I'm in Arizona and I'd like to sell my '98 Safari to a very good friend who lives in Toronto. I'd really like him to have the Safari and I'm prepared to make him a deal he can't refuse. He and I have both read up on the process so we think we know most of the details about notifications and inspections etc. I plan to have a nephew drive the Safari up to the border and my friend will take it from there. I was thinking it might be easiest if I just leave my plates and insurance on the Safari until my friend finishes with all the inspections and gets his Ontario plates. If I have to list him on my policy or anything I'm happy to do that. Should that plan work OK?
Hi Ted,
The only glitch could be if your friend wanted to actually bring the motorhome into Canada before doing the importation. A Canadian resident can NOT drive a U.S.Plated vehicle in Canada. No problem for your nephew to drive it across for him, as long as he is a US resident, but it would probably be easier to just do all the Importation procedures before crossing the border, normally this would mean that you would take your US plates off in the US, and he would have to get a temporary permit to drive the unit into Canada where he would get all the inspections done. Learned this the hard way.
Grant
furycove wrote: Hi Ted,
The only glitch could be if your friend wanted to actually bring the motorhome into Canada before doing the importation. A Canadian resident can NOT drive a U.S.Plated vehicle in Canada. No problem for your nephew to drive it across for him, as long as he is a US resident, but it would probably be easier to just do all the Importation procedures before crossing the border, normally this would mean that you would take your US plates off in the US, and he would have to get a temporary permit to drive the unit into Canada where he would get all the inspections done. Learned this the hard way.
Grant
Are you saying that when I am in Ontario and go someplace with a Canadian cousin in my car from Michgan he is not allowed to drive if I get tired? I can't say if I am drunk because I would have to take up drinking first.
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire, Workhorse W22, 2008 Saturn Vue, Falcon 5250, & US Gear Unified Tow Brake
Hi bsinmich,
Believe it or not,(and I did not at first) that was the word from more than one official (and his supervisor) at Canadian Border services. The issue according to them, is the fact that the vehicle is in Canada, being driven by a Canadian resident without having paid the proper taxes, and taking it one step further, you could conceivably leave your US plated vehicle in Canada indefinitely for your Canadian cousin to drive ,thereby avoiding the tax completely. There is in fact, a very short list of ways to temporarily import a vehicle into Canada, but take my word for it, they make it as hard as possible to do this.I will try to include a link to this process.
Grant
http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-4-1-eng.pdf
I was infact told this once, back in the 80's, when returning from vacation to Canada with our plated RV, the inspector was surprised that we had in fact paid all the import dutie's & tax's which years ago was quite high, pre-free trade agreement.
He even asked to see the import duty papers, which we did have in our position, and expressed surprise on what we had paid. We were not disturbed, we still saved thousands had we bought the rv in Canada.
He informed me that some people were caught registering their rv in the states, then attempting to drive it to Canada on vacation, or for whatever reason, while they were canadian residents. Those rv's were seized.
Now I would assume that if may be acceptable if the vehicle or rv were rentals.
When we imported our most recent MH, we had a temporary plate from Arizona on it when crossing the border, importing was really a very simple formality.
* This post was
edited 05/22/12 03:11pm by Edouard *
Eugene & Stella
08 Dolphin DL35C, WH-24, Allison 6 Spd.Tranny.
2013 Kia Soul 4U.Automatic, Rental Tow Dolly for now.
FMCA 318247
Futhurmore, I should add that having a US resident drive the US plated MH into Canada would result in having to drive the MH back to the states in order to process it for import into Canada.
Certain specific documents must be provided 72 hours in advance to the US Customs office at the border crossing you intend to cross for Canadian import.
The whole process is really quite easy if you follow instructions on both sides of the border prior to the import, but you need to make certain that you have crossed all your t's and dotted all the i's beforehand.
It is really simple and pain free, and cost effective, import other than the Federal & Provincial is about $225.00, not sure about Ontario safety inspection, cost about $110.00 here in Quebec, the Canadian Tire inspection is basically the day time running lights must be operative, and that's it.
Ted,
I agree with Edouard,probably best to take your plates off and let your friend make arrangements to stay with the motorhome and do all the appropriate paperwork, including any temporary permits, before entering Canada. It should be trouble free, as long as the plates come off before the border.
Hope your chum enjoys his new rig !
Grant.
Check with the Reciever of Imported Vehicle Canada. There you will find the regulations I imported a class A and it was not a problem. Some M/H are not allowed to be imported so check first.
Don
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