Moving my car to the US with me

[Steven]

They recognised my insurance, but it was many years ago now and I can't remember which insurance company I used, Allstate I think.

[MissingCanada]

Hi, I am new to the site, but had to join to help you out as I am working on getting my Ontario car registered in Florida.

A few things you should know, which I didn't.

If you are driving across the border you should contact that border crossing and make an appointment to have you car imported at that time. It will save you a hassle later. You should obtain a letter from the car manufacturer which states if the car is EPA and DOT compliant. This letter will cost you nothing. If it is not compliant, then I'm not sure where to go from there. You will need the Ontario Registration, the letter, and the vehicle. By "You" I mean the registered owner of the car, no one else will do. When you call to make your appointment they can tell you if there is anything else you will need. CBP will give you paperwork which quotes the 'fair market value' of your car. They get this from the Kelley Blue Book website under the Trade-In Fair value. DO NOT LOSE THIS PAPERWORK!

If you car was not manufactured in Canada, USA or Mexico you will have to pay duty on it.

When you get to Florida you'll need to call the local tax collector's office (DMV) and find out if you have to have your VIN verified by one of their field agents. I live in the Tampa Bay area and I was required to do this.

You'll need to get Florida insurance, be prepared, it's quite a bit more expensive. We transferred our State Farm from Ottawa to here.

Then you go to a Tax Collector's office with your Ontario registration, CBP paperwork, VIN verification form, Driver's license, current odometer reading and Proof of Florida Insurance.

If you plan to get your Florida DL at the same time make sure you have your passport and any immigration documents that you have. The license will only be good for one year and it will say temporary on it.

At the tax collector's office you will be required to pay tax, big surprise I know. They will charge you a minimum of 6% on the fair market value that CBP assigns to your vehicle. You should also be aware that the county you are moving to may add an additional tax on top of that. Around Tampa Bay it is an additional 1%.

That should be it. It will probably be harder for you to get your DL than to register your car. Be aware you are also required to pay a $100 fee on top of normal registration costs because you are adding a vehicle to the roads of the state.

I hope this is helpful!

[Steven]

I never had to pay tax on my car when I imported it into the US. It was classed as personal effects. Been a long time ago now but I'm sure I didn't pay tax on it. And that was a Japanese-made car.

If it's not EPA-approved you have to take it to an EPA test centre, I think I took mine to a place near the Port of Miami but that was ages ago, all I remember it was a real dump.

Did you use the CBP personal effects form?

This FAQ has some useful info: http://www.foreignborn.com/visas_imm/en ... ourcar.htm

Says on it that new residents are exempt from duty, which is what I remember.

[laggal]

We imported our car last year and yes where the car was manufactured was an issue. We have a Japanese car, however it was manufactured in N. America(as indicated by the VIN) so we didn't have to pay duty. Everyone we consulted prior to importing the car as well as the US Customs official, when we went to do the paperwork, told us that if our car had not been manufactured in N. America we would have had to pay duty on it.

We also required a letter from the manufacturer that stated our car was in compliance with the environmental regulations, minus the VIN etching requirement. The VIN etching did not turn out to be an issue. We didn't get it done. And it would have been expensive and time consuming, bec. very few car dealerships even know what VIN etching is.

[Steven]

I don't care what everyone said, they're wrong, vehicles imported as personal effects are listed under HTSUSA 9804.00.35 and the applicable rate is zero. However, it has to have been in your possession for at least 12 months.

Even if you avoid the duty as a NAFTA import, you can still get hit with State sales tax when you transfer the title, which is why it's important to get a receipt from CBP.

(Amazing what old paperwork I have lying around. )

[hohead]

Steven, as always, you are extremely helpful on this forum.

I did some research on the "HTSUSA 9804.00.35" that you mentioned above and found this document online which explains that personal effects (including the vehicle you are driving) are to be imported duty free.

ht tp : // ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=a02cd90b05d88fe31d25cab5b9b3ef6e&rgn=div6&view=text&node=19:2.0.1.1.8.5&idno=19

I have printed this, and plan on bringing it with me to the border.
I hope this helps someone else out.

§ 148.45 Vehicles and other conveyances.

Nonresidents are entitled to entry free of duty and internal revenue tax under subheading 9804.00.35 and Chapter 98, U.S. Note 3, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (19 U.S.C. 1202), for automobiles, trailers, aircraft, motorcycles, bicycles, baby carriages, boats, horse-drawn conveyances, horses, and similar means of transportation and the usual equipment accompanying them, if such articles are imported in connection with the arrival of the nonresident to be used in the United States only for the transportation of the nonresident, his family and guests, and such incidental carriage of articles as may be appropriate to his personal use of the conveyance.

[T.D. 73–27, 38 FR 2449, Jan. 26, 1973, as amended by T.D. 89–1, 53 FR 51265, Dec. 21, 1988]

[hohead]

Also, I actually found a copy of the HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) which defines 9804.00.35:

ht tp : // hotdocs . usitc . gov/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/0400C98.pdf