Can I sell my Canadian car registered with DMV in USA on a TN visa?

rabearshad

rabearshad

New Member
I am a Canadian citizen and am working in California on TN visa. I brought my car with me and registered here with DMV. US customs didn't collect any duties and said that the car has to go back after my visa expires. However, DMV says they don't see any issues in selling the car here in California as it's now registered here. Can someone give some clarity on it?
 
Since you did not formally import the car, you cannot sell it in US. In fact, you need to take it out of the country one year from the date you first entered with it. It would indicate this on your HS-7 form.

You can still do the importing at any CBP Port (doesn't have to be the border), but you need the required paperwork from the manufacturer and make any required modifications, which I suspect you don't have yet.
 
I did get a signed 7501 form at the border and the agent crossed out several fields so I don't have to bring this car back to Canada after a year. He mentioned that I am good as long as my TN visa is valid. Since DMV says there is no issue in transferring/selling the vehicle, I am confused about the customs ruling. Each agent tells me a different story.
 
So you have registered your car in California and have the title in your hand?
If yes, how did you do this without officially importing it (and getting the letter from manufacturer stating that the vehicle meets the US standards)? Didn't the DMV people ask for anything at all while registering the foreign car? Or was it initially bought in the US?
 
bigboy00 said:
So you have registered your car in California and have the title in your hand?
If yes, how did you do this without officially importing it (and getting the letter from manufacturer stating that the vehicle meets the US standards)? Didn't the DMV people ask for anything at all while registering the foreign car? Or was it initially bought in the US?
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as i understand it, the DMV only cares to see the USCIS paperwork approving its import. They leave it up to the USCIS to validate USA standards etc.

rabearshad said:
I did get a signed 7501 form at the border and the agent crossed out several fields so I don't have to bring this car back to Canada after a year. He mentioned that I am good as long as my TN visa is valid. Since DMV says there is no issue in transferring/selling the vehicle, I am confused about the customs ruling. Each agent tells me a different story.
Click to expand...

The reality of the situation is you absolutely "can" collect cash in exchange for title + keys. And the buyer could register & insure the car in the same state and drive it around with no problems at all.

The murky part of this situation is it might jackpot some future owner of the car (crossing the border, for example) if it was not correctly "imported" and someone decides to look up the VIN in national records.

It sounds like you should indeed visit a CBP port, explain yourself, and get their confirmation on what else you need to do to make the car eligible for resale.
 
grant2 said:
as i understand it, the DMV only cares to see the USCIS paperwork approving its import. They leave it up to the USCIS to validate USA standards etc.
Click to expand...
DMV needs a letter from the manufacturer (From my own experience).
 
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