Buying a boat in the USA

Will-Sandy · Oct 14, 2012

How hard is it to buy a boat in the US and bring it back into Ontario, Canada, just curious

rbh · Oct 14, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

Nope, pay the tax on the boat and then register it.
Trailer is a little different pay tax and then do the RIV thing (register of imported vehicles) trailer will need an inspection.
(some use canadian tire)

Another retired guy · Oct 14, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

You have to declare boat and trailer at the border crossing, and pay all duty/taxes there. You'll need bill of sale and proof of ownership.

Will-Sandy · Oct 14, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

How much time do you have to get the trailer inspected

Another retired guy · Oct 14, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

This may not be as easy as it sounds - may depend on the border agent with whom you are dealing.
Make sure you have separate bills of sale etc for the boat and trailer - do not combine them.
For information on the paperwork required - contact the Canada Border Services Agency.
For information on trailer inspection and licencing contact your local Service Ontario office.
Do not rely on information from us folk on this forum as it is YOU who will be stuck at the border with incorrect documents, not us!
Good luck with it, but make sure you know, from the appropriate agency, what they will need.

skyking897 · Oct 14, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

I could say it's no harder than bringing something back that you bought at Target or some other store, but really, it's the paperwork that you need to have done right. As said above, check out RIV, and do have your bill of sale seperate for the boat and trailer. You register the boat with the Federal govt. and the trailer with the Provincial. There is an age limit on vehicles (trailers) in regard to RIV fees and all that info is available on their web site. A phone call to the border crossing you plan on using is helpful too. I went thru the process 2 years ago and if you need any info just PM me.

PS Something I was told and found to be helpful when I got to the border,, unless you are buying from a dealer, print a copy of the ad where you saw the boat for sale, because they will check if they think your bill of sale is priced too low.

scoutabout · Oct 14, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

Yep - separate bills of sale for boat and trailer, titles for each too. Then you pay the tax on each. I think i was all of fifteen minutes getting back into the country.

At the time I did it (2006) I found it difficult to get good non-conflicting information but it worked out ok. Biggest after purchase hassle was Canadian Tire told me I needed a certified record of the trailer's weight so I had to go find a truck scale then come back to finish the inspection. I also needed a letter from EZ Loader confirming the trailer had never been the subject of a recall in the US. I don't think that's required any more although it was no hassle to get. One email and they had the letter back to me in a day.

Zerbel04 · Oct 14, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

I looked into it this summer when we were at Lake Coeur d'alene Idaho. I don't think it would be as painful as you may think to bring it across. Yes there is paperwork and yes you would pay GST but there is NO DUTY as long as the boat was manufactured in North America. If it is a foreign made boat expect to pay 5 to 10% duty. There will also be a small RIV fee on the trailer.

May sound confusing but I certainly wouldn't be afraid to do it. I am from Alberta and opted not to buy one is the US because boats are actually cheaper back home.....likely because I was looking in the heat of he summer at one of the largest lakes in America so not exactly buyer conditions.

Regardless be sure to stock up on beer cause we just can't match prices in that category ;-)

Alumarine · Oct 15, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

As others have said the boat part is usually easy it's the trailer that sometimes causes a problem.
Find out what is required to bring the trailer across and get it insured.
Make sure that you have the required information about the trailer when you cross the border.

Someone told me that it's a good idea to take down a car trailer and load the boat and boat trailer onto it.

Will-Sandy · Oct 15, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

Thanks everybody for the great advice

Zerbelo4 I agree I've seen some great prices on boats in Alberta

swift1 · Oct 16, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

I bought mine in NY state a few years back, and an issue that was a little time consuming was the trailer registration. I had to get the trailer insured before I went down, then went to the NY DMV (huge line-ups, but I believe it was around noon so not a great time to go) for a temporary permit in order to tow it back to the border. Overall a pretty painless experience for a really good deal. I used the following site for some good basic info and links.
http://boating.ncf.ca/buy-usa.html

Will-Sandy · Nov 9, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

Finally getting the title for the boat next week, asked about the title for the trailer and was told Florida is non title trailer state ??? I guess it is time for some phone calls

skyking897 · Nov 9, 2012

Re: Buying a boat in the USA

I ran into a similar issue with the trailer title when I bought my boat/trailer in Michigan. Wasn't an issue coming across the border, as they were really only interested in collecting the GST (you pay the PST portion to Service Ontario). Check with Service Ontario, but this is what they told me.... legally, you have 7 days to do a transfer, you can put your plate on the trailer and with the proper paper work you are good to go, meaning I could tow the trailer home with my Ont. trailer plate on it. As far as registering my boat trailer, I made some modifications to it..... longer tongue, new coupler, lights. etc and was able to clasify it as homemade, which meant I didn't have to do the RIV thing.

Buying a boat in the USA

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