Webcrawler

Greetings,

After our landing, we may have to return to the US for a couple of months or
so to wrap-up things here.
My question is: is it possible to drive US registered car into Canada for
landing without importing it.
Will we face any problems with either US or Canadian authorities?

After landing, we will probably be there for around 2 weeks and then return
to the US for wrapping things up.
When we move finally that's when we plan to import the car.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

S B

WebCrawler wrote:
    >
    > Greetings,
    >
    > After our landing, we may have to return to the US for a couple of months or
    > so to wrap-up things here.
    > My question is: is it possible to drive US registered car into Canada for
    > landing without importing it.
    > Will we face any problems with either US or Canadian authorities?
    >
    > After landing, we will probably be there for around 2 weeks and then return
    > to the US for wrapping things up.
    > When we move finally that's when we plan to import the car.
    >
    > Any ideas?
    >
    > Thanks.

The answer is a definite maybe.

A Canadian resident (and this will mean that since you are landing you
are presumed to be a Canadian Resident) cannot drive a US registered
vehicle in Canada (Customs regulations) except under very exceptional
circumstances.
a) if you are importing the vehicle
b) if you are driving the vehicle to a destination in Canada in an
emergency type situation and will return it within a relatively short
period to the USA (may require a customs bond) and you may NOT drive the
vehicle for local mileage whilst in Canada.
c) if you are driving a rented vehicle, you may drive it as in b) or
drive it directly to an agent of the rental agency in Canada where it
will be exchanged for a Canadian registered vehicle, and conversely you
may drive a US registered vehicle from the rental agency to a
destination in Canada for loading and then immediately to the USA.

You may be permitted to do so, or you may not. If permitted, you may be
asked to post a customs bond.

Next, if you are moving to Canada later, you MUST include everything you
intend to import on a list of "goods to follow". You may wish to
discuss this list with Canada Customs to see exactly how detailed they
will want it, considering that it will be basically everything! Don't
forget to include the car as an item to follow.

Webcrawler

Thanks for the details, Stuart.

Would it be better then to not land via our car at this time and use a
rental car?
Do you know if US rental car agencies allow a drop-off into Canada?
We will then have to rent in the US - drop-off in Canada.
Then rent another one in Canada and return that in the US when we return
after 2 weeks.

Also, we will include the car in the Goods to Follow list and import it when
we move permanently.

Is that workable?

"S B" <> wrote in
message
    > The answer is a definite maybe.
    > A Canadian resident (and this will mean that since you are landing you
    > are presumed to be a Canadian Resident) cannot drive a US registered
    > vehicle in Canada (Customs regulations) except under very exceptional
    > circumstances.
    > a) if you are importing the vehicle
    > b) if you are driving the vehicle to a destination in Canada in an
    > emergency type situation and will return it within a relatively short
    > period to the USA (may require a customs bond) and you may NOT drive the
    > vehicle for local mileage whilst in Canada.
    > c) if you are driving a rented vehicle, you may drive it as in b) or
    > drive it directly to an agent of the rental agency in Canada where it
    > will be exchanged for a Canadian registered vehicle, and conversely you
    > may drive a US registered vehicle from the rental agency to a
    > destination in Canada for loading and then immediately to the USA.
    > You may be permitted to do so, or you may not. If permitted, you may be
    > asked to post a customs bond.
    > Next, if you are moving to Canada later, you MUST include everything you
    > intend to import on a list of "goods to follow". You may wish to
    > discuss this list with Canada Customs to see exactly how detailed they
    > will want it, considering that it will be basically everything! Don't
    > forget to include the car as an item to follow.

S B

WebCrawler wrote:
    >
    > Thanks for the details, Stuart.
    >
    > Would it be better then to not land via our car at this time and use a
    > rental car?
    > Do you know if US rental car agencies allow a drop-off into Canada?
    > We will then have to rent in the US - drop-off in Canada.
    > Then rent another one in Canada and return that in the US when we return
    > after 2 weeks.
    >
    > Also, we will include the car in the Goods to Follow list and import it when
    > we move permanently.
    >
    > Is that workable?
    >
    > "S B" <> wrote in
    > message
    > > The answer is a definite maybe.
    > >
    > > A Canadian resident (and this will mean that since you are landing you
    > > are presumed to be a Canadian Resident) cannot drive a US registered
    > > vehicle in Canada (Customs regulations) except under very exceptional
    > > circumstances.
    > > a) if you are importing the vehicle
    > > b) if you are driving the vehicle to a destination in Canada in an
    > > emergency type situation and will return it within a relatively short
    > > period to the USA (may require a customs bond) and you may NOT drive the
    > > vehicle for local mileage whilst in Canada.
    > > c) if you are driving a rented vehicle, you may drive it as in b) or
    > > drive it directly to an agent of the rental agency in Canada where it
    > > will be exchanged for a Canadian registered vehicle, and conversely you
    > > may drive a US registered vehicle from the rental agency to a
    > > destination in Canada for loading and then immediately to the USA.
    > >
    > > You may be permitted to do so, or you may not. If permitted, you may be
    > > asked to post a customs bond.
    > >
    > > Next, if you are moving to Canada later, you MUST include everything you
    > > intend to import on a list of "goods to follow". You may wish to
    > > discuss this list with Canada Customs to see exactly how detailed they
    > > will want it, considering that it will be basically everything! Don't
    > > forget to include the car as an item to follow.

Personally, I would contact customs at the PoE you intend to use and ask
them what they would approve wrt your own car / or a rental car.

Both have been done ... it's just that if you get officers who want to
be sticky, they can be and spoil your plans.

Rental agencies hate one ways on cars across the border. They will
charge you an arm and a leg, because usually, they have to send someone
to fetch the car. It's usually cheaper to keep the rental if you're
only talking a couple weeks ... just be careful about using it while in
Canada.

Sysclp

    >

    > Would it be better then to not land via our car at this time and use a

    > rental car?



That is what I did. Also, as SB said, just keep that car for the whole
2 weeks and drive it back to the US, they won't give you any problems
with that. Just be sure to have a complete list of all your goods to
follow including your car with VIN number and be sure to tell them you
are bringing it with you when you return. I landed in Feb. 2001 and
stayed 4 days, with my rental car, then went back to finish out my job,
packing, and moving plans. I had no trouble when I returned in April.



FYI - I did check out the one-way rental and it would be around $100 per
day while keeping the US car and returning it was only about $125 per
week. This was prices for picking up at the Buffalo airport.

Webcrawler

I have a follow-up on this thread.

We are now considering moving through a U-Haul (or similar) rental truck,
and tow our car (and import it).
Is that doable?
Will the US and Canadian customs let a US-registered rental truck thru (we
will of course return it once inside Canada).

The cost seems to work out around $650 USD for the truck and about $230 USD
for the tow trolley - so a total of about $900 USD from U-Haul.

Does this sound reasonable or way off base?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks.

Sysclp

Originally posted by Webcrawler

    > I have a follow-up on this thread.


    > We are now considering moving through a U-Haul (or similar)
    > rental truck,

    > and tow our car (and import it).

    > Is that doable?

    > Will the US and Canadian customs let a US-registered rental truck
    > thru (we

    > will of course return it once inside Canada).


    > The cost seems to work out around $650 USD for the truck and about
    > $230 USD

    > for the tow trolley - so a total of about $900 USD from U-Haul.


    > Does this sound reasonable or way off base?


    > Any suggestions appreciated.


    > Thanks.



That is basically what I did when I moved up for good, although I didn't
tow the car as my fiance came down to help and drove the truck for me.
I had their biggest truck and it was like $900 and something to rent it
one way from Alabama.



No problem at all with bringing a U-Haul truck up here and returning it
locally. Probably half the trucks in our local U-Haul lot had US plates
and paint jobs on them. I had a detailed list of everything in the
truck, including all boxes numbered and the contents noted, for customs
but they didn't even look at it or seem to care about the truck. All
they were interested in was my car and importing it. I am sure they
could require you to open the truck and let them look at everything, so
be prepared just in case.

Webcrawler

Thanks for your help.
This seems the most viable option for us, then.

Best wishes.

"sysclp" <member3998@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:...
    > Originally posted by Webcrawler
    > > I have a follow-up on this thread.
    > >
    > > We are now considering moving through a U-Haul (or similar)
    > > rental truck,
    > > and tow our car (and import it).
    > > Is that doable?
    > > Will the US and Canadian customs let a US-registered rental truck
    > > thru (we
    > > will of course return it once inside Canada).
    > >
    > > The cost seems to work out around $650 USD for the truck and about
    > > $230 USD
    > > for the tow trolley - so a total of about $900 USD from U-Haul.
    > >
    > > Does this sound reasonable or way off base?
    > >
    > > Any suggestions appreciated.
    > >
    > > Thanks.
    > That is basically what I did when I moved up for good, although I didn't
    > tow the car as my fiance came down to help and drove the truck for me.
    > I had their biggest truck and it was like $900 and something to rent it
    > one way from Alabama.
    > No problem at all with bringing a U-Haul truck up here and returning it
    > locally. Probably half the trucks in our local U-Haul lot had US plates
    > and paint jobs on them. I had a detailed list of everything in the
    > truck, including all boxes numbered and the contents noted, for customs
    > but they didn't even look at it or seem to care about the truck. All
    > they were interested in was my car and importing it. I am sure they
    > could require you to open the truck and let them look at everything, so
    > be prepared just in case.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

S B

WebCrawler wrote:
    >
    > I have a follow-up on this thread.
    >
    > We are now considering moving through a U-Haul (or similar) rental truck,
    > and tow our car (and import it).
    > Is that doable?
    > Will the US and Canadian customs let a US-registered rental truck thru (we
    > will of course return it once inside Canada).
    >
    > The cost seems to work out around $650 USD for the truck and about $230 USD
    > for the tow trolley - so a total of about $900 USD from U-Haul.
    >
    > Does this sound reasonable or way off base?
    >
    > Any suggestions appreciated.
    >
    > Thanks.

Yes ... you can actually do cross border rentals with U-Haul too
dropping off in Canada. Two things ... make sure that the tow trolley
is admissible, some aren't, the other is make sure that you send your
title to US customs at your port of exit to arrive at least 72 hours
before you leave the US with the car. Vehicles are subject to export
controls.

You can also take the truck into Canada and return it to the US at a
border town, but beware of excess mileage and days to do that. They
allow enough miles for your trip and a hundred or so miles more, which
can catch you out and add up quickly.

Webcrawler

"S B" <> wrote in
message
    > Yes ... you can actually do cross border rentals with U-Haul too
    > dropping off in Canada. Two things ... make sure that the tow trolley
    > is admissible, some aren't, the other is make sure that you send your
    > title to US customs at your port of exit to arrive at least 72 hours
    > before you leave the US with the car. Vehicles are subject to export
    > controls.

Did you mean the title for my car that I am exporting out of the US, or the
rental truck title too?

    > You can also take the truck into Canada and return it to the US at a
    > border town, but beware of excess mileage and days to do that. They
    > allow enough miles for your trip and a hundred or so miles more, which
    > can catch you out and add up quickly.

Right.
I found that they are giving me 1095 miles for a rental from here in ATL to
Toronto - ought to be enough going strictly by MapQuest.
I will have to return the truck in Canada only, because I won't have a visa
to return to the US after I leave.

Thanks for your help.