My_question_is: Applicable to both US and Canada
Subject: TN return to Canada - lots of vehicles allowed?
Expert: taxman at centa.com
Date: Thursday February 01, 2007
Time: 10:09 PM -0500
QUESTION:
I've been reading your excellent answers for quite some time now and have
never seen a question quite like mine.
I've been on a TN for many years now and in that time I have collected 2
autos (both over 15 years old) and 2 motorcycles. They are all WA registered
/ ensured.
I know they are allowed in - checked the Canadian site for coming in but I'm
also now looking for a farm tractor for some land I have in Canada.
When I return back to Canada to become a Canadian resident / non-US
resident, is it possible to bring back more than the 1 car I read about?
Do I have to turn up at the border driving all 4+ the tractor? (may be
difficult)!
As a tractor does not drive on the streets can it miss having a Canadian DOT
test?
Thanks for any help as if I have to start selling them ...
-----------------------------------------------
david ingram replies:
As far as I know, you can bring back as many cars and motorcycles as you
want. Families regularly bring back a couple of cars and a couple of
motorcycles and I have not heard of any problem with it.
And I can think of a couple of single guys who brought back a car, truck,
motorhome and a motorcycle without problem.
Now that I have said that, I do not know if it is the "LAW" or just practice
that allows it. If you have been away for 5 years you can bring back
anything as long as you have used it before you come back. If you have been
away for less than five years, you have to have owned an item for six months
or a year to bring it back duty free.
-------------
The following may give you some more information:
Amended from questioner's answer
QUESTION:
Hi David,
Many thanks for all your valuable advice offered on this site.
My question concerns importation of cars from US to Canada. I know from
reading your site that you are something of a car nut with your latest
acquisition being the '73 Citroen. I am a dual citizen resident in Canada.
I keep an address in Seattle, USA (friend's home) for IRA and investment
statements. As you well know, US borrowing rates and investment rates tend
to be lower/higher, respectively, than in Canada.
I'm curious about the following short article on MoneySense.ca
http://www.moneysense.ca/spending/shopping_sense/article.jsp?content=2005050
2_134006_6384
concerning the advantage of importing expensive (not so for lower end)
vehicles from US to Canada now that the Canadian dollar is trending higher.
The exchange is even more favourable now than when the article was written.
The catch is you must have a physical address in US to buy the vehicle in
the first place. So I guess I've cleared the first hurdle.
Would I form a Schedule C export business in the US to do this? Can I do
that since I'm not resident there except for the mailing address? Or would
I form a Canadian import business instead?
Do you have any experience with AA-Auto Transport? http://aa-auto.com/
Then there's the issue of manufacturers invalidating warranties for cars
that are sold across borders...
I have a wealthy bro-in-law in BC who wants to be my first client. We would
split the vehicle cost advantage 50/50, so it could be a nice start for such
an endeavour. Is this a pipe dream or could it be real?
Always looking for a better mousetrap,
XXXXXX in Victoria
----------------------------------------------------------
david ingram replies:
I wrote a book on importing cars from the US in 1989 and it was obsolete by
1994.
I have imported three cars since last August and have a 73 Citroen SM and an
87 Jeep Grand Wagoneer sitting at the border now and will bring them across
in the next week.
To import a car now, you have to send the information (copy of title and
bill of sale) to the US SIDE of the border 3 working days before you show up
to EXPORT if from the US. The US export office will check out the title and
hopefully stamp the title for export for you. You then drive to the
Canadian side and pay your GST to bring the car into Canada.
If the car is over 15 years old, the car does not need a federal inspection
but in BC at least requires a BC Safety inspection which certifies the
brakes, lights, and general condition of the car. My 1988 Grand Wagoneer
required about $1,300 worth of work to get the certification.
A car that is less than 15 years old requires a federal inspection as well
which can include 5 MPH crash tests for the bumpers, daytime running lights,
Kilometres on the speedometer and proper seatbelt anchorages and emission
controls.
Watch out. You may find a SUV that was even made in Canada and it will not
qualify. The car has to be made for the Canadian market to qualify or be
"federalized" to Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. CMVSS.
However, if you were to buy a 2005 Cadillac Escalade in San Francisco and
drive it to the Truck Crossing at Blaine, you do NOT need a US address, US
citizenship or anything US. Forget about a company and remember that the
profits are just like a business and if you are going to do over $30,000
gross (less than one car) you need a Canadian GST number.
Good Luck!
I do not know the transport company you named. I have had cars shipped from
Tucson Arizona, Sarasota Florida, Inglewood California, and Cave Junction
very successfully by
Misty Creek Transport = Misty Creek acts as a broker to find the best
hauling rate for a car. The Citroen for instance went from Sarasota to
Chicago, from Chicago to Seattle and then on another truck to Blaine. After
all, what are the chances that a car transporters is going to have a space
from Sarasota Florida to Blaine Washington?
Every car arrived via a different trucking company. All drivers were
courteous and even fun to talk to and with.
They charge $60.00 per car to list it on their bulletin board.
Misty
Misty Creek Transport
740-773-1790
knightbj at roadrunner.com
I think that Misty's name is Bev Knight.
------------------------------------------
David Ingram's US/Canada Services
US / Canada / Mexico tax, Immigration and working Visa Specialists
US / Canada Real Estate Specialists
Home office at:
4466 Prospect Road
North Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V7N 3L7
Cell (604) 657-8451 -
(604) 980-0321 Fax (604) 980-0325
Calls welcomed from 10 AM to 10 PM 7 days a week (please do not fax or phone
outside of those hours as this is a home office)
email to taxman at centa.com <mailto:taxman at centa.com>
www.centa.com <http://www.centa.com/> www.david-ingram.com
<http://www.david-ingram.com/>
Disclaimer: This question has been answered without detailed information or
consultation and is to be regarded only as general comment. Nothing in
this message is or should be construed as advice in any particular
circumstances. No contract exists between the reader and the author and any
and all non-contractual duties are expressly denied. All readers should
obtain formal advice from a competent and appropriately qualified legal
practitioner or tax specialist for expert help, assistance, preparation, or
consultation in connection with personal or business affairs such as at
www.centa.com <http://www.centa.com> . If you forward this message, this
disclaimer must be included."
Be ALERT, the world needs more "lerts"
This from "ask an income tax and immigration expert" from www.centa.com
<http://www.centa.com/> or www.jurock.com <http://www.jurock.com/> or
www.featureweb.com <http://www.featureweb.com/> . David Ingram deals on a
daily basis with expatriate tax returns with:
multi jurisdictional cross and trans border expatriate problems for the
United States, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, United Kingdom, Kuwait, Dubai,
Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, China, New Zealand, France,
Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, Georgia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia,
Scotland, Ireland, Hawaii, Florida, Montana, Morocco, Israel, Iraq, Iran,
India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mali, Bangkok, Greenland, Iceland, Cuba,
Bahamas, Bermuda, Barbados, St Vincent, Grenada,, Virgin Islands, US, UK,
GB, and any of the 43 states with state tax returns, etc. Rockwall, Dallas,
San Antonio Houston
Denmark, Finland, Sweden Norway Bulgaria Croatia Income Tax and Immigration
Tips, Income Tax Immigration Wizard Antarctica Rwanda Guru Consultant
Specialist Section 216(4) 216(1) NR6 NR-6 NR 6 Non-Resident Real Estate tax
specialist expert preparer expatriate anti money laundering money seasoning
FINTRAC E677 E667 105 106 TDF-90 Reporting $10,000 cross border transactions
Grand Cayman Aruba Zimbabwe South Africa Namibia help USA US
international non-resident cross border income tax help assistance expert
preparation & immigration consultant david ingram, experts on rentals mutual
funds RRSP RESP IRA 401(K) & divorce preparer preparers consultants
Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida,
Garland, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon.
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Rockwall,
South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee,
Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming,
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan,
Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec City,
New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island,
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Yukon and
Northwest and Nunavit Territories,
Mount Vernon, Eumenclaw, Coos Bay
and Dallas Houston Rockwall Garland
Texas Taxman and Tax Guru and wizzard
wizard - consultant - expert - advisor -advisors consultants - gurus - Paris
Prague Moscow Berlin
Lima Rio de Janeiro, Santaigo Zimbabwe
David Ingram specializes in giving expert income tax and immigration help to
American and Canadian citizens living out of their home countries from
Zimbabwe to Saudi Arabia to Mexico to China or Chile - Cross border,
Non-resident - dual citizen - out of country investments are all handled
with competence and authority.
New York, Boston, Sacramento, Minneapolis, Salem, Wheeling, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Pensacola, Miami, St Petersburg, Naples, Fort Myers,
Cape Coral, Orlando, Atlanta, Arlington, Washington, Hudson, Green Bay,
Minot, Portland, Seattle, St John, St John's, Fredericton, Quebec, Moncton,
Truro, Atlanta, Charleston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego,
Sacramento, Taos, Grand Canyon, Reno, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Sun City, Tulsa,
Monteray, Carmel, Morgantown, Bemidji, Sandpointe, Pocatello, Bellingham,
Custer, Grand Forks, Lead, Rapid City, Mitchell, Kansas City, Lawrence,
Houston, Albany, Framingham, Cambridge, London, Paris, Prince George, Prince
Rupert, Whitehorse, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Frankfurt, The Hague, Lisbon,
Madrid, Atlanta, Myrtle Beach, Key West, Cape Coral, Fort Meyers, Berlin,
Hamburg
Warsaw, Auckland, Wellington, Honolulu, Maui, Kuwait, Molokai, Beijing,
Shanghai, Tokyo, Manilla, Kent, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Red Deer, Olds,
Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Moose Jaw, Brandon, Portage La Prairie, Davidson,
Craik, Edmonton, Calgary, Victoria, Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Edinburgh,
Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Copenhagen, Oslo, Munich, Sydney, Nanaimo,
Brisbane, Melbourne, Darwin, Perth, Athens, Rome, Berne, Zurich, Kyoto,
Nanking, Rio De Janeiro, Brasilia, Colombo, Buenos Aries, Squamish,
Churchill, Lima, Santiago, Abbotsford, Cologne, Yorkshire, Hope, Penticton,
Kelowna, Vernon, Fort MacLeod, Deer Lodge, Springfield, St Louis, Centralia,
Bradford, Stratford on Avon, Niagara Falls, Atlin, Fort Nelson, Fort St
James, Red Deer, Drumheller, Fortune, Red Bank, Marystown, Cape Spears,
Truro, Charlottetown, Summerside, Niagara Falls, Albany Zimbabwe
David Ingram expert income tax help and preparation of US Canada Mexico
non-resident and cross border returns with rental dividend wages
self-employed and royalty foreign tax credits
What's Related