Ship Car To Hamilton

Shipping a Car to Hamilton from the United States

Transporting your vehicle into Canada comes with a set of government regulations and taxes – when you’re busy organizing the rest of your move, this headache is the last thing you want to deal with. The good news is that A-1 Auto Transport can not only provide you with world-class shipping service, but will also walk you through the importation process. A-1 has decades of experience in shipping cars from the US to a number of different locations in Canada.

Location

The port city of Hamilton is located in southern Ontario, on the west end of the Niagara Peninsula. As the center of the densely populated industrial region known as the “Golden Horseshoe”, Hamilton features excellent trade connections and infrastructure. Large freight like vehicles is easily managed via water, rail, or road, with transport lines reaching further inland.

The Shipping Process

Consider which method of shipping is most appropriate for your situation:

• Container Shipping – With this enclosed shipping style, the car is loaded into a cargo container, which is in turn placed aboard the carrier. This may be the preferred style for those with especially valuable vehicles, as it offers unparalleled protection.
• Roll-on/Roll-off Shipping – Ro/Ro shipping sees your vehicle driven aboard the carrier directly, without the use of a container or other package. This is a more economical choice, and is still remarkably safe thanks to the straps securing the vehicle tightly in place.

You also have a choice in delivery – pick between door-to-door service and terminal-to-terminal service. As the name suggests, door-to-door service has the car is collected right from your doorstep, and delivered to your location of choice within Hamilton. Terminal-to-terminal shipping, on the other hand, tasks you with dropping off the car at a terminal of departure in the US, and collecting it on arrival in Hamilton.

Customs and Regulations

Be aware of the following rules and regulations regarding shipping vehicles into Canada. A fuller list is available on the Canadian Customs website.

• You will have to pay customs duty on any vehicle imported into in Canada. The exact amount will vary based on vehicle specifications.
• Like many other countries, Canada has a limitation on the different types of vehicles that can be imported. You should check with the Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles to ensure that your car is not on the restricted list
• You must submit a copy of the ownership title to the Canadian Customs at least 72 hours prior to crossing the border, in accordance with the US Custom 72 Hour Export Law.

Important Documents

Thanks to close cooperation between governments and similar standards, US citizens will find that it’s a relatively simple process to pass your vehicle through Canadian customs, in comparison with many other countries. You will, however, need to be prepared to present the original title of your vehicle (or a DMV-accredited copy), and a copy of your own passport or other photo ID. Without these, your vehicle will be denied entry.

Last-minute Checks

Follow these guidelines to prepare your vehicle physically for the shipping process.

• The car should be emptied of personal items – unfortunately, we cannot recommend using your vehicle as a shipping container itself!
• In order to speed through the inspection process, the car should be washed and cleaned thoroughly, both inside and out.
• The battery charge must be checked and the tires must be properly inflated. Disabling the alarm system is recommended, to preserve battery life.
• The fuel tank should be left about one-quarter full, as this makes the process of loading and unloading the car easy for the movers.
• For the protection of your vehicle and others, it must not be leaking any fluids – so check the oil, transmission, and coolant systems.