Buying car in Canada from US

[HerrDoktor]

Apologies if there is a thread covering this issue…. But I recently purchased a beautiful 1973 Porsche 911T on BaT from a private seller and am now working on navigating Canadian taxes and import fees to get it home to NJ. Anyone have experience with this? There is a lot of mixed/contradictory online advice. But I do trust this site a bit more than most!

I am believe I am subject to Canadian GST and import fees, as well as NJ DMV sales tax?? Please tell me I only get taxed once on the sale! Any advice/experience would be appreciated!

[blucille]

I purchased a car from canada. I was lucky that the previous owner had offered to drive it down to me in NJ, I did my inspection, bought the car and bought him a ticket on a flight home.

He and I went to the vehicle import office in Newark (this was 20 years ago), signed some paperwork prior to his flight, and I paid the duty there. To register the car, I then paid the normal NJ sales tax and registration fee. I vaguely recall the duty being <$1000.

It was easy. Good luck and congrats on your new purchase.

[HerrDoktor]

Originally Posted by blucille

I purchased a car from canada. I was lucky that the previous owner had offered to drive it down to me in NJ, I did my inspection, bought the car and bought him a ticket on a flight home.

He and I went to the vehicle import office in Newark (this was 20 years ago), signed some paperwork prior to his flight, and I paid the duty there. To register the car, I then paid the normal NJ sales tax and registration fee. I vaguely recall the duty being <$1000.

It was easy. Good luck and congrats on your new purchase.

Much appreciated! What a great seller you had! I love the stories how people acquire their vintage cars. I spoke to an attorney earlier tonight and apparently I would not be on the hook for GST if I am an American citizen planning on registering the car in the US. But I am hiring a broker through TFX to be sure we make it through customs legally!

[Otter74]

As a US buyer of a Canadian car, you pay no taxes to Canada - only to your state of residence when you register it. If you fly out and drive the car home yourself, it’s extremely easy to import an old 911 from Canada to the US. If you don’t get it yourself, you just hire a broker to to do the work for you and truck it to you. There are a handful of forms that need to be filled out, if the car has never been in the US and is an import to Canada (like a 911 is) you pay a duty of around 2.5% (there’s a formula), and that’s it. I bought my Saab (‘85 900 SPG) out of Vancouver in 2017 and flew out and imported it and drove it home myself. Took me half an hour to import it, easy-peasy.

[juanbenae]

It being a 73 it is smog exempt even in CA so that is a big hurdle to get through registering a non US model.

[HerrDoktor]

Originally Posted by Otter74

As a US buyer of a Canadian car, you pay no taxes to Canada - only to your state of residence when you register it. If you fly out and drive the car home yourself, it’s extremely easy to import an old 911 from Canada to the US. If you don’t get it yourself, you just hire a broker to to do the work for you and truck it to you. There are a handful of forms that need to be filled out, if the car has never been in the US and is an import to Canada (like a 911 is) you pay a duty of around 2.5% (there’s a formula), and that’s it. I bought my Saab (‘85 900 SPG) out of Vancouver in 2017 and flew out and imported it and drove it home myself. Took me half an hour to import it, easy-peasy.

Yes! Car was originally a California car then has been on a world tour through England, Germany, and Canada... 2.5% import sounds a lot better than 13% GST! I got a little spooked with some mixed info online.

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by juanbenae

It being a 73 it is smog exempt even in CA so that is a big hurdle to get through registering a non US model.

25 year rule is in play. Anything 1998 and prior is pretty easy.

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by HerrDoktor

Yes! Car was originally a California car then has been on a world tour through England, Germany, and Canada... 2.5% import sounds a lot better than 13% GST! I got a little spooked with some mixed info online.

If the car was originally a US-market car (there will be stickers that show this), you won't have to pay any import duty - import duty is only paid once, and that was done when the car was new.

[shervin]

I have a shop in Montreal and build/Restore 911outlaw/Backdates and most my car end up in the U.S,,since the car is getting exported out of Canada you do NOT pay any Taxes in Canada . you only pay the U.S import fees which around 2.4% on the declared value, I have sold and sent over 30 cars the last 2 years and if you like I can put you in contact with a custom broker that can do all your paper work with in 48 hrs and can can be shipped or driven.
a lot of people are not familiar with the process and will give you the wrong information but its a very easy process.

[ItzaMe]

Originally Posted by shervin

I have a shop in Montreal and build/Restore 911outlaw/Backdates and most my car end up in the U.S,,since the car is getting exported out of Canada you do NOT pay any Taxes in Canada . you only pay the U.S import fees which around 2.4% on the declared value, I have sold and sent over 30 cars the last 2 years and if you like I can put you in contact with a custom broker that can do all your paper work with in 48 hrs and can can be shipped or driven.
a lot of people are not familiar with the process and will give you the wrong information but its a very easy process.

Will keep your contact for the future!

[HerrDoktor]

Originally Posted by shervin

I have a shop in Montreal and build/Restore 911outlaw/Backdates and most my car end up in the U.S,,since the car is getting exported out of Canada you do NOT pay any Taxes in Canada . you only pay the U.S import fees which around 2.4% on the declared value, I have sold and sent over 30 cars the last 2 years and if you like I can put you in contact with a custom broker that can do all your paper work with in 48 hrs and can can be shipped or driven.
a lot of people are not familiar with the process and will give you the wrong information but its a very easy process.

Thanks! It has been simple so far. I am working with TFX for transport who gave me a very reasonable price and set up a broker. I’ll ask about the import fee for a car that was once registered in the US.