Driving automobiles

Moving car through U.S. from Canada on temporary registration?

Hello,

I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
back through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means
that the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
countries with no plates.

Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
situation?

Has anyone done this before and have you had any problems?

Dave

Comments (24)




24 Responses to “Moving car through U.S. from Canada on temporary registration?”

  1. admin says:

    Hello,

    I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    back through the U.S. to my home province with a temporary registration
    permit.  This means that the car will not have any plates in place and
    will only have a temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    countries with no plates.

    Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    situation?

    Has anyone done this before and have you had any problems?

    Dave

  2. admin says:

    On 8 Jan 2006 20:07:26 -0800, "DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote:

    >Hello,

    >I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    >back through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means
    >that the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    >temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    >To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    >countries with no plates.

    >Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    >situation?

    My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge
    me customs duties?"

       ************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatu…@cox.net) *************
        *       Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow         *
        * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

  3. admin says:

    "Hatunen" <hatuu…@cox.net> wrote in message

    news:62p3s1dco29loj0a40dnllijt4spicps96@4ax.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > On 8 Jan 2006 20:07:26 -0800, "DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote:

    >>Hello,

    >>I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    >>back through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means
    >>that the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    >>temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    >>To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    >>countries with no plates.

    >>Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    >>situation?

    > My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge
    > me customs duties?"

    My question to the OP is, "Why not contact the department of motor vehicles
    for answers?"

  4. admin says:

    On Sun, 8 Jan 2006, Hatunen wrote:
    >> I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it back
    >> through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means that
    >> the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    >> temporary paper permit placed on the front window. Am I more likely to
    >> get stopped or hassled at the border in this situation?

    > My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge me
    > customs duties?"

    No, they’re not going to try to charge him Customs duties, because he’s
    not importing the car. This is much more than a matter of just answering a
    US Customs agent’s "Are you importing this vehicle?". The only way to do
    so is with a fair stack of paperwork. Compliance letter from the
    manufacturer, EPA 3251 form, DOT HS7 form, etc. Without that paperwork,
    the answer is automatically "No, this vehicle is not being imported",
    therefore no grounds upon which to charge duties or taxes.

    I’ve driven across the US-Canada border a few times with newly-bought,
    temporarily-tagged vehicles. In all cases, I had the sales paperwork,
    proof of insurance and so forth with me. In one case, the US agent asked
    to see it. In all cases, I was allowed through without hassle.

  5. admin says:

    Hello,

    I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    back through the U.S. to my home province with a temporary registration
    permit.  This means that the car will not have any plates in place and
    will only have a temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    countries with no obvious plates on display.

    Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    situation?

    Has anyone done this before and have you had any problems?

    Dave

  6. admin says:

    Thanks Daniel – I appreciate the info.  As you assume, I’m not planning
    on importing the car into the US – just driving it through the US to
    another Canadian province..

    Did you get stopped from highway patrol at all because you didn’t have
    plates?  To me this seems more likely..

    BTW – sorry for the multiple posts..

    DP

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    Daniel J. Stern wrote:
    > On Sun, 8 Jan 2006, Hatunen wrote:

    > >> I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it back
    > >> through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means that
    > >> the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    > >> temporary paper permit placed on the front window. Am I more likely to
    > >> get stopped or hassled at the border in this situation?

    > > My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge me
    > > customs duties?"

    > No, they’re not going to try to charge him Customs duties, because he’s
    > not importing the car. This is much more than a matter of just answering a
    > US Customs agent’s "Are you importing this vehicle?". The only way to do
    > so is with a fair stack of paperwork. Compliance letter from the
    > manufacturer, EPA 3251 form, DOT HS7 form, etc. Without that paperwork,
    > the answer is automatically "No, this vehicle is not being imported",
    > therefore no grounds upon which to charge duties or taxes.

    > I’ve driven across the US-Canada border a few times with newly-bought,
    > temporarily-tagged vehicles. In all cases, I had the sales paperwork,
    > proof of insurance and so forth with me. In one case, the US agent asked
    > to see it. In all cases, I was allowed through without hassle.

  7. admin says:

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    DP wrote:
    > Hello,

    > I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    > back through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means
    > that the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    > temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    > To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    > countries with no plates.

    > Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    > situation?

    > Has anyone done this before and have you had any problems?

    Temporary registration is only valid in the state or province in which it
    is issued.
    Yes, you are more likely to get stopped. The police may not push the issue,
    since the regulations about use of temporary registrations sounds little
    murky, but they are quite likely to check you out. You might have trouble
    getting it across the border.

    Your best bet would be to contact Canadian and American customs to see what
    they require.

  8. admin says:

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    DP wrote:
    > Thanks Daniel – I appreciate the info.  As you assume, I’m not planning
    > on importing the car into the US – just driving it through the US to
    > another Canadian province..

    > Did you get stopped from highway patrol at all because you didn’t have
    > plates?  To me this seems more likely..

    > BTW – sorry for the multiple posts..

    > DP

    > Daniel J. Stern wrote:
    > > On Sun, 8 Jan 2006, Hatunen wrote:

    > > >> I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it back
    > > >> through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means that
    > > >> the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    > > >> temporary paper permit placed on the front window. Am I more likely to
    > > >> get stopped or hassled at the border in this situation?

    > > > My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge me
    > > > customs duties?"

    > > No, they’re not going to try to charge him Customs duties, because he’s
    > > not importing the car. This is much more than a matter of just answering a
    > > US Customs agent’s "Are you importing this vehicle?". The only way to do
    > > so is with a fair stack of paperwork. Compliance letter from the
    > > manufacturer, EPA 3251 form, DOT HS7 form, etc. Without that paperwork,
    > > the answer is automatically "No, this vehicle is not being imported",
    > > therefore no grounds upon which to charge duties or taxes.

    > > I’ve driven across the US-Canada border a few times with newly-bought,
    > > temporarily-tagged vehicles. In all cases, I had the sales paperwork,
    > > proof of insurance and so forth with me. In one case, the US agent asked
    > > to see it. In all cases, I was allowed through without hassle.

    Inaddition to what Dave and Daniel said, most states I have been in (a
    lot) require the temp registration to be in the back window.  At least
    in this state (Wa) a car with no tag and no temp displayed in the rear
    is going to be stopped.

    Harry K

  9. admin says:

    Judy wrote:
    > >>Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    > >>situation?

    > > My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge
    > > me customs duties?"

    > My question to the OP is, "Why not contact the department of motor vehicles
    > for answers?"

    My answer to that one would be that the individual state DMV can only tell you
    the requirements for that state. They don’t know about the requirements for
    other states or for customs. Accordingly, the best bet is for the OP to contact
    the DMV in each state.

    Personally, I have to question the advantage of travelling through the US to
    ship a car from one part of Canada to another.  Any slight advantage in time
    and miles is likely to be outweighed by the hassles likely to be encountered.

  10. admin says:

    On Mon, 9 Jan 2006, DP wrote:
    > Thanks Daniel – I appreciate the info.  As you assume, I’m not planning
    > on importing the car into the US – just driving it through the US to
    > another Canadian province..

    > Did you get stopped from highway patrol at all because you didn’t have
    > plates?

    Nope. had the temporary permit in the rear licence plate holder (or in the
    rear window).

  11. admin says:

    On Mon, 9 Jan 2006 00:12:29 -0500, "Judy"

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    <wumpygirleatsnos…@yahoo.com> wrote:

    >"Hatunen" <hatuu…@cox.net> wrote in message
    >news:62p3s1dco29loj0a40dnllijt4spicps96@4ax.com…
    >> On 8 Jan 2006 20:07:26 -0800, "DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote:

    >>>Hello,

    >>>I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    >>>back through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means
    >>>that the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    >>>temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    >>>To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    >>>countries with no plates.

    >>>Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    >>>situation?

    >> My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge
    >> me customs duties?"

    >My question to the OP is, "Why not contact the department of motor vehicles
    >for answers?"

    There being no national DMV, he is unlikely to get hassled at the
    border by same. Any border hassling will come from Customs. He
    should contact US Customs and ask if there is a way to provide a
    temporary transit permit or some such.

    I suspect there will be no problem at all with a temporary
    registration, but it could ruin your trip if Murphy’s Law
    intrudes.

       ************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatu…@cox.net) *************
        *       Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow         *
        * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

  12. admin says:

    I cross the US/Canadian border every day and I always see cars with
    temporary plates. They seem to get through without a problem. This is
    at the Detroit/Windsor tunnel. But like anything else, it likely
    depends on the customs officers that you encounter.

  13. admin says:

    "Hatunen" <hatuu…@cox.net> wrote in message

    news:fi95s1lu3pdju0fa4k03k5elg8ep54kf10@4ax.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > On Mon, 9 Jan 2006 00:12:29 -0500, "Judy"
    > <wumpygirleatsnos…@yahoo.com> wrote:

    >>"Hatunen" <hatuu…@cox.net> wrote in message
    >>news:62p3s1dco29loj0a40dnllijt4spicps96@4ax.com…
    >>> On 8 Jan 2006 20:07:26 -0800, "DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote:

    >>>>Hello,

    >>>>I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    >>>>back through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means
    >>>>that the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    >>>>temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    >>>>To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    >>>>countries with no plates.

    >>>>Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    >>>>situation?

    >>> My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge
    >>> me customs duties?"

    >>My question to the OP is, "Why not contact the department of motor
    >>vehicles
    >>for answers?"

    > There being no national DMV, he is unlikely to get hassled at the
    > border by same. Any border hassling will come from Customs. He
    > should contact US Customs and ask if there is a way to provide a
    > temporary transit permit or some such.

    > I suspect there will be no problem at all with a temporary
    > registration, but it could ruin your trip if Murphy’s Law
    > intrudes.

    >   ************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatu…@cox.net) *************
    >    *       Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow         *
    >    * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

    Why take the risk? Drive it through Canada. Or is there some reason I don’t
    know about?
    Geoff.

  14. admin says:

    GeoffP wrote:
    > Why take the risk? Drive it through Canada. Or is there some reason I don’t
    > know about?
    > Geoff.

    A couple of reasons – its actually faster to go through the US when
    you’re down in Southern Ontario (instead of going up around Lake
    Superior).  We also want to make a bit of a vacation of it – going to
    Chicago,etc..

    Dave

  15. admin says:

    "DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote in message

    news:1136843425.783623.228940@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com…

    > GeoffP wrote:

    >> Why take the risk? Drive it through Canada. Or is there some reason I
    >> don’t
    >> know about?
    >> Geoff.

    > A couple of reasons – its actually faster to go through the US when
    > you’re down in Southern Ontario (instead of going up around Lake
    > Superior).  We also want to make a bit of a vacation of it – going to
    > Chicago,etc..

    > Dave

    OK Good reason,
    Geoff

  16. admin says:

    On Mon, 9 Jan 2006 17:38:50 -0500, "GeoffP" <Ge…@nospam.com>
    wrote:

    >"DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote in message
    >news:1136843425.783623.228940@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com…

    >> GeoffP wrote:

    >>> Why take the risk? Drive it through Canada. Or is there some reason I
    >>> don’t
    >>> know about?
    >>> Geoff.

    >> A couple of reasons – its actually faster to go through the US when
    >> you’re down in Southern Ontario (instead of going up around Lake
    >> Superior).  We also want to make a bit of a vacation of it – going to
    >> Chicago,etc..

    A look at a map of the Great Lakes shows why Canadians might pass
    through the USA fram Canadian point A to Canadian point B. And
    why people might go through Canada to get from, say, Rochester NY
    to Detroit.

       ************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatu…@cox.net) *************
        *       Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow         *
        * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

  17. admin says:

    I went from Detroit to New England via Canada back in the 1960′s.
    Except for the bug-coated windscreen in Ontario, I had no problem with
    anyone but for a US Customs agent who wondered if the straw spare tire
    cover I had still in the Studebaker box might have been made in Red
    China and gave me a hassle about it.

    Oh, the logo that Ortario Hydro-electric had at that time is the best I
    have even seen. Made up for the bug-grease.

    West-coast Yankee.

  18. admin says:

    from the Insurance Corp. of BC website:
    =====================================
    Below is a highlighted representation of the following document:
    http://www.icbc.com/faqs/vehicle/bring_backpu.asp

    Your search term: temporary registration

    ——————————————————————————–

    Question

    I bought a vehicle outside B.C. How do I insure it to bring it back to
    B.C.?

    Answer

    When you buy a vehicle outside of B.C., you can get a Temporary
    Operation Permit from the jurisdiction where you bought the vehicle or a
    Binder for Owner’s Interim Certificate of Insurance. It allows the
    vehicle to be driven back through Canada and the USA and provides
    insurance coverage for the vehicle only.

    More information.

    After returning to B.C.

    Once you have returned to your destination in B.C., the permit is no
    longer valid. You must purchase a Temporary Operation Permit and Owner’s
    Certificate of Insurance to move the vehicle for inspection or
    registration and licensing purposes.

    Where to buy insurance

    If you are in B.C., you can buy the Temporary Operation Permit or Binder
    for Owner’s Interim Certificate of Insurance from any Autoplan broker.

    If you are outside of B.C., call 1-800-328-4484.

    Print this answer

    Copyright © 2006 ICBC – Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
      a.. Contact Us |
      b.. Privacy Statement |
      c.. Disclaimer
    ====================================
    "DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote in message

    news:1136665627.180022.224210@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > Hello,

    > I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    > back through the U.S. to my home province with a temporary
    > registration
    > permit.  This means that the car will not have any plates in place and
    > will only have a temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    > To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    > countries with no obvious plates on display.

    > Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    > situation?

    > Has anyone done this before and have you had any problems?

    > Dave

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  19. admin says:

    Ah yes, that part of Canada that actually extends southward past the
    49th parallel  so that for people in certain states, they have to go
    *south* to visit Canada. Great question for Trivial Pursuit. Now, if
    only the War of 1812 had gone a bit differently that land would be U.S.
     . . . ;)

  20. admin says:

    YourAdHere wrote:
    > Ah yes, that part of Canada that actually extends southward past the
    > 49th parallel  so that for people in certain states, they have to go
    > *south* to visit Canada. Great question for Trivial Pursuit. Now, if
    > only the War of 1812 had gone a bit differently that land would be U.S.
    >  . . . ;)

    Gee, you actually recognize that the War of 1812 involved intense
    aggression by the US on Canada. Good for you!

    IF you’re from the US, that is. Most of us don’t have a clue.

  21. admin says:

    [Followups to rec.travel.usa-canada only]

    > Ah yes, that part of Canada that actually extends southward past the
    > 49th parallel  so that for people in certain states, they have to go
    > *south* to visit Canada. Great question for Trivial Pursuit. …

    In fact the 49th parallel border only exists from Manitoba/Minnesota
    west to the Pacific; in the east the border dips far enough south that
    Canada overlaps in latitude with 27 US states, including California.

    There are several places where borders using rivers or other natural
    features twist in such a way as to place Canadian land south of US land,
    including two in sizable urban areas: Detroit and Niagara Falls.  The
    Niagara Falls border bridges are not on that section, but you enter
    Canada there by going west rather than north; at Detroit they are,
    and you go southsoutheast into Canada.

    Mark Brader, Toronto | "I asked you for a *good* reason,
    m…@vex.net          |  not a *terrific* one!"  –Maxwell Smart (Agent 86)

    My text in this article is in the public domain.

  22. admin says:

    In article <62p3s1dco29loj0a40dnllijt4spicp…@4ax.com>,

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    Hatunen  <hatuu…@cox.net> wrote:
    >On 8 Jan 2006 20:07:26 -0800, "DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote:

    >>Hello,

    >>I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    >>back through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means
    >>that the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    >>temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    >>To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    >>countries with no plates.

    >>Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    >>situation?

    >My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge
    >me customs duties?"

    No duty would be due, as the car was to be returned to Canada; that’s
    pretty clear.

      There’s no such thing as a free lunch, but certain accounting practices can
      result in a fully-depreciated one.

  23. admin says:

    On Mon, 16 Jan 2006, sechumlib wrote:
    > Gee, you actually recognize that the War of 1812 involved intense
    > aggression by the US on Canada. Good for you!

    Yeah, what’s the difference between an American and a Canadian?

    …the Canadian knows the difference.

  24. admin says:

    On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 20:19:58 -0600, russo…@grace.speakeasy.net

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    (Matthew Russotto) wrote:
    >In article <62p3s1dco29loj0a40dnllijt4spicp…@4ax.com>,
    >Hatunen  <hatuu…@cox.net> wrote:
    >>On 8 Jan 2006 20:07:26 -0800, "DP" <dhph…@gmail.com> wrote:

    >>>Hello,

    >>>I’ll be buying a car in another province in Canada and driving it
    >>>back through the U.S. with a temporary registration permit.  This means
    >>>that the car will not have any plates in place and will only have a
    >>>temporary paper permit placed on the front window.

    >>>To me, this seems somewhat risky to drive long distances, through two
    >>>countries with no plates.

    >>>Am I more likely to get stopped or hassled at the border in this
    >>>situation?

    >>My question would be, "Are the Americans going to try to charge
    >>me customs duties?"

    >No duty would be due, as the car was to be returned to Canada; that’s
    >pretty clear.

    The problem is to prove it.

       ************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatu…@cox.net) *************
        *       Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow         *
        * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *