Dale Gribble

Paging Senor Ronan and other habitual travelers to the states or people with a house down there.

If you have a place of residence in the states, can you buy a car and plate it in said state for usage there, even with a canadian driver's license?

I ask because I don't want to bother re-exporting my various vehicles from Canada to the US, and just want to buy new stuff over there for use while i'm in the states and keep the Canadian vehicles here for when I'm in canada. Do you guys know if this is possible?

Rob996

It used to be possible... however I don't know the latest laws..and may depend on which state.. You can own houses and boats in the US..

After what Florida imposed with any foreigners must now have an international drivers license to operate a vehicle in that state. Anything is possible..

Imo000

I heard that law had a mistake in it when ot was passed and shortly after it was corrected. The requirement for the international license wasn't intended for Canadians but for every other tourists.

Jamie140

Florida: yes.

No special license required.

Dale Gribble

Awesome! (Other than having to declare residency in Florida. MTV lied to me as a child...there are no "girls going wild" there)

What's the process for doing this? Just buy the car and check the appropriate box on the license plate application?

Jamie140

I assume so, I've bought two Harley's and 3 cars down here in the last few years and the dealer has attended to the registration.

Turbodan

Iirc if you live for more than 6 mos in us you are supposed to register it in that state.

dombeau

I passed my florida driving license and bought a car. A friend of mine did it with a Quebec license 2 years ago. You cannot get any financing if you don't have a credit line in the us.

Dale Gribble

Dombeau, did you keep ur quebec license as well?
I don't want to give up my canadian license because the cars i'm interested in buying in the future are not allowed into the US (bunch of RHD's)

Mark Lue

In general it sounds like it's within your control and to a degree it is but if the US border agency finds that you are living (none business) in the US more than 183 days over a 3 year period (including current year and past year) you can be classified as a resident alien....and that can complicate things.

Turbodan

also new international license required (but not enforced in Fla), rquired in Georgia and can cause some issues with insurance if involved in accident and not properly licensed. this international licensce costs $20 at CAA.

Dale Gribble

Yep, that's true. US CBP are picky and can prevent you from entering the country should you violate the requirement, even as a canadian with property. Seen it happen.

dombeau

Yes I did!

Dale Gribble

Nice. Solution found lol.
Thanks!

Jamie140

It's a little more nuanced.


http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc851.html

To meet the substantial presence test, you must have been physically present in the United States on at least:

31 days during the current year, and
183 days during the 3 year period that includes the current year and the 2 years immediately before. To satisfy the 183 days requirement, count:
All of the days you were present in the current year, and
One-third of the days you were present in the first year before the current year, and
One-sixth of the days you were present in the second year before the current year.