US citizen buying an RV in Canada

when you tell customs what they don't need to know, you are simply asking for trouble.

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.

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

schlep1967 wrote:

schlep1967 wrote:

US Customs and Border Protection

Please just follow the link I posted. US Customs and Border Protection are the only ones you should be getting advice from on this issue.

I read the information on the link. It couldn't be any clearer. The OP should follow your advice.

I live in a country where supposedly everything is corrupt. Then, I read this thread about how to circumvent the law. Makes you wonder.

Why go looking for trouble is my motto. Maybe if the Canadien bought it originally in the US it might be easier but who knows. The Border Patrol guys are a little jumpy right now, and the recent legalization of pot in Canada has them really really diligent.

johntank wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

IB853347201 wrote:

Scottiemom wrote:
First off, Canada does not have titles for motorhomes. At least not then, which was several years ago. Don't know if that has changed.
Dale

Not to dispute your claim, but the info you got from your friend was nonsense. Canada has always had ownership titles for all motorized vehicles including Motorhomes, cars, trucks, ATV's, etc. I believe this is universal across most of North America. Trailers also have titles.

No, they were correct.

In Canada we only have an kownership’ which is the equivalent of a ‘registration’ in the US system.

The ‘title’ is a different animal.

Would not the ownership paper show the vin. make model of said vehicle the owner and/or a lien holder if there is one, if so it would be the same as a title here in MS and I would think in all other states.

No, the ownership here is a 2 part card the size of a credit card, one half shows the name the vehicle is registered to, the other side who’s name the plates (tags as you call them) are in.

We have a totally separate system for recording liens (repair, storage, etc.) or money owing against the vehicle. It is a much broader system that includes unpaid court judgements, personal loans, unpaid taxes, all sorts of things. Basically any debt other than that owing against real estate.

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.

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.

JaxDad wrote:

IB853347201 wrote:

Scottiemom wrote:
First off, Canada does not have titles for motorhomes. At least not then, which was several years ago. Don't know if that has changed.
Dale

Not to dispute your claim, but the info you got from your friend was nonsense. Canada has always had ownership titles for all motorized vehicles including Motorhomes, cars, trucks, ATV's, etc. I believe this is universal across most of North America. Trailers also have titles.

No, they were correct.

In Canada we only have an kownership’ which is the equivalent of a ‘registration’ in the US system.

The ‘title’ is a different animal.

Would not the ownership paper show the vin. make model of said vehicle the owner and/or a lien holder if there is one, if so it would be the same as a title here in MS and I would think in all other states.

Tom/Barb wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

ItsyRV wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
Easy, do it as a lost title. with bill of sale.

have you actually done this? If so, please enlighten us how you managed to pull it off.

Yes, two M/C that had no paper work at all.

It's easy under Wa. state laws.

Check with DMV for the forms

The forms are easy to find and available online from the WA DMV website.

The relevant section, a lost title, requires you to state you ‘lost the title’ then sign before a Notary below a line that says “I certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the state of Washington that the foregoing is true and correct.If signing for a business, I have full authority to do so.”.

So yes, if you swear a false affidavit and perjure yourself, I suppose you could get a title that way.

BTW, most Canadian Provinces and US States share a mutual database now for the purposes of ticketing out of jurisdiction vehicles and such. It also alerts to duplicates to prevent registration in multiple jurisdictions in order to escape collection efforts and to crack down on reregistration of stolen vehicles.

It might be awkward explaining how a Canadian vehicle had a ‘lost’ US title......

Go ahead drag that trailer thru US customs with Canadian plates, see what happens.

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.