Buying a US boat and bringing back to Canada

[andrewss]

Anyone know the process and costs of buying a boat in the US and registering in Canada? It is wild how much cheaper it is to buy south of the border even accounting for provincial sales tax when claiming it. Is there anything other than claiming it at the boarder and then registering the boat and trailer in my province?

 

[Alumarine]

The boat is straightforward but depending on your province the trailer is the hard part.

 

[andrewss]

The boat is straightforward but depending on your province the trailer is the hard part.

I wonder if I could claim it as a homemade trailer when registering and getting plates for it.

 

[rallyart]

The Homemade idea won't work. The process is not hard to import the trailer, it just requires following the specific rules and timeframes they require. It's viewed as a vehicle while the boat is not a vehicle for import.
The website is RIV

You might want to check to see if you need to export the trailer from the US also. Probably not required, but not a cost if needed.

 

[Alumarine]

I wonder if I could claim it as a homemade trailer when registering and getting plates for it.

All depends on where you live.

 

[JimS123]

A few years ago I decided I wanted a new boat and picked out the make and model. My local dealer quoted a price and said it would be months before it would be made and delivered. As luck would have it, I found the exact one in a dealer's showroom in Canada, only 5 miles from the US dealer. The quoted price in US$ was almost the same.

When I looked into what was involved I gave up that idea in a hurry. I realize you are asking the reverse story, but I've always understood that going into Canada was harder.

Whatever you do, clear it all up with the Canadian authorities before you proceed.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Depends what kind of customs and extra hoops you have to jump thru

 

[jimmbo]

There will also likely be Duty, GST, and don't forget about the Exchange Rate. Factor in the Cost of getting here, whether you make a trip. of have it freighted.
One last little gem, if you have a Problem, you might have to go back to the US to get Warranty. A Distributor in Canada, even if the Name is the same, may pull the, It wasn't officially Imported and Sold in Canada, so they will not honour any Warranty.

 

[Cortes100]

You may want to call the border office where you plan to cross, just to confirm your plan,, in case things have changed. You may need to send them paperwork before hand for a heads up, but I didn't do anything extra.

I did this a few years ago, Montana to Alberta. When driving across the border, I told the officer at the wicket that I'm towing in a new boat. I simply parked my truck and trailer, brought in my bill of sale, paid the GST with my CC and out the door.. A simple 5 minute transaction. They didn't even go look at the boat.
When I got home, had to get a RIV inspection for the trailer to register for a license plate. Your local area should have a few places that do inspections, like Canadian Tire. The boat just needs new federal hull ID number and those are free.

 

[roffey]

I have never bought a boat from the US but, I have bought a boat and trailer and registered the trailer as homemade. Here in Canada you can register a boat with no paper work, I have done it, a 26 foot Welcraft 226.

 

[Silvertip]

A few years back I delt with a Canadian with the very same question. To keep this short and to the point, Check with Canadian officials at the point of entry "before" you start any of this process. It turned out depending where and when you crossed the rules could vary. Once you decide "where" the over & back will occur and have the information you need, the process of buying the boat and trailer is all about documentation. Title for the boat, motor if applicable, and trailer as well as bill of sale. Do not attempt to go back if the seller cannot produce a valid title for every item. Investigate thoroughly and then make the deal.

 

[reelfishin]

I've sold boats to buyers in Canada twice, although not recently, it was within the past 10 years or so.
One was going to Ontario, and since my state does not title small trailers, the buyer opted to just buy and register a trailer in Canada and then come get the boat. I knocked a bit off the boat's price since I could sell the original trailer local.
The other was a guy who was returning to BC, he was here on vacation and found the boat and trailer I was selling on CL. Since that boat had a title from PA, he said it would be no big deal, just a bit of time and paperwork.
I'm not close to Canada, so its not a common occurrence here but I think its a matter of knowing what your province or Canada customs will be looking for.
I did buy a small, older boat up in Quebec once, but I had an trailer tag under the seat of my truck registered to a homemade trailer, I just swapped the sellers Quebec tag out for mine and came home with it.