Student moving back to Canada - renting a vehicle?

From Hertz rental:

Question
Do you allow for vehicles to be driven into Canada?

Answer
Yes, any US citizen or International resident can drive a car into Canada... However, you will need to have proof of citizenship, the Hertz contract and your driver's license with you when you cross the border.

From National Car Rental:

One Way Rentals


A one way rental from National is the way to go if you need options and flexibility when traveling. You'll find our one-way rental rates very competitive, so extend your next business trip or plan a fly drive vacation.

One way rentals between the U.S. and Canada are available at participating locations.



Exceptions


Canada
The Canadian Import Law prohibits Canadian Citizens from taking a U.S. owned rental vehicle from the U.S. into Canada. The rental vehicle will be seized by Canadian Customs at the border, whether the Canadian renter plans to return the vehicle to a U.S. or Canadian location. The U.S. owned rental vehicle cannot be imported into Canada, even to temporarily cross the border. However, a Canadian may rent a Canadian owned vehicle in the U.S. and return it to Canada or cross the border without the vehicle being seized. Any U.S. Citizen renting a vehicle in the U.S. may drive across the U.S./Canadian border with no restrictions. The driver may be asked by Customs to show a rental agreement and a form of identification, such as a driver's license.

From Budget Rent-A-Car:

Traveling from the U.S. to Canada
If you’re a U.S resident, you may drive a Budget car into Canada. However, you must advise us upon vehicle pickup that you plan to drive to Canada so we may issue a Canadian Non-Resident Insurance Card. This applies to rentals of all U.S.-registered cars. If you’re a Canadian resident, Canadian Customs regulations prohibit you from entering Canada with a U.S. car. So renters with a Canadian driver’s license and a U.S. license plate won’t be allowed to cross the border into Canada. Customers with a Canadian driver’s license planning to cross the border into Canada should be provided with a vehicle with a Canadian license plate, if one is available

and so and and so forth. This information is readily available on every rental car company website. Took me less than 5 minutes to grab all of that from 3 separate sites.

From Hertz rental:

Question
Do you allow for vehicles to be driven into Canada?

Answer
Yes, any US citizen or International resident can drive a car into Canada... However, you will need to have proof of citizenship, the Hertz contract and your driver's license with you when you cross the border.

From National Car Rental:

One Way Rentals


A one way rental from National is the way to go if you need options and flexibility when traveling. You'll find our one-way rental rates very competitive, so extend your next business trip or plan a fly drive vacation.

One way rentals between the U.S. and Canada are available at participating locations.



Exceptions


Canada
The Canadian Import Law prohibits Canadian Citizens from taking a U.S. owned rental vehicle from the U.S. into Canada. The rental vehicle will be seized by Canadian Customs at the border, whether the Canadian renter plans to return the vehicle to a U.S. or Canadian location. The U.S. owned rental vehicle cannot be imported into Canada, even to temporarily cross the border. However, a Canadian may rent a Canadian owned vehicle in the U.S. and return it to Canada or cross the border without the vehicle being seized. Any U.S. Citizen renting a vehicle in the U.S. may drive across the U.S./Canadian border with no restrictions. The driver may be asked by Customs to show a rental agreement and a form of identification, such as a driver's license.

From Budget Rent-A-Car:

Traveling from the U.S. to Canada
If you’re a U.S resident, you may drive a Budget car into Canada. However, you must advise us upon vehicle pickup that you plan to drive to Canada so we may issue a Canadian Non-Resident Insurance Card. This applies to rentals of all U.S.-registered cars. If you’re a Canadian resident, Canadian Customs regulations prohibit you from entering Canada with a U.S. car. So renters with a Canadian driver’s license and a U.S. license plate won’t be allowed to cross the border into Canada. Customers with a Canadian driver’s license planning to cross the border into Canada should be provided with a vehicle with a Canadian license plate, if one is available

and so and and so forth. This information is readily available on every rental car company website. Took me less than 5 minutes to grab all of that from 3 separate sites.

ya, but your a machine!!! lol

Thanks all. And yes, this is why I am confused. Everyone seems to have different stories. But I believe my best bet is to leapfrog my way up in a rental van. I think I have a friend in Portland who may be able to help out for a weekend...so if I drive up in one rental to Portland, then trade into a another van that he rents. He would be able to move me across, then bring the van back without any problems? Any one happen to know rental agencies that have no problem with an American crossing into Canada and back again?
Thanks for all your comment!

Good Idea getting your friend from Portland. I know how the different answers may be confusing but not to worry, it won't be that big of a deal once you officially start the move

Hello,

Do the rules of a Canadian driving a US plated car apply to Canadians who have leased a vehicle in the US?

Also (potentially stupid question), if I own a car with US plates, can I drive it into Canada as a Canadian citizen (on J1 visa)?

thanks

If you have status in the US that allows you to easily return, yes. However you will need to show this proof to Canadian border patrol upon entry if they ask.

If your status has expired, then you will need to import the car to Canada when you move back.

Those three quotes are all different, but this is the closest to being accurate:

If you’re a Canadian resident, Canadian Customs regulations prohibit you from entering Canada with a U.S. car. So renters with a Canadian driver’s license and a U.S. license plate won’t be allowed to cross the border into Canada. Customers with a Canadian driver’s license planning to cross the border into Canada should be provided with a vehicle with a Canadian license plate, if one is available

The other one says "citizen" which isn't accurate. I think this is more of a generalization than fact, depends on the reasons you're importing the vehicle and so on. It's more of a "may not" rather than "won't". Depends on what CBSA thinks when you cross.

The thing that gets me about this is that you can go to Hertz or wherever and rent a car with US plates in Canada no problem, only if you cross the border and try and return it will you have this problem!

Certainly there have been people on here who have had this problem, but as I recall it was their own car, not a rental, e.g. a car they had for their vacation home they drove back for whatever reason. In that situation CBSA are obviously going to think you're importing it.

But for example my neighbour has a California-plated car in his driveway right now. And he's clearly a resident of Canada because it's been there awhile.

-- Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:18 am --

Hello,

Do the rules of a Canadian driving a US plated car apply to Canadians who have leased a vehicle in the US?

Also (potentially stupid question), if I own a car with US plates, can I drive it into Canada as a Canadian citizen (on J1 visa)?

thanks

Standard CBSA question: "where do you live?" If you say the US then you haven't got a problem in this regard, but obviously they may ask for proof when you pull out a Canadian passport, so you need to get a DL for wherever you live in the US.

Bear in mind if you lease a car, you cannot import it when you move back, because it's leased and you don't hold the title to it. So think carefully before leasing a car. Personally I always think the best bet is to get a bank loan and avoid finance and leasing, the problem is that a bank loan costs more. Or buy a jeep, I think Chrysler is giving them away with a bag of chips for the next two or three weeks.

try Penske truck rental, catch is that you can drive it into Canada but you have to return at the nearest US drop off point. unlimited KMs. e.g. MO to Ontario, under USD$900 + $102 (damage waiver), uHaul by comparison was USD$2.5k at the cheapest rate, 1k Mileage limit.

I'm still looking for a better price, Enterprise, Ryder don't do one way rentals, Discount and Budget weren't interested in picking up their phones.

We are also going through Canada with a moving truck and we are using PenskeTruckRentals.com. They are about 2/3 of the price of Uhaul. Just make sure you tell them you are going to Canada and they will give you a canadian insurance card to use.