All you need to know about importing a car into Canada

Many Canadians wish to import the car of their dreams. Though it is possible, some customs clearances need to be taken care of before the import.

Importing a car involves complying with the exporting norms at the source of origin and the customs and transport regulations of Canada. It involves a lot of paperwork and documentation.

There are firms like Clearit car importing which render customs brokerage services to ensure that the clients import their vehicles without any hassle.

This article takes you through the various things to be taken care of before importing a car into Canada.

Let us begin!

Prerequisites for importing a vehicle into Canada

• Contact the Registrar of Imported Vehicles(RIV) to ensure that the imported vehicles are compliant with the Canadian safety standards.
• Check the compliance with the rules laid down by Canada Border Services Agency(CBSA), Transport Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
• American cars need to carry the AES/ITN number as per their export regulations.
• A vehicle modified from its original form will not qualify for import into Canada.
• Vehicle branding history and the requirements of Environment Canada need to be checked for compliance.

How can a customs broking firm help you?

Many customs brokerage firms offer attractive car importing packages to their clients. It covers all the legal and technical complications involved.

The services include the following.

1. AES/ITN compliance: American car imports should carry the ITN from the Automated Export System.
2. The customs agents ensure submissions to the American authorities within 72 hours.
3. The customs agent present at the site of the border crossing fulfills the customs regulations on your behalf.
4. The customs agent undertakes accurate documentation to ensure timely customs release.
5. The agent pays the duties and taxes on your behalf to the Canadian authorities.
6. The firm undertakes customs accounting documentation professionally to avoid technical glitches.

Some caution in choosing a customs broker.

• Verify the credentials of the customs agent via the authorization of the Canadian Customs.
• The pricing of services offered by different firms should be analyzed before finalizing the best price.
• Check all the applicable disbursement and other charges as applicable for the import.
• Check for last-mile delivery of the imported car to your doorstep.

Concluding thoughts

Now that you understand the compliances around car imports into Canada, choose a good customs brokerage firm to handle your car import as per your requirement.