so, the export can happen only during weekdays... is there any port of entry where the offices are opened on weekends?

 

[Pravin7]

Hi.. My car is currently with my uncle in detroit.I moved to Canada.I have declared the car in goods to follow.Can my uncle who is a US citizen complete the export in the US side and import it to Canada?

 

[abhimandala2]

I've very recently completed steps 1 to 8 and am safely in Ontario now. Everything went pretty much as described.

Here's a couple of notes :

1. Step 3 about researching your choice of port of entry is very important. Where I crossed it was pretty much impossible to find where you actually needed to go, or even where to park. They are not setup to handle civilians in cars. And if you don't figure it out in time you find yourself stuck in traffic on a bridge or tunnel or whatever into Canada which apparently will totally screw things up. I just parked somewhere awkward and probably illegal and then chased down the first armed customs guy dressed in blue and wearing a bullet proof vest. He was extremely courteous and walked me over to the cryptically marked door around the back of the building in a loading dock that I needed to enter and then line up for my turn. Incidentally, I had emailed the direct address for my chosen point of entry. No response..
2. Step 4 about enlisting a customs broker to get an ITN. I was asked several times at US customs if I had an ITN - it's the magic password to everything. I guess a lot of people show up without one. For an online broker, I used these guys and it could not have been faster, cheaper or easier : https://simplifiedtradesolutions.com . I was travelling with two vehicles so I filled out their web site online form twice - once for each vehicle. They caught that and put both on the same ITN so that I was only billed once! Total cost for me : $35 instead of $70. Great outfit - highly recommended.
   
3. Step 7 about the US side - the export. First, see comment 1 above. Secondly, nobody on the US side asked for my ID or passport or a bill of sale. They took my titles and the ITN that I supplied, typed away on their computer for about five minutes, stamped the titles with the name of the border crossing and returned them to me.
4. Step 8 on the Canadian side. They took the value of my vehicles as declared on my B4 and never asked for bills of sale either. But I'd owned both for quite a while and had been living in the US for more than 10 years.

As always, my free advice is worth what you pay for it and your experience and circumstances might not match mine. But having KHB's fantastic write-up was an unbelievably huge help and stress relief!

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Hi, am planning to export my vehicle, and need some information. can i please a way to contact you. thanks in advance.