importing a tc into british columbia

[bcbouy]

i'm thinking of buying a used tc in washington state or maybe oregon and bringing it into bc.i'm getting conflicting info.if anyone has done this can you tell me:is there import duty if it's used or do they fall under nafta, do i pay pst and gst at the border or will i get an assessment later. i don't need to register it in canada and its not considered a motor vehicle or travel trailer,just goods,like new tires or clothes. i'd really appreciate hearing from someone who has actually done it,thanks.

[bcbouy]

i wouldn't think of trying to sneak it thru.the penalty is very steep,up to 50% of the value or something along that line. i'm not planning on buying thru a dealer either. it wouldn't save me any $. the wife wants a proper bathroom/shower and i want a n/s bed and we both want a pop up so it looks like a northstar 850 sc,if i can find the right one. up in canada its 25 k plus tax new and the next run is may,so i have about 2 months to sort this out and pull the trigger if i can find a good used one, otherwise i'll be paying an extra 6k for new.

[woodhog]

You also may want to inquire about state sales tax, when we bought ours in the USA, the dealer insisted we had to pay the state sales tax, it took a lot of talking to get them to change their mind.

I never found out if they were just going to pocket the tax money or if they really thought they had to collect it from an out of the country buyer.

Keep your GST/HST receipt for future reference if you are going to be crossing the border back into Canada on trips, they may try to make you pay twice if you can't prove you paid the first time.

Don't try to bring the camper in without paying, they will have a video of your empty truck going south and then you show up with a camper coming home, they might seize your whole outfit and you will have to walk home.

You can't fool them easily anymore....

[sleepywheel]

I brought up a camper three years ago and it was pretty easy. Just make sure you have all the paperwork in order. It's not considered to be a motorized vehicle so it's treated as something you picked up on a trip down south.
I bought mine in Washington State where they require a tag on the camper. I left the tag with the seller and he took it in to cancel and I guess to get a prorated rebate.

Items to bring back with you through the border.............
If you find a camper through Craigslist or advertised somewhere, bring a copy with you to show that it was for sale and the price you paid was in the neighbourhood of what they were asking.
In my case, the previous owner borrowed from the bank and he gave me a letter from the bank showing that he had paid off the loan. CBSA showed interest in the letter when going through the paperwork, I guess to see that there wasn't a lien against it.
A sales receipt with the seller quoting the model and serial number along with a general description of the camper, stating the amount paid, and that no monies were owed on it. Get his phone number if the border people have any questions that you can't answer.
I even brought along the emails we had conversed with for further proof of the amount we negotiated.

That's about it. What I did may have been overkill but I really didn't want any problems and everything went pretty smoothly. You will have to pay GST going through the border.

[noteven]

There will be no duty on a camper built in the US under NAFTA. GST will likely be collected at the border. Can't comment on BC PST.

[bcbouy]

i was planning to drive down to ask at the customs but i need a whole day for it,which ain't happening any time soon. as for the web/opinion aspect,i was hoping for some info from a person who actually did it.i can filter out the nonsense answers,i think.i've got a good idea as to what the process is,i just don't want to pull a 30k loan if i only need 20.thats where the nafta/gst nonsense comes in to play.

[noteven]

I would take a spin to your nearest Canada Border Services office (Aldergrove?)and ask. Should save a lot of processing of opinion and web information.

[kayakcrazy]

It's been too long ago since I bought my truck camper in the USA, so I'm not much help to you. The dealer did all my paperwork the only thing I had to do was declare that I was bringing in more than 10,000.00 (certified cheque). When I came across all the staff at the border wanted to see the inside as it was a Palomino which folded down.

[Tom_Barb]

I would suggest you contact Customs. and your local licensing debt.

start here
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/menu-eng.html