porsche0nut

Ok, so I hear that you need to give US customs 3 working days notice in order to export the car to Canada.... and that importing into Canada is easy as long as you have the title and bill of sale.

So what's with this "exporting from US" part?

BioBanker

Before you import it at CDN customs, you need to export it.

Was really easy for me. Gave them notification. I pulled up with all my papers and the title, they confirmed the VINs matched. Stamped it and away I went to CDN customs.

BioBanker

You export it from the US side. At Lewiston there is a "vehicle export office" as you approach the border.

porsche0nut

Thanks! Other than the title, what "papers" did you need? Bill of sale? I was reading up here (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/bas...or_vehicle.xml) and it seems pretty straight-forward. Too bad about the 72 hours in advance notice! I wanted to do it this weekend potentially.

I wonder if I could drive the car to near the border, leave it at a dealership for a few days, and go pick it up towards the end of next week?

TrackdayRSA.

Just be aware that the offices at the border are not open on weekends, so importation can only be done on weekdays.

acadian_dad

You need to contact the US side of your planned border crossing in advance and ask them what they need an what hours they will process vehicle exports. It varies. My crossing (Ogdensburg) needed originals of bill of sale, signed over registration, and something else I think which slips my mind and only Mon-Fri "bankers hours". Some crossings will accept faxes. Mine wouldn't.

I had my car shipped to a local garage who held the car for me over the weekend for $50. worked well.

Make sure you bring receipts, copies of bank statements, etc - whatever you can bring to backup the price you paid when you declare to CDN customs. They will have you fill in the RIV form etc.

Hopefully you had the DRL and recall letter done up by a dealership as a part of a PPI.

Good luck - its all dead easy if you do your research in advance.

Adamant1971

When I got my wife's santa fe, I forgot to stop at the us customs office, and only remembered on the way home in the new truck.

Cruised through Canada customs and registered with no problems. I called the us border the next day and they said I would have to come back with the truck or I would not be able to register in Canada. Instead I faxed them a copy of my Ontario registration and that was that.

theiceman

i think Jonathon is after a Carrera ,RIV and DRL exempt for sure .. and if 87 or older smog exempt too

JimV8

Quite a few of us have gone through this and there's tons on the archives. There's two rules to importing, RIV or 15 year exempt. The USA exports so they need clear title verification. That's why you have to fax ownership to them ahead of time. At release they will look at the door sticker and VIN. Then you bring it across and present customs with all your doc's and they send you to the cashier.

porsche0nut

The car is over 15 yrs old so I shouldn't need DRL and recall letter..... correct?

EDIT: Thanks Clive! Thought so. It's an '86 and it's not a done deal... I'm just making sure I know what's happening before it happens. I also tend to be an impulse shopper... I see something I want and I go 100 miles an hour towards it.

I appreciate all the quick responses - you guys are great! Excuse my impatience for not using "search"

JimV8

If you need a parking place indoors or outdoors in Niagara Falls NY call Chet's Storage. I have the number if you need it. He's off Portland Road and has good sized steel building and fenced compound and very reasonable. He is a retired Navy guy and it's his pension.

Mark Lue

Good Luck Jonathon

JimV8

15 and overs non-RIV. The customs people stamp it 15 over and non of the RIV stuff applies. You will still have to comply with Provincial regs for that year vehicle if I'm not mistaken.

porsche0nut

Thanks Jim! Could you please PM me his number? I may use that if things go through sooner rather than later!

porsche0nut

How do you check if the seller has a clear title?