Often, people find their cars in the USA and Americans will usually have no problems selling their cars to Canadians. However, getting the car into Canada is not as simple as buying a case of beer and a gallon of milk. The US Customs & Border Protection (USCBP) requires all vehicles exported from the USA to be inspected. The procedure requires the Canadian vehicle importer to fax or email to them the vehicle's title (ownership certificate) 72 hours prior to the vehicle crossing the border. This implies that vehicles without proper titles cannot leave the USA. Don't think that you can cut your untitled parts car in half and bypass this requirement. A parts car has to really be in unreassemblable (is this a word?) parts to get through without a title.
If you have faxed your title in to the USCBP as required, they will not acknowledge your fax and your fax machine's confirmation sheet is your only proof that you sent them the title. Doing this by email (follow port office links) should result in an acknowledgement and further instructions. If there is a problem with your title, USCBP will not call you. In fact, if you call them prior to departing with your vehicle to make sure that there will not be a problem, they won't look up your file so that you could know either way. Upon your arrival at a border crossing they will inspect your vehicle. If everything is in order, they will stamp your title with multi-colored ink indicating that it was inspected by the Vehicle Export Office.
Canada Customs will only allow you to import a vehicle if the title has been stamped by the Vehicle Export Office. Without this stamp, you will be turned back to the USA so make sure that you visit US Customs first. There are two ways of importing a vehicle. You can either import it as one that will be licensed or one that is not. Even if you only want the parts, consider importing it as one for licensing, which would allow you more flexibility in selling the shell of the car to someone who might want to turn it into a hot-rod. Don't forget, vehicles with air conditioning are still liable for the $100 federal air conditioning excise tax.
If you live in southern Ontario, you have two options for importing a vehicle. You can only either cross at Detroit, MI or at Lewiston, NY. Even though Detroit may be a bit farther for some than Lewiston, you may want to consider it because only Detroit is open 24/7. Lewiston is only open Monday-Friday, 8am to 4pm.
Useful US Customs Automobile Export Links:
Your vehicle export options to Southern Ontario:
Send fax with vehicle's title 72 hours prior to arrival and be sure to include the car's VIN in the cover letter in case the number in the title doesn't fax well.
Lewiston, NY (Queenston-Lewiston Bridge)
716-282-1400 tel
716-282-2414 fax
Buffalo Port Office, Open 8-4 M-F
(local towing services can store vehicle overnight if you arrive too late)
Detroit, MI (Ambassador Bridge)
2810 West Fort Street
Detroit, MI 48216-0000
313-226-3139 tel
313-226-5347 fax
Detroit Port Office, Open 24-7
The entrance to the Department of Homeland Security's office at the Ambassador Bridge is poorly signed and directions from locals can be difficult to follow.
Directions to US Customs at the Ambassador Bridge from I-75
- Follow either I-75N or I-75S
- Take the Ambassador Bridge exit to Canada
- Follow signage to Bridge
- After the merging of the approaches from I-75N and I-75S, look for passage under overhead roadway from Canada
- Turn left and head East under overhead roadway
- US Customs & Border Protection Vehicle Export Office will be on the other side of the overhead roadway, on the right.
- Circle around and park in the angle parking for trucks, north of the Export Office.
- Go inside with your new car's title (and supporting documentation if necessary) and await further instructions from USCBP officers.
- After getting your vehicle's title stamped, return under the overhead roadway.
- Turn left onto road leading to Canada.
Directions to US Customs at the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit
- Find your way to the intersection of W Fisher Service Drive (NE-bound) and Grand Blvd W.
- Follow signage and head North-East on entrance road to Ambassador Bridge
- Follow signage to Bridge
- After the merging of the approaches from I-75N and I-75S, look for passage under overhead roadway from Canada
- Turn left and head East under overhead roadway
- US Customs & Border Protection Vehicle Export Office will be on the other side of the overhead roadway, on the right.
- Circle around and park in the angle parking for trucks, north of the Export Office.
- Go inside with your new car's title (and supporting documentation if necessary) and await further instructions from USCBP officers.
- After getting your vehicle's title stamped, return under the overhead roadway.
- Turn left onto road leading to Canada.