Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

[jeeperman]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

I smell a skunk in the woodshed. Meet him on at the border on the U.S. side WITH CASHIERS CHECK or BANK NOTE. OR tell him no deal.

For $25k I would go this route:
There are a few Canadian banks that also have US offices such as RBC and TD.
I would find out where those Canadian banks have offices near the border crossing.
Buyer would have the $25k in his account with one of those banks. Maybe the one he currently uses. Then you and him could meet at the bank branch on the USA side to consummate the deal right inside the branch of his bank. The bank branch will probably have a notary in the building too to sign off on the bill of sale as a witness, etc.
Then you walk out of the bank with a bank draft from the bank. Not any instrument with the buyers name on it as the responsible party since you have simply converted the cash from the buyer into the bank draft. This way there should be no questions about funds availability as long as the funds are coming from an account within the bank.
This would also eliminate the sticky wicket complications of crossing the border with $25,000 in cash.

What is the buyers reason for wanting you to deliver to him??

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

I've brought a few vehicles from the US into Canada. A trailer would qualify as a vehicle and the boat might also fall into that category.

The biggest obstacle is on the US side of the border. Before exporting a vehicle out of the US, US customs requires a copy of the title. They often want this a few days in advance of the border crossing, so that they can do various checks. I suppose they want to make sure that the item is not stolen or has liens against it.

Once you get through the US side, Canada is easy. Just pay the taxes and fill out the forms. The Canadian border people are friendly and welcoming, not like going the other way.

That doesn't apply to boats, land vehicles only. US customs doesn't care about boats.

 

[northernmerc]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

That doesn't apply to boats, land vehicles only. US customs doesn't care about boats.

Aren't trailers considered vehicles and have titles?

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

In this case Aviator is correct. The US doesn't care.

If newer than 15 year the Canadian side will make you pay $200 for an inspection.

Older than 15 years...pay the taxes and go.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

Depending on the state they registered in, in Canada yes, they are equal to motorized vehicles.
Every time I went to pick up my next boat in US, I asked US officer if I need to stop at their customs on my way back with the boat, just to be safe, every time thay said no.
But if trailer is older than 15 years, then VIN is not required to get it licensed in Canada.
If I will buy my next boat in US it will be with no trailer or 15 years + old trailer, boat can be brand new. In this case it takes 15-20 minutes at Canadian customs, and you are on the road.

 

[northernmerc]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

If newer than 15 year the Canadian side will make you pay $200 for an inspection.

Older than 15 years...pay the taxes and go.

As usual, government officials demonstrate impeccable logic. A new trailer requires an inspection but if older than 15 years it does not. That must be because everyone knows that old, rusty metal is better than new shiny metal.

 

[joed]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

One thing the buyer needs to be warned about. YOU MUST DECLARE if you bring more than $10k into the USA. That would be to US customs not Canadian customs.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

Aren't trailers considered vehicles and have titles?

Trailers are vehicles of a sort but advance notice is required only for "road going, self-propelled vehicles" (at least that's my memory of the wording).

I called in advance as well as stopped in on the US side with the Scout before crossing, just to be sure, but they basically just told me to beat it. Had it been a car or truck they would have wanted paperwork faxed to them ahead of time.

The Canadian border guys were confused by the fact that the boat came from NC - a "title optional" state for boats at that time and had no title. I had all the original factory and dealer paperwork as passed on to me from the first owner, plus the Bill of sale we drew up so that seemed to satisfy them. The trailer had a title, so no issue there other than the $200 they dinged me for an inspection plus taxes.

I kept the boat and trailer transactions seperate and had a bill of sale for each.

My .02 would also be do the transaction on your side at a bank that can confirm the payment is legit, then hand the rig over for him to deal with at the border.

And that $10K limit caught me too. I was flying down and at the US customs desk here in Toronto I just automatically answered "no" to the question if I was bringing more than ten grand into the country (not exactly a daily occurence...). As I was about to walk away I realized my mistake and said, "Oh wait - I forgot, I do have more than that on me." He wasn't amused and it landed me in secondary inspection for a bunch more questions, one of which was "Sir, are you seriously telling me you can't find one single boat in your own entire country you want to buy and so are flying to the US to do it?" "Uh, yeah - you got it....:redface:"

The other interesting issue was Duty versus Tax. Tax was a given, duty is only charged on stuff not made in the US you want to import into Canada. Well, although the Scout is as American as the proverbial apple pie, the Yamaha hanging off the back has a big fat Made in Japan sticker on it. Despite that, I wasn't charged duty. I assume the Canadian officials just call the entire package American-made as the motor was hung at the Scout factory. I figured if they were cool with it, who was I to argue?

 

[Bull_n_rut]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

Jeeperman,

he says he wants to meet on the Canadian side of the border. Also he didn't care if he had a title. He said he would register it as homemade and he was so far in the backcountry he would never run into a problem. After all the responses, it sounds like he is just trying to get around some taxes and fees. But I have not heard back from him for some while so I guess his interest died down.

 

[oops!]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

his intrest died down because he was trying to scam you !.
i have purchased boats in the states and drove them back to canada.
he wants to save the tax.....thats ok....but if you do that....tell him US dollars cash on delevery.

 

[joed]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

Customs will record the boat trailer plate coming into Canada. If it doesn't return to the States you could here from them many months later about why it is still in Canada. You could get stuck for the tax etc.

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

Jeeperman,

he says he wants to meet on the Canadian side of the border. Also he didn't care if he had a title. He said he would register it as homemade and he was so far in the backcountry he would never run into a problem. After all the responses, it sounds like he is just trying to get around some taxes and fees. But I have not heard back from him for some while so I guess his interest died down.

You aren't still considering this are you? I thought this thread was done.

"just getting around taxes and fees".....we're talking $3200 in taxes plus fees...plus fines when this backfires.

Red flags everywhere!

 

[Bull_n_rut]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

Oh NO, I am not considering this at all....too much interest here and if anyone wants it from Canada, I may deliver to them on US side of border and do our business there. I don't want any conflict with border stuff. Not worth it for only a few grand

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

Whew....

Good Luck, hope you sell it soon!

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Can I take my U.S. boat to Canada to sell?

Jeeperman,

he says he wants to meet on the Canadian side of the border. Also he didn't care if he had a title. He said he would register it as homemade and he was so far in the backcountry he would never run into a problem. After all the responses, it sounds like he is just trying to get around some taxes and fees. But I have not heard back from him for some while so I guess his interest died down.

If you do hear from him again, I bet he will want to mail you a check for $33k with instructions to deposit it into your bank account.
And then to Western Union him back the extra cash.