Importing from Canada and need expert advice

[chrono111]

Hi All,

It seems there has been quite a few folks as I've read through older posts that have successfully imported 1M's from Canada to the US so I thought it best to post here. I found actually a 1 series from a private seller in Canada and looking to go through the same process. I had a couple quick questions for those successful in the process.

Below are the items I think I need to drive across the border.

1. BMW letter of compliance
2. title of the car
3. bill of sale
4. EPA and DOT forms
5. pay 2.5% tax

My question is I keep reading about having a Canadian registration. Does the Canadian owner have this and does that get signed to myself?

Also when getting to the border does this happen on the Canadian side or the US customs side? Sorry haven't crossed the border in over 20 years.

Thx in advance!

[arvinz]

Waiting for nachob to chime in. He's done it and he's the best person for info.

[NorthernDancer]

First of all we do not have "titles". We have "PERMIT VEHICLE PORTION"

The vehicle portion [usually referred to as the ownership] stays with the car and you. The right side stays with the license plates which must be removed upon sale. Believe you obtain a temporary permit and glue to top right of windshield.
We do not have a DMV; in Ontario we have "Service Ontario"




The transfer to new owner is done on the reverse of the Vehicle Portion.

[chrono111]

So I'll be driving through Vancouver. How do I obtain this temporary permit? Do I need to visit a service of BC?

[SKI-R]

ICBC is the BC insurance/registration/licensing agency. Brokers are scattered everywhere, but the online main ICBC site should have all the beta you need (I would hope).

You’ll be pursuing a signed copy of the REGISTRATION at very least…….have to admit that until tonight I’d never heard of the Onterrible ‘Permit Vehicle Portion’….ie. Canada is a BIG place and not everything mirrors the self perceived centre of the universe.

[nachob]

Arvinz, glad you're still around, I replied to Chrono, hope it helps! I'm waiting for 1Ms to get super cheap and I can pick one up again. : )

Miss you guys!

[nachob]

Originally Posted by NorthernDancer

First of all we do not have "titles". We have "PERMIT VEHICLE PORTION"

The vehicle portion [usually referred to as the ownership] stays with the car and you. The right side stays with the license plates which must be removed upon sale. Believe you obtain a temporary permit and glue to top right of windshield.
We do not have a DMV; in Ontario we have "Service Ontario"




The transfer to new owner is done on the reverse of the Vehicle Portion.

Northern, you are probably legally 100% correct since you are up there, however I wanted to mention that my Canadian seller, who was a true gentleman was kind enough to let me keep the plates on the car until I reached home since the car was leaving Canada. He also provided me with a letter stating that I had permission to keep the plates to move the car home. I fedexed them back to him as soon as I arrived. It was an unexpected surprise that helped move the car around without issue and I would ask the seller if you can just keep the plates a few days just to get it home. You can also pursue the appropriate temporary Canadian permit but I think it will be more confusing as they are usually intended for movement within Canada so they will most likely ask you for a Canadian address which you won't have. However, it doesn't hurt to call the office listed. I was suprised I could call Canadian government offices and they would answer the phone. I called the Ontario Tax office to get information on having to pay sales tax if the car was being exported the same day and I got a real person that answered my quesitons..

[iDontRemember]

Originally Posted by nachob

Northern, you are probably legally 100% correct since you are up there, however I wanted to mention that my Canadian seller, who was a true gentleman was kind enough to let me keep the plates on the car until I reached home since the car was leaving Canada. He also provided me with a letter stating that I had permission to keep the plates to move the car home. I fedexed them back to him as soon as I arrived. It was an unexpected surprise that helped move the car around without issue and I would ask the seller if you can just keep the plates a few days just to get it home. You can also pursue the appropriate temporary Canadian permit but I think it will be more confusing as they are usually intended for movement within Canada so they will most likely ask you for a Canadian address which you won't have. However, it doesn't hurt to call the office listed. I was suprised I could call Canadian government offices and they would answer the phone. I called the Ontario Tax office to get information on having to pay sales tax if the car was being exported the same day and I got a real person that answered my quesitons..

I also kept the sellers plate and sent it back when I got home. The whole process seems daunting until you actually do it and discover how easy it is. I spent an extra $20 and had a bill of sale notarized. Turns out it was for nothing other than my peace of mind, but I’m okay with that. Better to have too many documents than not enough.

Nacho is the importing a Canadian 1m authority and gave me tons of useful advice. Without his intel, I’m not 100% sure I would have gone through with it.

[gelato]

To import a vehicle from Canada into the United States, you will need to follow a few steps and provide some specific documents. The items you listed are generally correct, but here are some additional details:

BMW letter of compliance: This is a letter from BMW that confirms the vehicle meets US safety and emissions standards. You will need this to register the vehicle in the United States. You can contact BMW to obtain this letter.

Title of the car: This is the document that proves ownership of the vehicle. The Canadian owner should have this document, and will sign it over to you when you purchase the car.

Bill of sale: This is a document that shows the purchase price of the vehicle, and serves as proof of purchase. You should obtain this from the seller when you purchase the car.

EPA and DOT forms: These are forms that certify the vehicle meets US emissions and safety standards. You can obtain these forms from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Pay 2.5% tax: You will need to pay a 2.5% import duty on the value of the vehicle.

Regarding the Canadian registration, the Canadian owner will likely have a registration document, which they will sign over to you when you purchase the vehicle. You will need this document to prove that the vehicle was legally registered in Canada before you imported it into the United States.

When crossing the border, you will need to declare the vehicle to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the US port of entry. You should have all of your documents with you when you cross the border, including the BMW letter of compliance, title, bill of sale, EPA and DOT forms, and Canadian registration document.

I hope this information is helpful!

[champignon]

I'm surprised that there are any 1Ms left in Canada; I thought they all had gone south, like so many snowbirds. I think that my 1M, originally from Toronto, was one of the first exported to the US, back in 2015.

[champignon]

Originally Posted by gelato

Pay 2.5% tax: You will need to pay a 2.5% import duty on the value of the vehicle.

Just play dumb and act like it's a regular BMW. After 12 years, it would be worth about $25, so that's around $6.