US citizen buying an RV in Canada

A few years back, I was going to fly into Canada in my friend's private airplane for a weeklong fishing trip. I didn't have a passport. I had all the document's required; drivers license, birth certificate, Social security card etc. I sent it all in to them. They came back and said it all needed to be on one document. My friend was on a timeline, so we had to cancel. Their policy is to send the documents back after 90 days if you don't go through with it. When I talked with them on the phone they denied it, even though I had a letter from them stating exactly that. They eventually sent them back, but it was just a bad experience overall.

T18skyguy wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

I've done it many, many times, the conversation usually goes something like this;

"Do you have the preclearance paperwork?"

"Yes"

"OK, pull over there so we can check the VIN number."

It usually takes longer to walk inside and pay than anything else. I doubt I've ever been even 5 minutes.

Once you are on the side, they will run a stolen vehicle , wants and warrants check, and any other check they can think of, you'll be there awhile. Specially if you enter at Blane, Wa.

I think you missed several posts. CBP has a form you fill out and fax in 48+ hours ahead of hitting the border for importing or exporting a vehicle, they do the ‘wants and warrants’ (as you put it) check DAYS before you ever get to the border.


You are there 5 minutes, not “awhile”. Certainly less time than getting caught trying to break the law lying to Customs.

I too was considering a RV in Canada, but I have no passport. Can you cross into and back out for vehicle purchase without a passport? Getting a passport now is a lengthy process now. And what's this about "import fees"? Who levies that and how much is it? Anybody know?

I don't think the passport process is more lengthy. I know last summer my daughter had to rush a passport through for her husband. There was a problem because his legal Pennsylvania birth certificate (he has always been a U.S. citizen) did not have the required info. So she took an out of state trip to PA from VA and got the required paperwork and and then applied in person for her husband. I think it was less than 3 weeks.

Dale

Tom/Barb wrote:
Get all important numbers, register it down here in your home state.
go to Canada and put the US plates on and tow it home, say nothing at the border. about buying it in Canada.

Blatant disregard for the law. Encouraging fraud and dishonesty.

What happened to doing the 'right' thing, even when someone is not looking? Perhaps that childhood lesson was skipped, thus the effort continues to circumvent the rule of law.

CBP rules for importation of domestic products are simple and often free of fees on products made in Canada, USA, or Mexico.

Lakeside

Thank you Charles. I was considering buying an RV up there but didn't know a thing about what kind of hassles I'd have.

T18skyguy wrote:
I too was considering a RV in Canada, but I have no passport. Can you cross into and back out for vehicle purchase without a passport? Getting a passport now is a lengthy process now. And what's this about "import fees"? Who levies that and how much is it? Anybody know?

Reading the CBP link provided in several posts in this thread, you will find the following...........

Trailers and their parts are provided for in Harmonized Tariff Schedule, Section XVII: Vehicles, Aircraft, Vessels and Associated Transport Equipment, Chapter 84, are duty free when imported from countries that have normal trade relations with the United States.

As far as travel to and from Canada by a US citizen, the Passport is certainly the easiest way, but THIS LINK appears to explain it pretty well.

Charles

Again, read the CBP link that has been posted, nothing unusual, No Federal tariffs or duties to pay, Just present yourself, the trailer and the purchase paperwork at the border and git 'er done.

Charles

Tom/Barb wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

Islandman wrote:
Excellent advice, follow the rules and set an example of a good law abiding citizen.

Getting US plates on that trailer is as legal as it gets. you will be required to get them no matter where the trailer is.

Get the numbers from the seller, bill of sale, and register it here. take the plates up when you go get it. tow it back across the border the customs is none the wiser.

Our DMV doesn't give a hoot what plates are on it now, you'll still pay the import fees/taxes.

Except you CAN’T LEGALLY import a vehicle without physically presenting it to Customs for inspection.

If it was as easy as you’re trying to make it sound it is there would be no question of admissibility because it had been ‘imported’ before it ever got to the border.

It’s curious that you’re now mentioning import fees & taxes. Just a few posts ago you were bypassing the border completely by falsely obtaining US registration before bringing the unit into the US.

BTW, how exactly would you pay the fees & taxes if you’re bringing it with US registration and NOT declaring it at Customs?

I’m pretty sure the nice folks at the border WOULD give a ‘hoot’ about how you got US registration on a vehicle that had NOT been imported.

In this state you simply pay those fees/taxes at DMV.
when you obtain the trailer's numbers from the Canadian seller this should be in the form of a bill of sale. Which is legal enough to get registration and plates.
a trailer with US plates, being towed by a car/truck with US plates will not attract any attention by customs. That is about as normal as it gets.

It seems that the nice people at CBP have a very different opinion than you do.

CBP Trailer Import Info Page.

Maybe someone should tell them they’re wrong, that none of that stuff is required.

JaxDad wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

Islandman wrote:
Excellent advice, follow the rules and set an example of a good law abiding citizen.

Getting US plates on that trailer is as legal as it gets. you will be required to get them no matter where the trailer is.

Get the numbers from the seller, bill of sale, and register it here. take the plates up when you go get it. tow it back across the border the customs is none the wiser.

Our DMV doesn't give a hoot what plates are on it now, you'll still pay the import fees/taxes.

Except you CAN’T LEGALLY import a vehicle without physically presenting it to Customs for inspection.

If it was as easy as you’re trying to make it sound it is there would be no question of admissibility because it had been ‘imported’ before it ever got to the border.

It’s curious that you’re now mentioning import fees & taxes. Just a few posts ago you were bypassing the border completely by falsely obtaining US registration before bringing the unit into the US.

BTW, how exactly would you pay the fees & taxes if you’re bringing it with US registration and NOT declaring it at Customs?

I’m pretty sure the nice folks at the border WOULD give a ‘hoot’ about how you got US registration on a vehicle that had NOT been imported.

In this state you simply pay those fees/taxes at DMV.
when you obtain the trailer's numbers from the Canadian seller this should be in the form of a bill of sale. Which is legal enough to get registration and plates.
a trailer with US plates, being towed by a car/truck with US plates will not attract any attention by customs. That is about as normal as it gets.

JaxDad wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

I've done it many, many times, the conversation usually goes something like this;

"Do you have the preclearance paperwork?"

"Yes"

"OK, pull over there so we can check the VIN number."

It usually takes longer to walk inside and pay than anything else. I doubt I've ever been even 5 minutes.

Once you are on the side, they will run a stolen vehicle , wants and warrants check, and any other check they can think of, you'll be there awhile. Specially if you enter at Blane, Wa.

I think you missed several posts. CBP has a form you fill out and fax in 48+ hours ahead of hitting the border for importing or exporting a vehicle, they do the ‘wants and warrants’ (as you put it) check DAYS before you ever get to the border.


You are there 5 minutes, not “awhile”. Certainly less time than getting caught trying to break the law lying to Customs.

I too was considering a RV in Canada, but I have no passport. Can you cross into and back out for vehicle purchase without a passport? Getting a passport now is a lengthy process now. And what's this about "import fees"? Who levies that and how much is it? Anybody know?

Tom/Barb wrote:

Islandman wrote:
Excellent advice, follow the rules and set an example of a good law abiding citizen.

Getting US plates on that trailer is as legal as it gets. you will be required to get them no matter where the trailer is.

Get the numbers from the seller, bill of sale, and register it here. take the plates up when you go get it. tow it back across the border the customs is none the wiser.

Our DMV doesn't give a hoot what plates are on it now, you'll still pay the import fees/taxes.

Except you CAN’T LEGALLY import a vehicle without physically presenting it to Customs for inspection.

If it was as easy as you’re trying to make it sound it is there would be no question of admissibility because it had been ‘imported’ before it ever got to the border.

It’s curious that you’re now mentioning import fees & taxes. Just a few posts ago you were bypassing the border completely by falsely obtaining US registration before bringing the unit into the US.

BTW, how exactly would you pay the fees & taxes if you’re bringing it with US registration and NOT declaring it at Customs?

I’m pretty sure the nice folks at the border WOULD give a ‘hoot’ about how you got US registration on a vehicle that had NOT been imported.