# Importing Cars Question



## moconnell (May 17, 2010)

Hi,

We are Canadian citizens who lived in the U.S. from 2004-2011. We are moving back to Canada in three weeks and are bringing our two vehicles with us. We bought them one and four years ago. Does anyone know if we have to pay tax on them when we bring them across the border? Thanks!


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## Heading South (Jan 29, 2011)

*Yes*



moconnell said:


> Hi,
> 
> We are Canadian citizens who lived in the U.S. from 2004-2011. We are moving back to Canada in three weeks and are bringing our two vehicles with us. We bought them one and four years ago. Does anyone know if we have to pay tax on them when we bring them across the border? Thanks!


Unless the rules have changed recently, You will have to pay tax before you can register them in Canada and maybe some form of duties and you will also have to have a vehicle inspection done, (at least in BC, about $100 ea) and bring them up to Transport Canada specs, ie: daytime running lights if they don't have them. It is (or was) easy to find out from Transport Canada.


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## moconnell (May 17, 2010)

Heading South said:


> Unless the rules have changed recently, You will have to pay tax before you can register them in Canada and maybe some form of duties and you will also have to have a vehicle inspection done, (at least in BC, about $100 ea) and bring them up to Transport Canada specs, ie: daytime running lights if they don't have them. It is (or was) easy to find out from Transport Canada.


I know that we will have to pay inspection fees and licensing (and any work to make the cars compatible with Canadian regulations); but I'm wondering about an overall tax fee. Based on what I've read, there is a 13% tax in Ontario. Our vehicles are worth about $50000 right now, so based on that, we can expect to write a check to the government for about $7000 when we cross the boarder, correct?

That doesn't seem fair since we bought them so long ago!


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

moconnell said:


> I know that we will have to pay inspection fees and licensing (and any work to make the cars compatible with Canadian regulations); but I'm wondering about an overall tax fee. Based on what I've read, there is a 13% tax in Ontario. Our vehicles are worth about $50000 right now, so based on that, we can expect to write a check to the government for about $7000 when we cross the boarder, correct?
> 
> That doesn't seem fair since we bought them so long ago!


IMO the cars are personal possessions the same as are your pots and pans and as long as you have proof of ownership and length of time you've owned them then no tax is payable.


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## Heading South (Jan 29, 2011)

Auld Yin said:


> IMO the cars are personal possessions the same as are your pots and pans and as long as you have proof of ownership and length of time you've owned them then no tax is payable.


Maybe the rules have changed regarding tax, but I know you will still have to bring them up to Canadian specs, my uncle just went through the process of importing a car from the U.S. and if the city you are moving to requires air care then it will have to pass that as well.


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

Heading South said:


> Maybe the rules have changed regarding tax, but I know you will still have to bring them up to Canadian specs, my uncle just went through the process of importing a car from the U.S. and if the city you are moving to requires air care then it will have to pass that as well.


The OP already stated that they were aware of upgrading to Canadian specifications.


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## derrickdavies (Oct 31, 2008)

*Car import*

If the car was built outside THE US,Mexico or Canada you may have to pay duty at the border,you will need to pay GST and PST when you autopak it.You can rest assured that you will pay taxes and fees in Canada as the Canadian government are so hungry to get into you pocket to get your money.Good luck


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## Chirka-girl (Mar 13, 2011)

There are detailed regulations for importing your car on the government website. If it is your personal vehicle and you can prove you had it over 1 year, you should be exempt from paying tax. If the car is over 15 years old, you should be exempt from the regulations of Canadian standards, such as daytime running lights. All of the requirements are described online. I recomend you read them before importing your car. I will look it up and post the link when i find it.


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## Chirka-girl (Mar 13, 2011)

www
.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safevehicles-importation-index-443

Hope the link helps


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## kimo (Feb 12, 2011)

moconnell said:


> Hi,
> 
> We are Canadian citizens who lived in the U.S. from 2004-2011. We are moving back to Canada in three weeks and are bringing our two vehicles with us. We bought them one and four years ago. Does anyone know if we have to pay tax on them when we bring them across the border? Thanks!


They should be considerred personal property, so you shouldn't have to pay "tax', but I think you have to have them on the list of what you are bringing into the country, but as far as duty, that might be a different question, but for either, you should check with border services, Welcome to the Canada Border Services Agency | Bienvenue à l'Agence des services frontaliers du Canada,, but the one one thing you probably will have to do is bring them up to Canadian standards, like daytime running lights etc. In BC you have to have an inspection on any vehicle brought into the province from anywhere, even from other provinces (about $100-$150 each), plus the cost of any needed upgrades.


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