Importing Antique Car to Canada
When you are importing an antique car to Canada, you are going to be able to avoid some of the more stringent requirements levied on new model vehicles, but not all of them.
It may seem that the importing of a car from the United States to Canada would be a very simple and inexpensive process. Unfortunately, this is not really true. The differences in licensing and inspection regulations between the two neighboring nations has created a need for some paperwork, modifications, and payment of some additional fees in order to do this. The requirements apply mostly to cars made in the last 15 years and, so, importing an antique car to Canada is a bit easier.
There is a major difference between the marketplace in Canada and in the United States. This has created a situation where many models of vehicles can be purchased in the United States for thousands of dollars less than in Canada. This has led to Canadian purchasers going south of the border and purchasing a vehicle and exporting it back into Canada. The ironic thing in this situation is that many of these vehicles were actually manufactured in Canada and are simply being returned home.
The paperwork hassles apply to both sides of the borders. The United States requires an export permission before allowing a vehicle out of the country. This paperwork can be received within 72 hours usually, but must be in your possession when you reach the border crossing post. Once you have the American paperwork in order, you then have to deal with the Canadian side of the border.
One of the most important pieces of paperwork, and one that is most often overlooked, is called a Recall Release form. This can come from either a dealer or the manufacturer and must state that the model is currently not under any recalls. There is also going to be a cost that is payable right at the border. It involves a fee of $195 plus a general sale tax (GST) which is currently at around 5% of the value of the vehicle. Once inside the country, the car must be inspected to see if it conforms to some regulations that are totally different than United States requirements. These include metric labeling on the speedometer and odometer. The importer has 45 days to pass the inspection.
The good news for the antique car owner is that the regulations are much more lax for cars older than 15 years. It is necessary to comply with some of the regulations, and most of the fees will apply as well, but overall, the procedure is less complex. It will be necessary for the antique car owner to contact the Canadian authorities to confirm the exact requirements for the importation of their antique car into Canada.