Registration between Canada and US? Anyone else dealt with this?

[KC8QVO]

A short history of my question - we have a place on a Canadian lake, and have since around the early 50's I believe. That is where all our boats are now. I am looking at adding another boat that fits my purposes for exploring - based off a utility boat with bench seats, adding a console and enclosure. The more I dig in to it the more roadblocks I hit. On top of all of it is I need to really evaluate what the value is of the boat as it would start out and then the time/effort that would be required, our outsourced help (and more $), to bring it up to my requirements. Weighing the scale I am tempted to scrap the idea and order a boat instead. Either way, I would want to use the boat in both places - up in Canada and down here in the states on occasion.

Now to the root of my question. Most likely I would purchase the boat, and have it registered, in Canada. That is also going to be its "home" - where it, along with the others, will be stored.

I know from several years ago a family member had another boat up there that he was wanting to bring back home. At that point they had a place on a lake in the states too. From what I recall the duty fees, and/or registration hassles, were prohibitive in doing so and they ended up selling the boat in Canada and bought another boat at the other lake.

In my case, I am not looking in to the future with this as purchasing in Canada and bringing back, permanently, to the states. It may end up being 3 or so months a year total. The trek would be a 12 hour trek one way so I would only be able to make it over a minimum of a 3 day trip. Which I want to spend more time up that way anyway, so a trip to drop the boat off in the Fall is a great opportunity to get back up late-season.

So I guess my questions are:
1. Can I register in Canada only?
2. Would I have to register in both places?
3. Would I have to register in the US only?

How does one come up with the "right" answers? When you cross the border it is pretty "cut and dry" "are you leaving anything?" "Are you bringing anything back?" And of course you have the prohibited items list to run through. I reside in the US and my boat would potentially be registered in Canada - how do I dance around this one "correctly"? Or is it going to be a challenge no matter what? Like the boat trailer - I don't think you can have two license plates? Likewise, I would assume the boat registration would follow suit - can't have two registrations? Or can you? Would it be needed?

 

[Jeep Man]

I would contact Customs and Border Services and/or Service Canada and U.S.Border Service

 

[pckeen]

I know that bringing an old boat was easy from the U.S. to Ontario (where there isn't a title system for boats). Just had to pay duty, register it with the Canadian Coastguard, and give the VIN on the trailer to the border authorities (then had to register the trailer).

Here are some links:

Importing a boat from Canada to the U.S.

Importing a boat from the U.S. to Canada

Might want to google search registering a home built boat in both countries as well.

 

[UncleWillie]

Register it as you please. You can only have one set of hull numbers, not two!
That would be like having two titles and two set of plates for your car.

By all means, Check with Customs, but I believe the drill goes like this...

When you cross the border you declare it on each side of each crossing, and demonstrate ownership.
Bring Original Titles/Registrations/Bills of Sale for Boat and Trailer.
On the way back you will need to report the exit crossing to prove you returned it and did not Sell/Import it into the other country.
Get all this in writing on each side of each crossing, or they may come looking for you to collect import/export fees.
You are usually good for up to 90 days, but extensions can be had by call the customs officials.
Failure to Communicate your actions is what will get you into trouble.

 

[UncleWillie]

The OP want to tow his boat across the border for temporary, personal, recreational use.
This is Not the same as permanently Importing it! A more complex matter.

 

[KC8QVO]

Here are some links:

The OP want to tow his boat across the border for temporary, personal, recreational use.
This is Not the same as permanently Importing it! A more complex matter.

Thanks for the links. Those topics only pertain to one-way "imports" though. I am not sure my scenario constitutes an "import" coming back to the US because it isn't a one way trip. It wouldn't make much sense to pay import taxes and have to register at each end with each pass, but that is about how it sounds if you follow exactly the info in the links. I will check with customs/border patrol on each end too and see what I can find out. If the boat was bought, registered, and stayed in Canada it would be a non-issue - that is what we've done for decades. Likewise, it would be a non-issue if the boat was bought, stored, and registered at home and went up and back with me each time.

I am looking in to my local laws too. I don't know that they will be as hard to deal with as international, but we'll see.

 

[UncleWillie]

The local laws are similar. Generally, If the boat is registered in one state, you can take it and use it in another state for up to 90 days without the locals getting excited about who is getting the benefit of the registration fee.
Towing a boat across the border is the same thing as cruising across the Great Lakes and staying for a few days and then coming back.
Just declare your arrival at both ends, CBP gives you their blessings and you are good to go.

Towing the boat and trailer across the border is little different from driving your tow vehicle across the border. As long as you return in 90 days, no foul.
The same principle applies to you personally, After 90 days, your Visa (Visitors Pass) expires and you become an illegal alien.
You are Not Importing/Immigrating, you are just Visiting.

Register and store the boat on whichever side it will spend the majority of the time.
Visit the other side at your leisure.

 

[pckeen]

Ah if you are just planning short trips into and out of Canada, then it shouldn't be a problem at all. I'm in tourist fishing camp country here, and Americans bring boats across the border all the time - never heard of an issue. As you noted, the links I emailed were for importing the boat.

 

[KC8QVO]

I think I have an answer to one scenario - buy up there and have registered at home. It sounds like it would really just be a matter of paperwork on both ends - dealer processes sale as "export", I get copy of papers to register sent well before I go, register here, go up with hull # and tag, put on, then declare at border on the way home - which the export processing should already be in the "works". There is a bit of cross checking I'd want to do to verify that process, but it sounds pretty straight forward. I'm still working on the canadian registration side of the question and storage of the boat there.

 

[KC8QVO]

Getting a bit closer to all the answers to my questions.

In my home state it is 60 consecutive days on the registered-elsewhere topic, not 90. So that may be a clamp right there.

On the other hand, the marina we deal with stores US boats every year. From what it sounds like - something is changing in the laws where we will have to pay a "use" or "storage" tax, but it sounds like it doesn't require re-registering.

More as I know more. This is pretty interesting stuff.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Not to suggest that you break the law but they have to PROVE the boat hasn't left the state in 60 days.... A single minute out of the state restarts the clock..... I have my boat registered in Ohio and The only time it leaves Indiana is when I put it in the river and go the the Kentucky side.... Nobody knows and nobody cares...... IF they DO care you can either state that you took it out of sate a couple weeks ago IE "took it to line-o-bs-lake for the annual raft up and bikini contest" (of course you really did right? lol) OR double check with your own state but most will sell you the registration validation sticker without requiring you to re-register.... IE I could have my OH numbers and have OH, IN, KY, etc stickers if I was MADE of money.

BTW Indiana wants almost $500/yr to register my 25 yr old boat and OH is $68/3yr


EDIT: the trailer SHOULD be a non issue... probably want to register it wherever you register your truck BUT if that requires importing then it's probably better to just reg it where ever you buy it and the boat.

 

[KC8QVO]

Kevin - thanks for the info. I would like to make an honest attempt to do this as correctly as I can.

To that point - the dealer/marina has done this before - so that is a refreshing bit of info. They have paperwork that would be required for me to process with customs. It doesn't sound like that bad of a process. Though, in addition to my home state registration I believe there is still a 1.5% import tax. That sounds like it is part of the process that would be initiated with the dealer and the paperwork on their end for an export sale.

As far as the 60 days goes - I don't think I can stretch my schedule that far. 90 days would probably be doable. I made 3 trips up last year, between the tail end of June and July. After the last weekend in July it was a done season. Though, with a "return trip" needed in late Fall I could make another run up and drop the boat off on the way out of town. It would just be way past "closing season" up there, late October in to November.

 

[KC8QVO]

I heard from customs today. They say my Canadian registration scenario wouldn't be an issue and referred to the following explanation:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1232

There isn't any time associated with that, it just mentions "proof of ownership" and the vehicles (tow vehicle, trailer, boat) are "properly registered". I will dig in to it a bit further and see if I can get more clarification.