PR Vehicle Importation Question

[Whiskieblue]

Hey All,

I'm working on figuring out permanent vehicle import to Canada as a PR (I'm a US citizen currently living in the US). I'm a PR and planning to move to Canada this fall. I've been reading about how complicated vehicle is, and am hoping for some help. It seems that once I export my vehicle from the US and import it into Canada (which I am required to do as a PR), my US car insurance will no longer be valid. However, I can't get Canadian insurance until I have a Canadian driver's license. So, my understanding of the steps are:

1. Get Canadian drivers license
2. Export vehicle from US
3. Import vehicle to Canada
4. Get Canadian car insurance
5. Drive car across border
6. Register car in Canada and get license plates

Is this correct?

I've also thought of another option, and I'm curious if anyone knows if this would work. I could sign over ownership of my car to my parents. This would mean the car is technically not mine, and so I don't need to import it, correct? Then I could drive to Canada, get my drivers license, and then have my parents sign the vehicle back over to me. Then I could get insurance and import it. But then I'm not sure if I would be subject to additional import taxes? Or maybe there are other considerations as to why this wouldn't work?

 

[ontario24]

Hi Whiskieblue,

I can highly recommend you speak to Can Am Auto Importers, I used them to get the AES/ITN #, they will do the 72-hour export notice for US customs. You can start the RIV paperwork online yourself. Alternatively, Can Am can do it all for you, including shipping your car across the border (which could solve some of your concerns about insurance).

Not sure how accurate it was, but my US insurance broker said the coverage would be good for a certain time in Canada. I literally got my Ontario license within days (be sure you have at least 2 years of driving records from your state).

Ideally, make a color copy of the original title that gets the CBP export stamp BEFORE you register the car in Canada. That will be helpful if/when you realize you'd rather go back to the US, and it will make re-importing the car into the US much easier.

btw, there's a great step-by-step thread on here how to do the export from US/import to Canada

Good luck!