Crossing the border with temporary US plates | GTAMotorcycle.com

Crossing the border with temporary US plates

daught

daught

Well-known member
I am about to buy and import a US vehicle. I am aware in order to export it I need to deal with some paperwork for US customs, and they need 3 business days to process. I wonder if I can bring the vehicle to canada during the weekend with temp plates, then cross back in the US during the week and do the official export. Technically I am not "permanently exporting" the vehicle at the first crossing.



"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) require notification of all self-propelled vehicles being permanently exported from the United States, trailers excluded. You will be required to submit an Electronic Export Information (EEI) through the Automated Export System (AES) and submit the ITN confirmation along with your vehicle title documents and sales receipts at least three business days (72 hours) prior to the export."
 
If the plates and insurance requirements are valid, don't see a reason it can't be done. You are going back across, so it's a visit, not export.
 
Pretty sure you can not legally have the vehicle exit the USA until that required paperwork is complete and it's actually released. It's not a personal vehicle at that point, it's treated no differently than any other purchase you'd make in the USA - you couldn't just export anything else and come back later to actually settle up the paperwork and officially import it, a vehicle won't be treated any differently.
 
Remember, for a vehicle export you actually need to stop at the USA side on the way out to clear all the aforementioned export paperwork, as well as stopping at the Canadian side on the way in to actually process the import paperwork at that point.

Again, using my last reference...you wouldn't go to the USA and buy a set of tires, a new cellphone, and a bunch of clothing (Random examples), bring them into Canada and just drive back a few days later to actually deal with the border again. This is no different.

I imported trailers (and a few Jetskis) from the USA before, and until you're all rubber stamped at the border on the Canadian side, you're dead in the water. An actual vehicle (trailers and jetskis didn't quality) add to the complication with the USA export side requirement stuff at the border as well, and rest assured they're not going to let you skip that and "deal with it later".

Try to time things better for the process, or plan on a hotel near the border.
 
Well not everything that crosses the border has to be imported/exported. For example a rental car can be driven over and back. That's just my wishful take on it.
 
daught said:
Well not everything that crosses the border has to be imported/exported. For example a rental car can be driven over and back. That's just my wishful take on it.
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Except you didn't buy the rental car.

Sorry, didn't mean to come across as too blunt, but trust me, you won't want to try to skip the border with the car and come back later to finish up - US Border patrol will not be happy.

Here's a detailed list of the required process on the USA side. And then the Canadian side.

Reportedly it's both a legal offence in the USA to fail to properly export the vehicle before leaving the country, as well as impossible to actually start or complete the import process on the Canadian side without that having been done - some checks and balances were put into play a number of years ago when people were buying cheap vehicles in the USA, sneaking them across the border as "personal vehicles", and then curbsiding them here.
 
Oke thanks. I got the procedure sorted out. The riv web site is actually very good. It has a questionare to custom tailor a check list.

I read that I have to pay gst at the border and hst when licensing the vehicle in on. Will I actually be charged gst twice?
 
daught said:
I read that I have to pay gst at the border and hst when licensing the vehicle in on. Will I actually be charged gst twice?
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When I registered the trailers that I imported the Service Ontario they tried to charge me the full tax on 1 of them when I went to get the plates and ownership after completing the RIV process - make SURE to hold onto the paperwork they give you at the border that shows you paid the GST, and then (perhaps after some debate with a manager, be prepared) they will only change you the difference, HST minus the GST percentage paid.

The Jetskis, the Gov't department that looks after vessels send me a bill about a year or two after the import looking for the taxes I'd already paid at the border - it seems like they didn't differentiate between private sales and imports. Thankfully I still had the papers proving I'd already paid.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Except you didn't buy the rental car.

Sorry, didn't mean to come across as too blunt, but trust me, you won't want to try to skip the border with the car and come back later to finish up - US Border patrol will not be happy.

Here's a detailed list of the required process on the USA side. And then the Canadian side.

Reportedly it's both a legal offence in the USA to fail to properly export the vehicle before leaving the country, as well as impossible to actually start or complete the import process on the Canadian side without that having been done - some checks and balances were put into play a number of years ago when people were buying cheap vehicles in the USA, sneaking them across the border as "personal vehicles", and then curbsiding them here.
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I'm going back 10 years and the US export was relatively simple but it would have been easy to glide right by the magic line on the bridge and be in Canada. There was no big sign saying "Stop for Export Clearance". I had to look for a place to park and find my way into the Port Huron office where everything was taken care of.

On the Canadian side I overheard a customs agent comment about the US Export rule saying "It's an American law and we don't enforce it. However if the vehicle is ever stopped in the USA you could find yourself in trouble." Think seriously about the second sentence.

Is there any chance the vehicle will cross back to the US at any time?

Do you want to P off someone with a badge, gun and self centred attitude in a country where you have virtually no guaranteed rights?

Nothing in the above links indicated a tie in with the US Export Law where Canada won't process you without a US Export stamp. I could have missed it.

If a Canadian was buying a US vehicle that had been imported it would be wise to check if it had been legally exported. If the aforementioned buyer took the vehicle to the US and got stopped it could get ugly if someone ran the S/N.
 
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I checked with the us border guards on the way there than the Canadian guards on the way back. Both said I would get turned back

The deal did no go through anyways. I spent 14 hours on a bus and 2 on a train after my buddy bailed on me because of the storm. I gave my word to the seller I would be there so I jumped on the Megabus. Dude lied to me about a bunch of stuff. I spent another 12 to get back. Some people are just scum.
 
daught said:
The deal did no go through anyways. I spent 14 hours on a bus and 2 on a train after my buddy bailed on me because of the storm. I gave my word to the seller I would be there so I jumped on the Megabus. Dude lied to me about a bunch of stuff. I spent another 12 to get back. Some people are just scum.
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Ugh, that sucks. Reminds me of when I was looking to buy a a jetski a number of years ago - drove 2 hours north to look at one that the guy assured me were in awesome condition. I thought I'd done all sorts of due dilligence before hand, asked for a million photos, etc etc. Got there, it's sitting outside in the driveway on the gravel, hull is full of water and it's frozen solid 3/4 of the way up the crankcase, battery is flat dead, and I don't think it had been covered in years - the photos he sent were apparently many, many years old. 60 seconds later I thanked him for wasting my time and a tank of gas, and turned around and drove home.

Same thing happened 3 years back when I was looking for my wifes beginner bike - some kid in Scarborough advertised his bike as being a real creampuff. After a long frustrating period of time trying to arrange a time to see it I get there and it's the most enormous turd I'd ever seen - signals broken off, fuel tank had a spraybomb paint job, battery dead.... Same thing, pictures weren't even the bike in question I'm fairly sure.
 
Been there done that. Worked out the deal, got pics etc. Drove out to London with a cargo van. The thing wasn't anywhere similar. Turned around, wasted hours and a tank of gas.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Same thing happened 3 years back when I was looking for my wifes beginner bike - some kid in Scarborough advertised his bike as being a real creampuff. After a long frustrating period of time trying to arrange a time to see it I get there and it's the most enormous turd I'd ever seen - signals broken off, fuel tank had a spraybomb paint job, battery dead.... Same thing, pictures weren't even the bike in question I'm fairly sure.
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sounds exactly the same as internet dating
 
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It seems like everyone has a similar story. Went to help a buddy pick up a pool table from a basement. They had built walls after the pool table was installed and the two options for getting it out were taking apart and rebuilding the walls or cutting the table in half (which was a possibility as it turned out to be an mdf table ugh). Obviously the ad didn't mention any of these tidbits.

I bought a boat that was "stored inside, well taken care of, recently carpeted" etc. and when I went to pick it up there were small trees growing in the carpet.

Maybe we need to start getting pictures hostage style. Send me a picture of today's newspaper in front of the object for sale before I will plan a trip to get it.
 
I understand some people dont have the same view on what is good condition, but outright lying reduces the chances of a sale a lot. Can't tell someone you dont notice a tree growing out of the vehicle or that the car's "perfect no leak airbags" can barely get up an inch with the compressor running all the time.

It really sucks people cant review and comment on kijiji. Even if it was possible sellers could just delete the ad.
 
I just accept it as the cost of buying used. Fortunately the next long distance purchase worked out well and was bought. It's still running to date, but with a different owner that I ride with.
 
daught said:
I checked with the us border guards on the way there than the Canadian guards on the way back. Both said I would get turned back

The deal did no go through anyways. I spent 14 hours on a bus and 2 on a train after my buddy bailed on me because of the storm. I gave my word to the seller I would be there so I jumped on the Megabus. Dude lied to me about a bunch of stuff. I spent another 12 to get back. Some people are just scum.
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The Good: The enforcement has been changed.

The Bad:I know of one bike that came through a few back and wasn't legally exported. I'm sure there are more.

More Bad: From the US Customs, I asked the question.

Thank you for contacting the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Information Center.

Unfortunately, no, it is not possible for a 3rd party to get export information/confirmation on a vehicle. Trade information is protected by the Privacy Act.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please reply to this incident.

Thank you again for contacting CBP’s Information Center.

Contact us at: 1-877-227-5511 (For United States and Canada Only) Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), excluding federal holidays.

International Callers dial: 00+1+202-325-8000.

So if John Doe buys the illegally exported bike, goes to the states and for some reason the S/N is checked it shows two registrations. Maybe a diligent cop doing a traffic stop or a minor accident?

Was the bike stolen or exported to avoid a repossession?

The person in possession may not have the contact info for the last US owner. Heaven forbid it was an estate sale or auction.
 
Side q. If I were to buy a vehicle in Canada, call my insurance and put it under my policy, could I put my old plates with valid sticker to drive it home? Pretty sure the answer is no...
 
^ no, trip permit to get it home
and get the ins broker to email you a liability binder and you're 100% good
 
daught said:
Side q. If I were to buy a vehicle in Canada, call my insurance and put it under my policy, could I put my old plates with valid sticker to drive it home? Pretty sure the answer is no...
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You can use your old plates for up to 5 days i believe as long as you no longer have the car they came from.

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