Ship Your Vehicle from the USA to Canada

Moving a vehicle is big and takes a lot of time and patience to complete. But shipping a car from the U.S. to Canada is a whole other equation. As always, we’re here to cut down the stress and overexertion that so many feel when understanding how to ship their vehicles.

First thing to consider

Although shipping a vehicle from the continental U.S. to Canada does not seem any more complicated than moving a vehicle from Texas to New York, there are a number of things to consider before beginning the move.

Are you importing your vehicle?

Canada is a different country from the United States and as such you have two options to consider when it comes to shipping your vehicle. The importing option is available to those of you who are making a permanent move from the states to Canada and planning on having this vehicle as your main mode of transportation. Because of this, you will need to pay taxes on entry to the country for your vehicle. This can, in fact, be a steep investment, but one that occurs whenever importing any vehicle from one country to another.

If you are already a Canadian citizen or are only going to Canada on a temporary basis, then your vehicle does not qualify as an import, therefore meaning that you do not have to import it. This means that you, your driver, or auto transporter can simply drive through and deliver your vehicle from the U.S to Canada.

Is your vehicle essential for daily use?

Moving from one country to another means reevaluating how you will be using your vehicle. Maybe you are moving to a metropolitan area that has excellent public transportation? Or maybe you’re willing to walk to most places for your needs? Then perhaps selling or leaving your vehicle behind in your home country is the best option for you!

There also is the option of leaving or selling your vehicle in your home country and purchasing a new one within Canada. However steep the exchange rates are in Canada, this ultimately could be more cost effective to you and is worth considering depending on your circumstances.

How big is your vehicle?

The other equation to consider when it comes to shipping a vehicle from the U.S. to Canada is how large your vehicle is. Smaller vehicles are much cheaper to ship while larger vehicles are more expensive. If you are already importing your vehicle, you’re facing added costs on top of a more expensive shipping method for your larger vehicle.

How do I import my vehicle?

The first step to importing your vehicle into Canada is making sure that it is importable. How does one do that? By completing the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV). The RIV ensures that your vehicle passes all of Canada’s vehicle regulations and can be operated in Canada.

The next thing you’ll need in order to import your vehicle is its title. Your car title establishes that you are the owner and operator of your vehicle and needs to be settled before importing your vehicle to Canada.

Afterwards, you will need to make sure that your vehicle is exported from the U.S. before you can import it to Canada. Note that there is a 72-hour wait period before you can import your vehicle to Canada.

As you are waiting 72 hours before you can import your vehicle, you’ll want to get an Internal Transit Number (ITN). An ITN is required as proof of filing your import and is needed in order to transport your vehicle correctly.

Once you have gathered and provided all the proper paperwork for the importing of your vehicle, you will finally have to pay import taxes on it and it’s on its way to Canada.

But what if I can’t drive my car to the border?

If you’re moving from say Texas to Canada and are not going to drive your vehicle personally up to the U.S. and Canadian border, then your life has become a bit easier. Hiring an auto transporter shipping your vehicle into Canada means that they will walk you through all the essential paperwork needed to get your vehicle from point A to point B. And on top of all of that, they will be able to walk you through any confusion that you may encounter with exporting and importing your vehicle.

Don’t overthink it. Just do what you’ve got to do.

Thinking about this process as a whole is overwhelming. Take it one step at a time. Plan ahead for everything that you will need to complete before its deadline and your vehicle will get to its final destination without a hitch.