Shipping a Used Car to Canada

How to Ship a Used Car to Canada?

While sending your existing vehicle into Canada when making the move seems like a great way to save money versus buying something new after you arrive, that’s not always the case. It’s important to consider the different steps and costs involved with moving a used vehicle from your home country into Canada. The process will take a little help from a professional shipper and you will have some standard fees to pay to customs during the shipping process.

Make Sure Standards Are Met

Before deciding to ship a vehicle into Canada, it’s vital to make sure your car meets all the local standards. It must meet the requirements put in place by the Environment and Climate Change department, US Customs Border Protection, Transport Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency. There is a chance that you may even need an inspection from the Canadian Food Inspection Industry to check for signs of sand and other materials that may be stuck to the car. You will also need an inspection by the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) to ensure that your car meets the standards to drive around in Canada.

Attach the Necessary Paperwork

After going through the initial approval steps, it’s important to attach all the necessary information to complete the move. The vehicle should have an EPA label attached, it should come with a Manufacturer’s statement of compliance, the original title and bill of sale are required, as well as a recall clearance letter for any U.S. citizens. No U.S. citizens need to attach a copy of the Export Certificate and any invoices. If all these things are attached to the vehicle, you should have no trouble making it through the important process.

Filing the AES

To move a vehicle into Canada you need to file an Automated Export Form (AES) at least three days before moving the vehicle into Canada. This is a heads up and serves to notify everyone involved that a vehicle is coming. This form must be submitted with any US vehicles. Once it’s processed you’ll receive an Internal Transaction Number or ITN that must come along with the vehicle for processing.

Pay the Fees

Any used vehicles brought into Canada are subject to a range of fees, be sure to pay each one of these to keep your vehicle legal. These can be paid at the RIV or Register of Imported Vehicles. Here you’ll pay the flat fee of around $295, as well as taxes, customs and other costs associated with importing the vehicle. Fees can be as high as $2500, but are generally lower than that figure when going through the process. Vehicles older than 15 years aren’t subject to as many fees and can be brought in for less money.

Importing a used vehicle into Canada can be quite expensive, but it’s often worthwhile to save versus costs of buying used in Canada. Not only that but you get to keep the vehicle that you’re familiar with and make the most of it while in Canada as well.

For a quick shipping quote to import your used car to Canada, be sure to fill out our easy quote form on this page. A-1 Auto Transport has been shipping vehicles to and from Canada for more than 20 years and when you need reliable Canadian car transport, you have come to the right place for quality transport services.