Renting a car in the US and visiting Canada

[pegbert64 0]

OK, so my husband (USC) and I (PR, greencard in hand) are flying to the west coast tomorrow morning, where we will be renting a car at SeaTac, driving up to Blaine for a couple of nights, then on to Vancouver and Whister before heading back to SeaTac.

Just got off the phone with someone at the car rental office who said that a Canadian citizen (that'd be me) is NOT allowed to cross the border into Canada in a rental car with US tags. HUH??? I have never heard of such a thing! I believe that a Canadian RESIDENT cannot rent a car in the US and drive it back to Canada, but I'm not a Canadian resident. I live in the US!!!

Does anyone know the truth behind this? The guy at the car rental place said that it's not their policy, it is the policy of the Canadian Border Patrol.

Help!!! We leave at 8am tomorrow morning!!!!!!!!

[Flames9_RN 358]

PM Neiks, she is a Cdn border dude person

[pegbert64 0]

Never mind.... I just called Canada Border Whatever, and he said exactly what I thought...... a Canadian RESIDENT cannot rent a US plated car in the US and drive to Canada. A Canadian CITIZEN is fine, as long as they are a legal RESIDENT of another country. Whew!!!

Now I can get back to packing..... after a mid-afternoon cocktail.....

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Yep, we just explored this same topic a few weeks back as my husband and I are doing the same thing - flying into Rochester and renting a car in the US to drive into Canada. Because of importation and tax implications, of all things, Canadians who live in Canada are not allowed to drive a US rental car in Canada; Canadians resident in the US, however, are fine. Just let your rental agency know you are going into Canada and you should be fine. Enjoy your trip.

[k34 0]

That sounds like a nice trip! Have fun!

Not knowing any better, I have crossed into Canada in a US rental car several times because I don't own a car, I just rent one when I need one, and it's cheaper to rent in Detroit.

The first time I probably got away with it because when asked why I was driving a US rental, I told the officer that it was because I had hit a deer with my Canadian rental and this was the replacement (which was true). The next couple of times, the questions I was asked about it made it obvious that I was doing something sketchy, but I was still allowed in and not told that I shouldn't be. I was sent into secondary one time, but when they saw my work ID on the seat they just told me to have a nice day. The final time the officer in the booth (Barbie with an attitude) told me that I was not allowed to drive it in Canada. She let me in anyway though, but told me that if the police pulled me over it would be a problem. I checked it out... she was only half right. I didn't see anything about it in the Highway Traffic Act, but yes, the Customs Act forbids it. So she knew it was wrong, but didn't know why

[warlord 73]

Yeah must be a resident, I've been doing that for years before I became a USC and never had an issue. I just always inquired about insurance outside of the US, but seems I'm completely covered in all of North America so going to Canada in a rental is like going out of state...