Has anyone been able to drive a Canadian car and successfully register it for the US?
Looking at buying a 2007-2008 335i in Ontario (they’re cheaper) and importing it to where I’d be living, probably in California. I don’t know if this actually counts as an “import” like a 25 year-old car would but I need to know if it can be properly insured and registered to drive on the road like any normal car. Assuming that the car has a clean title and was made and sold in Canada before being moved as a personal vehicle.
Yes, I’m a citizen of the US, just been living in Canada for the last few years and wanting to know the car can be properly insured and good for the road in daily use
18 comments
I know a few people who have done it to buy expensive trucks and bring them back to Minnesota or Canada, and Volvo used to have a program where they would pay for a trip to bring you to pick up your fully paid car from the factory then drive it to a port. (Some sort of used car import fee nonsense I think)
If the car meets all the FMVSS requirements it’s technically possible – whether or not that specific car or trim/spec of that car does, I don’t know – some sold in Canada are identical to a US model and do, some are not.
You’re potentially going to have to pay like 15% of the car’s value in taxes as well so I’m not sure it’s actually going to be cheaper.
Most Canadian-spec cars are legal in the US.
You will need to be sure it has an EPA and Federal safety standard label though.
Definitely do your homework on if a Canadian car would be up to California smog and emission controls!
It’s well-known California is extra anal about that stuff than most other states! Lol
my mom has a canadian car, never had any difficulty with it. she didnt import it though (the previous owner did) so i cant say much about that process, but the only thing they had to change was installing a front license plate bracket
Will want to look at your underhood emissions label and see what is says as to what standards it was built to.
Some say canada, some say Canada and EPA and some say EPA and California.
If it says CANADA only you would make an appointment with the state referee as that is a Gray market vehicle. They would inform you if you are missing any of the emissions equipment that the CA cars came with. You would then have to install that and make it operational (tasks are easy to impossible) then they would affix a Refereees label and your smog checks would be done off that label in the future.
From thier site:
What is a Grey Market vehicle?
A Grey Market vehicle is a vehicle coming into the US from another country (Europe, Canada, Mexico, etc.) that was not originally manufactured and certified to be sold in the US. You may need to obtain a letter of compliance from the manufacturer or be required to have the vehicle tested and modified at a California Air Resources Board (CARB) licensed lab. Ask a Call Center representative for more information.
[https://asktheref.org](https://asktheref.org)
If you pick a model that was also available in the US it usually is not a issue. Its the odd ball models that get tough.
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If it says this vehicle was built to EPA and California standards then it come come right in with just a smog check.
Another thing you may want to consider. An 07 car will have seen 15 winters. CA mechanics do not know what to do with cars with heavy rust. So do not count on any of them to help you. They see rust and say “Replace it all!!”
If you ask me you would be stupid to bring a rust bucket down when you could have your pick of rust free cars in CA when you move. And trust me they are cheap here, no one wants these ero trash money pits in CA.
When my (Canadian).wife moved here to live with me, she took her Kia Rio. When she tried to register.it in Vermont, there was a single safety light her vehicle lacked that prevented the car from meeting inspection standards. We ended up contacting a Kia dealer in Quebec and selling it there.
I can’t say if our experience was common, or if this was just a problem with the specs on one particular model.
Canada to the US and vice versa is usually just call your port of entry and fill out some paperwork ahead of time and some at the border.
Most states make it very difficult to bring in a car without paying sales tax when you register it.
They may not give you any credit for a VAT you paid in Canada either.
So better factor that in.
I owned a 2008 335xi that was imported by the previous owner from Canada
It’s definitely possible
> Assuming that the car has a clean title and was **made** and sold in Canada before being moved as a personal vehicle.
[There aren’t any BMW production facilities in Canada](https://www.visit-bmwgroup.com/en/production/sites/). Depending on which chassis (E90/E92/E93), the plant would vary, but it would have been one of the German ones (all other plants’ production was for their local markets).
the 25 year rule only applies to things like fuel and saftey requirements. most cars sold in canada would likely fit all us regulations. A place like the EU has their wn set of regulations, so while a car from the EU probably has better saftey features then a us car, its not made to us spec, and cant be imported until after 25 years
A sizeable number of the “American” cars you see on the road were built in Canada or Mexico. It’s not an issue.
Technically I am. My Volvo was made in Sweden.
I bought my current car in Canada. At the time, I was living a couple miles from the Canadian border and it was no problem to register it in the US. There are a few exceptions but it’s generally no big deal.
Registering a car in California is always a little trickier. That’s probably the biggest variable, not registering it in the US.
I’ve always wanted a Lada 2107 but the issue is they are hard to find. Me I drive an american car, but I do love imports!
That 25 year rule is only really became relevant for a specific import from japan that was a bad ass car but didn’t pass safety regulations. So once it hit that 25 yr mark… It could be registered as a classic car and didn’t need to pass safety checks.
Other than that make sure your import has the EPA checks and safety checks and should work.