Do I have to do anything at the border with a rental car?

Hi, I'm travelling home for Christmas but will be flying through Chicago to Buffalo and crossing the border to Niagara. I'm thinking of renting a car in Buffalo airport rather than getting an airbus or taxi across the border. I've checked with rental companies and travel in Ontario is considered into their policies. What I'm not sure of is at the border crossing do I need paperwork, do I need to do anything specific? It will be late and very near Christmas so I'd like as little hassle as possible! Anyone have any experience of this or any suggestions?

Thanks,
Maeve

I'm not sure if they'll allow a rental car to cross the border if it is rented by someone without status in the US.

Can someone come to pick you up in Buffalo?

Hello,

Thanks for the response. I think they do let you across. I am a Canadian citizen and I can't see how they can infer anything sinister about flying into an airport close to my home vs Toronto. I will have all my documents to show that I will be dropping it back a week later as well so I'm pretty sure it will be fine. Given that it's written into the rental car company policy it must happen regularly. I just thought someone may have encountered this before so I figured I'd ask!

Thanks,
Maeve

It's not a problem, at least if you're going from Ontario to New York. I knew a guy who was really paranoid about doing it though, his trick was to go a rental car company near the border and hire a car with New York plates on it. Harder to do that nowadays and I'm not sure it's necessary anyway.

There was a prior discussion here somewhere about Canadians renting cars to cross the border before, and someone mentioned that if you do not have status in the US and you are going to Canada, they may not allow it.

Only way to know for sure is to call a few rental companies.