Getting a car home to Canada from US.

340EH

340EH

Well-known member
okay so I bought a car instead of fixing up the Fury what can I say. Problem is it is in North Carolina and I would like to drive it home. How can I get a trip permit for the car? I know I have to get all my documentation together and to the border 72 hours before crossing but I don't want to pay the full amount before I go to pick up the car. I'm figuring to bring it across at Port Huron/Sarnia. I did search the forums but found nothing, any wiley car traders out there that might be able to help me navigate this transaction?

Thanks,
 
You'd need some sort of tag on the car in order to drive it.

I can't think of a way to get an Ontario plate on it because you'd need to have Ontario registration and insurance - which means you'd need an Ontario safety inspection certificate.

So, I'd look at it from the other end: can you get a temporary tag from North Carolina?
I found reference to a "Transporter Registration and Plates" that has a rule that covers this scenario:
"5. To take a motor vehicle either to or from a motor vehicle auction where the vehicle will be or was offered for sale."

The only thing is, the rules start of with a reference to being a business.
"G.S. 20-79.2- A person engaged in a business requiring the limited operation of motor vehicle of any of the following purposes may obtain a
transporter plate authorizing the movement of the vehicle for the specific purpose:"

Here's the link to the form: http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/forms/vehicleregistration/download/MVR16AA.pdf

Here's a link to the main site: http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/

It's probably worth a call to them to find out how to deal with your specific scenario.
The key thing to ask, I think, is: "What do I need to do to be able to drive my car home across state lines? It is more than 25 years old. I don't live in North Carolina but the car was purchased from a N.C. resident and the car is currently or was titled, registered and plated in N.C."

I don't think it will be all that tough. I just don't see any thing specific on their website.

Good luck.

Oh, and what the heck did ya get and where the heck are the pics!!!!!?????? :D
 
A temporary tag down here is doable. Most of the states have different rules for that. For example in Iowa as long as you have Insurance and the bill of sale or signed title you can drive for 15 days, nothing else needed. But take that same car up to minnysoda you need to either be displaying a temp permit or a plate (tabs) a "tag" is a ticket (what can I say they are goofy up there) :)

blah blah blah

How far do you have to go once you hit the border? I'm thinking get the temp tag, enjoy the ride up, and have a licensed transporter drag it across and to your place where you can begin getting it all legal schmegal for use in Canada.

Just throwing some ideas up...:)
 
Thanks for your input I will get The head nut's attention.

Here's the car

attachment.php


http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=71292
 
I'm pretty sure f you can get a trip permit from N.C. you can keep driving it when you get to Ontario - at least to get it home and maybe for a short period of time. It's a valid vehicle "plate" from out of province. You'll just need to get permanent registration and plates eventually.
 
Dcf, as usual is pretty much dead on. Easiest thing to do is get a temp tag from that state, have all your paperwork at the Sarnia border when you are ready to cross....72 hours NO LESS. :)
Then just hump it into the little glass building on their side in the center (you conveniently have to vault the concrete barrier. Real foresight. then go stand in there trying not to look jumpy as he one customs person stamps your shit while 3,451 others look on. Its fun.....
And easy.
Otherwise you could rent a trailer and do it that way....only key is getting your paperwork done.
If the car is to be licenced here you need to have all the paperwork stating where it was constructed and that it now meets Canadian standards.
Roy Reiger (member RJR) used to drive em over for a company that did that....they will know the drill, so he should too.
 
I went into my local insurance office with the VIN of the US vehicle and they gave me 10 days worth of insurance on the vehicle for 40 or 80 bucks.

Also had to have the vehicle tagged in the state I got it (California)... Tags do not = insurance.

Do not bullshit the borderguards on the price you paid for the vehicle ;) (Lets just say I get hassled everytime I come back into Canada now)

Drop off a photocopy of the Title at the US border 72 hours prior to border arrival.
 
Jester do you just need the title or do you have to have the bill of sale too. I just don't want to pay sight unseen. I don't believe there will be any problems but I'm trying to do this by the book so nobody gets burned.
 
Our Customs questioned the low price when I brought my Fury back from New York State. I was thinking ahead for a change and brought a copy of the craigslist ad with me. Once they saw that and the bill of sale, no problems.

Bob
1967 Plymouth Fury
 
You need to have whatever is required for registration in the state in which you purchase the car. You don't actually have to register it but you may require a title.

For example, I bought my car in Connecticut and they did not require a title before a certain year. So, the bill of sale was good enough in my case.

Most DMV sites have a downloadable version of the appropriate Bill of Sale.
 
340EH said:
Jester do you just need the title or do you have to have the bill of sale too. I just don't want to pay sight unseen. I don't believe there will be any problems but I'm trying to do this by the book so nobody gets burned.
Click to expand...

All you need to drop off at the US border is a copy of the title 72 hours before you bring the car back through the canadian border. (Go see US customs on your way back into Canada to make sure it's cleared)

You need to bring the Title and Bill of sale to the Canadian border with the car. I don't think you need anything else, but the RIV website was enough for me to figure it out :)

http://www.riv.ca/ImportingAVehicle.aspx

Check the car over thoroughly before paying for it. Maybe have a mechanical inspection done since you have a long drive.
 
RIV doesn't apply to older cars though... So,if the car was manufactured 15 or more years ago, just the first two steps are important: admissability and what you need at the border.

If you go through the Importer's checklist - just pick any year car to get through the pages - it will give a great run down of what you need to know. Just ignore the RIV fee and the compliance inspection stuff as it is not required for older cars.
 
Also don't show up on a Saturday or a Sunday....they will not process your car...I know, I tried twice...:doh:

The second time I checked and re-checked withthe US customs and they said it was "A O.K" to show up on a saturday or sunday, so I did. Well guess they just enjoyed messin' with the dumb canadian boy....:D

Best times are Mon-Friday 8am to 5pm.
 
You bought it from John? He's the guy doing mark's (73 roadrunner) Dart, very good guy there!
 
mr340 good to hear.
Pigpen I will keep that one in reserve in case I get desparate. :bravo:
 
When I brought the Fury over from Michigan, I went through the process of faxing all the info to US Customs 72 hrs ahead, etc. Had an ex cop with me (his truck and trailer to go get it). He's a big time Pontiac guy and had brought over dozens of cars in the past.

As we're approaching the bridge he says to me, "Well, how do you want to do this?". Said not once had he ever stopped on the US side to clear things and had never had a problem on the Canadian side because Canada Customs couldn't care two shits about US laws. Told me flat out that if US Customs decided to be pricks he would drop the car and go. (Had something planned with his son that he was already late for).

I simply replied "Let 'er fly Don." Canada Customs cleared the car no problem and I had it registered 2 days later. I've since heard a rumor that if the VIN is ever run in the States it will say the guy I bought the car from is actually the owner. If possession is 9/10 of the law I'll probably be fine along with all the paperwork I have on the car.

Doing it over again, I'd allow more time for everything and do it by the letter but a huge number of people trailer old cars across the border all the time without clearance and it's very rare I ever hear of a problem.
 
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