Bringing car to US under TN status

M

mairk

Registered Users (C)
Hi

I am a bit confused about bringing my car to US. Currently, I am on TN status working in GA. I recently paid off my car but will get the title in 1 month. The financing company has given me a release letter. Is it sufficient to present at the border? Also, when I take my car to the border is it necessary to 'import' it. I read on a CBP web site that without importing I cannot register my car in USA. Can anyone provide guidance as to what is the difference between importing a car and just taking it there until my year is up on TN. GA has a law that the car can have an out of state license plate for 3 months but then will have to switch to GA license plates. What options do I have? Please advise...Thanks.
 
From what I can gather from customs while dealing with my car is if your car is going to be in the country for less than a year and you're not going to sell it, they could care less. You can (unless you cross at a POE where they think differently) bring your car across without an issue.

But as you mentioned, the States each have their own laws. You risk either getting a ticket or your car impounded (depending on the laws of the State.)

To licence your car you need to take a form (called an Entry Summary I think) to the licencing office from Customs. The form tells them that it's okay for your car to be there.

What you can do is drive your car into the country, without declaring it (if you don't have all the paperwork yet) and then use it in GA until you get your paperwork. Once you do get it, go to a Customs office/POE in GA (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/ga/1704.xml is the link for Atlanta, that page also has links for POEs in Savannah and Brunswick) and "import" your car.

You have two options for "importing" your car:

1.) is to "import" it for only a year. This is the easiest but you will have to renew it every year, right about the time you have to renew your tags. All you need is a driver licence (or some other form of ID), your I-94 (so they know your status) and your ownership/registration. If the car is leased you will also need a letter from the lien holder that they allow you to bring the car into the country.

2.) is to "import" it for good. For this you need all of the information outlined above, BUT you will also need a letter from the manufacturer stating that the car meets all EPA and DOT regulations. This will probably cost you money (I had to pay $80 to get the letter.) This way you never have to deal with it again.

I'm assuming you and your car are from Canada. Most Canadian cars are duty-free so you shouldn't have to pay anything, but you may want to see about that before hand.

I should also point out that once you get that form and you're ready to register your car in the State you should go to a State run office. I found the private offices don't know what to do, and get confused about the Canadian registration slips.

For my back story, I entered the country, got my TN but didn't declare my car. I went to a customs office in WA and imported it for the year. After I got my green card I imported it for good after getting the letter from the manufacturer. I didn't run into any issues doing it this way.
 
Well thank you. :) It was a big sigh of relief when I got it and could say good-bye to my TN.

Another thing to note, you're probably going to have to get insurance down there as well as most Canadian insurance companies may either stop covering you after you're out of the country for an extended amount of time (mine was 6 months) or just not cover you at all. And I also don't know how the State will feel about your car being insured by a company in Canada. For me to get insurance, though, I had to get a WA driver's licence first. Of course this may depend on the State, but that's what I had to go through.

At any rate, I actually found the insurance to be cheaper here, so it was worth it in that regard at least.
 
2.) is to "import" it for good. For this you need all of the information outlined above, BUT you will also need a letter from the manufacturer stating that the car meets all EPA and DOT regulations. This will probably cost you money (I had to pay $80 to get the letter.) This way you never have to deal with it again.

-- $80 for a letter? wow....I had to get a letter from Honda America, it was free of cost.

I'm assuming you and your car are from Canada. Most Canadian cars are duty-free so you shouldn't have to pay anything, but you may want to see about that before hand.

-- It does not have anything to do with the cdn/non cdn car. It is your status. If you have GC or if u r a USC, you pay duty. They put a stamp on my import paper stating my status (TN) and wrote "Duty/Tax free" in front of it..

FYI: I just drove the car across the border and then imported it after 10 months without any issue.
 
-- It does not have anything to do with the cdn/non cdn car. It is your status. If you have GC or if u r a USC, you pay duty. They put a stamp on my import paper stating my status (TN) and wrote "Duty/Tax free" in front of it..

Actually no. I didn't have to pay duty and I have a green card, my wife is American and brought her Canadian car down and didn't have to pay duty. So it depends on the car.

As for the $80, that's unfortunately what GM charges. Other manufacturers will either charge something differently or nothing at all. It all depends. I was just warning that it could cost money.
 
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Actually no. I didn't have to pay duty and I have a green card, my wife is American and brought her Canadian car down and didn't have to pay duty. So it depends on the car.

Chris, It depends on the car ONLY if you are a GC holder or a USC. (This is because you are bringing something - in this case a car - to your "home", which is U.S.) The original poster was to come on TN status, therefore for him, it does not matter if the car is cdn or not. It is his because of his status that he will be able to get it tax free.

As for the $80, that's unfortunately what GM charges. Other manufacturers will either charge something differently or nothing at all. It all depends. I was just warning that it could cost money.

-- Yes, I was just surprised to see $80 just for a letter.
 
Ah, got you. I thought you were saying that an American or GC holder HAD to pay taxes no matter what. Misunderstanding on my part.
 
So would the car be covered by the Canadian insurance company while you drive down when initially moving down to the U.S.?
 
I am from BC, so it would be ICBC. I am going to call them tomorrow, to get the lowdown..

Your #2 post rocks. Thank you for this information, saved a whole bunch of questions..rock on.
 
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Just imported my car for good. I learned a valuable lesson though;

Apply for the EPA DOT documentation from your vehicle manufacturer BEFORE you get the TN documentation from your employer. The EPA and DOT compliance document takes a very long time to get from your car manufacturer( I was dealing with Mazda). I lost a week without pay, just waiting for the stupid car company to send it to me..

Good luck to everyone..
P.S.: you may contact Mazda for EPA and DOT documentation at
Tel: 949-727-1990 Fax: 949-727-6703
don't expect to hear back from them for 10 days.
 
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I don't have the paperwork in front of me, but yes, you can import your car (as long as it meets the US EPA and DOT regulations as stated), that is what the letter is for. Mazda gave me my letter free of charge. There is no duty as long as you do not sell it in the US. Period. This is what the forms are all for.

If you are resident in GA for more than I think 30 or 60 days, you are supposed to get a GA driver's license (or move between states for that matter). GA considers Canadians to be foreign, so you WILL have to take a driving test if you get a license......

You will need to get GA title, tags, insurance if you expire your Canadian ones. Be careful with your insurance - not all provinces and companies are the same.

Also, you will need to get a form and get your car inpsected by a police officer to 'verify the VIN' in GA, and also you will need to ensure that you have an insurance rider, or that your insurance info is entered into the GA DMV computer before you can register your car in GA. The insurance card is not enough.

Also, you pay ad valoreum (sp?) tax on cars in GA. But it's a deduction....

Anyway, I would say as long as you can keep current with your Canadian license, insurance, etc. and it is actually in effect, use it, and then be prepared to have to do some legwork when you transfer over.

When we transferred to GA tags, I think the number of AB tags in Atlanta went back to zero :)

Good luck. If you have more questions, I can go and find the documents again.
 
If you take my suggessions, I suggest not to register your car here, its much cheaper to have canadian vehicle.

you will save the personal property tax as well as other issues like inspect your car every year (usually in Ontario if you have a car less than 5 years old you don't have to do emission and inspection until it reach to 5 years).

In my case when I moved to VA the GEICO insurance company willing to provide me the insurance on my Canadian plates with VA license.
 
Shyboy said:
If you take my suggessions, I suggest not to register your car here, its much cheaper to have canadian vehicle.

you will save the personal property tax as well as other issues like inspect your car every year (usually in Ontario if you have a car less than 5 years old you don't have to do emission and inspection until it reach to 5 years).

In my case when I moved to VA the GEICO insurance company willing to provide me the insurance on my Canadian plates with VA license.
Click to expand...

That's definitely the easiest option if it's available to you :)
 
I never really imported my car. I only paid $20 for emission test to have my Canadian vehicle registered. They took my old ownership papaer and gave me a new one.

I live in CT, so I do have to pay property tax on my cars here.
 
Bringing car to Las Vegas

Hi,

here is my situation, i just bought this Honda Civic 04 sedan Jan. '07 for 19k. Im going to Las Vegas and want to bring my car there. For now, i want to keep the ontario plate then get a Nevada plate in the future. My insurance expire this coming july '07. And also, i want to keep my ontario drivers license then switch to Nevada license. So, before I live Toronto, Ontario, what should I need to bring with me when I cross the border? Please help me out here. Really appreciate your help!!

thanks
 
what should I need to bring with me when I cross the border? Please help me out here. Really appreciate your help!!

-- I have Honda civic 2002 and I did not get ANYthing with me when I left Cnada. But if you want, getting a compliance letter from the manufacturer (American Honda) will be helpful. Also, if you have a lien on the car, you should look into getting a "no objection letter" from your lender.
 
1) If you can, DOT and EPA compliance documentation from Honda, which is a standard letter that Honda would issue(if you phone Honda they will give you this document, but it might take them 10-15 days). With this document you can import your car legally to the US and sell it in the US if you want.

2) Drivers record and insurance record from your Vehicle insurance company. Again a standard document which will be sent to you right away, by fax or email.

3) The Liens related document that was described in the other email.

Document 1) is optional but well worth it, 2 and 3 are musts.
 
Document 1) is optional but well worth it, 2 and 3 are musts.

Document 1 (EPA and DOT compliance letter) is NOT optional. It is a MUST if you want to import and register your car in the USA.
 
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