A friend is bringing back a 51 International from Tennessee and will be crossing at the Ambassador Bridge Detriot/Windsor.
Missed calling US Customs during Mon-Fri hours to get some basic information. We will contact US Customs on Monday and fax down the ownership documents on Mon and will be making the trip next weekend so the 72 hours advance notice part is no problem.
Are they open on weekends or can you only cross to import a vehicle during Mon-Fri 8-4 office hours?
Does the vehicle have to transfer ownership in Tenessee?
Seem to remember when I bought the Nova (in Ohio) and also my enclosed trailer I had to swap the ownership over in Ohio first.
Will post up some pics and details of the truck once it gets to its new home.
Not sure about the import times, cuz it changed a while ago. Once you go to the US customs to verify the vehicle, go to the Canadian customs, tell them what you're doing, pay the 13%, and bring it home.You can put it in your name in your home town.
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If brains were wire, some couldn't short circuit a firefly.
Not sure about the Ambassador bridge but Lewiston is M-F ,8-4
No transfer in the US required but you need the original title with you when you get to US customs
US customs will come out to verify the vin so make sure it legible
Make sure you have a good receipt , I've had Canada customs call the previous owner
They will also search online sometimes for the ad the previous owner may have placed.
Most times they just take your money and send you on your way
You only pay the 5% GST portion of the HST at the border, and the other 8% when you register it in Ontario
Make sure Canada customs stamps both portions of the form 1 they give you
Not sure about the import times, cuz it changed a while ago. Once you go to the US customs to verify the vehicle, go to the Canadian customs, tell them what you're doing, pay the 13%, and bring it home.You can put it in your name in your home town.
What Parklane said, I think I remember hearing that the rules had changed regarding the "72 hours in advance". Best look into that before it becomes an issue. Good luck.
Not sure about the Ambassador bridge but Lewiston is M-F ,8-4 No transfer in the US required but you need the original title with you when you get to US customs US customs will come out to verify the vin so make sure it legible Make sure you have a good receipt , I've had Canada customs call the previous owner They will also search online sometimes for the ad the previous owner may have placed. Most times they just take your money and send you on your way You only pay the 5% GST portion of the HST at the border, and the other 8% when you register it in Ontario Make sure Canada customs stamps both portions of the form 1 they give you
What wolfman 1 said about only paying 5% at the border plus the inspection fee I think.
How times change. I bought a 67 Dart convertible back in 82 at a car show in Ohio and it was a spurt of the moment decision. The car was registered in West Virginia, and had the wrong plates on it which were from another State. Had the Wife drive the car back to the border, and walked in with a hand written bill of sale. Paid GST on the amount and then drove home. Unreal the loop holes one has to jump through now.
A friend is bringing back a 51 International from Tennessee and will be crossing at the Ambassador Bridge Detriot/Windsor.
Are they open on weekends or can you only cross to import a vehicle during Mon-Fri 8-4 office hours?
Yeah, 8 to 4 business hours only - and it's extra busy at that crossing during the day too. I try to use Port Huron most times and this one time I talked them into importing outside office hours on a Saturday night - late. Whined a bit about having to wait until Monday and being absent for work and needing a hotel, not knowing the rule and how do I get back into Port Huron with this trailer on in these lanes, my truck and trailer is already pointed right at the bridge etc.... They finally stamped it and I was on my way!
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"If I could get back all the money I've ever spent on cars...I'd spend it ALL on cars !!!
Did it last year. I emailed US border with vehicle info 72 hours in advance. Crossed at Lewiston. I had all the paper work ready, paid the 5% and $100 air tax and on my way. One hiccup. They have to stamp your papers in a number of places. One stamp was missing so I could register it. I had to go back to the border to get it stamped again. When they are done with the paper work ask them to check it.
Importing is allot stricter than it used to be. I brought my 56 Cad over about 4 yrs ago and missed the US customs at the border. The guy in the booth at the Can side looked at the title ,then said no problem, just go to the customs building and pay the tax. They even valued it for less than what I payed! Allot stricter now. Some titles require both husband and wifes signature,depending on the state-watch out for that. Make sure the vin# on the title is exactly the same as the one on the vehicle,or the US guys may not let it go-happened to me 2yrs ago.
Port Huron doesn't require stamp on cars 15 years old They just want the tax
It's our side that wants to see that stamp from the USA side - that releases is from that country to ours. It's the RIV approval that is exempt on 15yr or older cars. RIV = Registrar of Imported Vehicles.
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"If I could get back all the money I've ever spent on cars...I'd spend it ALL on cars !!!
Port Huron doesn't require stamp on cars 15 years old They just want the tax
US Customs needs to stamp the title for export and Canada Customs needs to stamp the Form 1 in 2 places for vehicles over 15 years old or the licence office will send you away
ok, i have brought roughly 20 cars across in the last ten yrs, last one's being the galaxie and belevedere together. probably another 5-6, 20-30yrs prior to that. i cross at port huron/sarnia by my choice do to less traffic and b/s, both sides. the u.s. side did mention 8am to 4-5pm hours but let me through last time. unless some of this has changed in the last year or so here's what works for me. 1-port huron and 2 or 3 other u.s. ports are the only ones that will process photo copies of the owner ship for the 72hr requirement prior to crossing. original to be produced at time of crossing for clearance stamp as poof that car is free and clear of any u.s. whatever. 2-sarina side, you will want the receipt end of it pretty much together. as mentioned if you bought it through an internet thingy bring a copy of the thingy, it works. pay the g.s.t. only and air tax if applicable. all papers will be stamped accordingly. 3-service ontario will get their p.s.t. when registered here.
1A-if you figure the car will never return to the u.s. for any reason, sold back to, on a holiday, or its here for just parts, you do not require the u.s. clearance stamp on the sarnia side. if by chance they, u.s., run the car through their system on a re/entery back and they find it with ont plates and ownership and never released to leave, your in a pickle. the canadian side don't care about the stamp as told to me by them. its for your benefit for returning or selling or whatever. 2B-the era of buying something for, example-5000.00 and giving them a receipt for 15-2500.00 is pretty much gone. thank you computers. i showed up with a roller 69 road runner i picked up in tennesee from flea/bay, full of used parts the guy had scrounged over a couple of yrs at swap meets and all the new metal parts still in box's, lower 1/4 rear panels, a door skin, lower front fender patch panel and an original 70 chevelle cowl induction flapper hood i picked up in hershey on the way down strapped to the top of my goose neck. we had to of looked like the hillbillies pulling up to the booth with all this stuff strapped on. the receipt for the hood was ok, 800.00. the receipt for the r/r and parts, 32-3300.00, nope. they searched the truck, the car and had myself and a buddy standing there with our pockets inside out and our wallets empty looking for some other paperwork. i mentioned e/bay and they asked for a copy of the listing. i called my office at work and had them go on my computer and fax a copy of the ad down. have a nice day guys and drive carefully. they might consider the cheap receipt thing an insult today. cover you ass. 3B-first time registered in ontario dose not require an appraisal, period. i have had this go around a couple of times with them. if the feds, g.s.t., accepted my paper work and cleared it why would i go and get an appraisal and know its going to be higher, it's the reason i bought it in the first place, and pay more tax above and beyond what i did pay for it. any sale after the fact in ont requires an appraisal. back to paying 5000.00 and giving them a receipt for 2500.00.
couple of pointers, -if you are planning on keeping the car for yourself have it changed over now, not after you have fixed it up. -as mentioned above and there is a stamp or check mark missing on the papers from the border, canuck side, go to the closest customs office and they will straighten it out and return it back to them. experienced it.
i crossed the border hundreds of times as a truck driver so it doesn't get me flustered. most people get nervous when the questions go beyond where have you been, how long have you been gone and what have you got to bring back.
