Cost to Ship a Car to Canada from the USA

If you’re moving to Canada, or just visiting the country for an extended period you may want to bring your vehicle along with you. This isn’t much of an issue if you can just drive it up to the final location, but there are plenty of reasons that people simply can’t drive their vehicles into Canada and those people need to look for transport companies to ship the car instead.

While using a transport company to move a car to Canada is almost always more expensive than driving the car there, it reduces wear on the vehicle, saves you time and is worth the investment for the peace of mind that a professional is handling the job. Before you hire someone to do the work, you’re going to want an idea of how much this task will cost you. The truth is that costs vary widely depending on what you need. Costs could be as little as $800 and as much as several $1,000’s depending on the distance covered, the size of the vehicle, the value of the vehicle and the shipping method used.

Import or Not?

The first question you need to ask yourself is does your vehicle count as an import or not? If it’s going to remain in Canada for good, or it will serve as your daily driver and you’re a Canadian resident then it is an import. If you’re visiting, going to school as a foreigner or working as a foreigner on a temporary visa, the car isn’t an import. If the vehicle is an import you’ll have to pay duties and taxes on it when entering the country, and they can be as much as $2500 if the vehicle is shipping a far distance. Luxury cars or oversize SUV’s may have an added cost on top of the standard transport cost, though some companies work it into the final bill.

Consider the Size of the Vehicle

Large trucks and SUVs that won’t fit onto a standard trailer space will cost more to ship than a compact car would. Generally, transport companies have a cut off where they will charge more money for an oversized vehicle, it’s important to ask about this when speaking with the company initially.

Consider the Distance

The total distance covered dictates the cost of transport as well. After all the company needs to account for road time and fuel. Shipping from New York into southern Canada isn’t likely to cost as much as shipping from Florida into northern Canada. Consider how many KM must be covered and work that into how much the service will cost.

Think about the Shipping Method

There are two ways to ship a car, by enclosed trailer and by open air trailer. An enclosed trailer is nice for smaller vehicles because it provides protection. It’s more expensive than open air though because fewer vehicles can be moved at a time with this method. Open air transport puts the vehicle at risk of being damaged during the trip, but the risk is a minor one. By taking that risk you’ll enjoy a lower transport fee than going with an enclosed trailer.

All these considerations must be made to determine how much transport really costs. The company will certainly be making them, so you should as well.

When it’s time for you to book reliable transport for your car to Canada from the U.S., be sure to contact A-1 Auto Transport by filling out the fast quote form on this page.

Written By:Joe Webster

Joe Webster began his journey in the auto transport field by attending the University of Southern California (USC), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Marketing. 

After college, he started his career in the auto transport industry from the bottom up and has done virtually every job there is to do at A-1 Auto Transport, including but not limited to: Truck Driver, Dispatch, Sales, PR, Bookkeeping, Transport Planner, Transport Manager, International Transport Manager, Brokering, Customer Service, and Marketing. Working with his mentor Tony Taylor, Joe Webster has learned the ins and outs of this industry which is largely misunderstood. 

With over 30 years experience in the industry, we've been helping people ship their vehicles, motorcycles, RV's, heavy equipment, household goods and more across the country or overseas without a hitch. Ask us anything.