Canada/US Crossing with Vehicle Letter

[Tina&Roland 4]

There is a 2.5% duty on the value of your vehicle. The only way to get around paying the duty is to bring it with you when you immigrate. Or bring it after you immigrate.

Or if you have a really old vehicle, such as my 1996 Mercury Villager, you might get out of paying duty as well.

[Krikit 1,164]

There is a 2.5% duty on the value of your vehicle. The only way to get around paying the duty is to bring it with you when you immigrate. Or bring it after you immigrate.

Or if you have a really old vehicle, such as my 1996 Mercury Villager, you might get out of paying duty as well.

?

You imported a vehicle without paying duty on it?

[Tina&Roland 4]

No, not imported yet. Will do that next week when I cross the border.

[Krikit 1,164]

No, not imported yet. Will do that next week when I cross the border.

Oh. Well, you won't have to pay duty, anyway. It's duty free when you're immigrating. Value it really low, though, in case they make you pay State taxes on it when you go to register it.

[trailmix 77]

No, not imported yet. Will do that next week when I cross the border.

Well if you are immigrating that's a different story, smurfette1971 is not immigrating yet.

[cdn_gewels 0]

Oh. Well, you won't have to pay duty, anyway. It's duty free when you're immigrating. Value it really low, though, in case they make you pay State taxes on it when you go to register it.

Krikit, how much state tax do they impose on you when you go to register the car? I'm moving to Florida in February.

By the way, when do you have to register it? Right away, within a month, etc?

[trailmix 77]

Technically it's within 10 days - we waited around 2 months - it's 10 days from 'taking up residency' - so that's a little flexible.

We paid:

$225.00 "New Wheels on the Road" fee

$ 85.75 Title fee

$ 28.00 Metal plate issuance fee

50.00 approximately - Annual Registration Fee

We also paid a tax, I don't remember what it was, it was like 6% of the 'fair market value' of our car (which they let us name) - this is a county tax, not a state tax, every county will be different.

Also, you might find this helpful in terms of getting your Florida driver's license, they are changing the rules January 1st and there is an interactive thing where you enter your details and they tell you what you need:

http://www.gathergoget.com/

[cdn_gewels 0]

Thank you trailmix! I appreciate the info as I'm trying really hard to figure how much money I'll need to get my car all set up. (This stuff never ends, does it?!)

As for the registration timeframe... the 10-day thing is definitely not gonna happen as I am unable to get my Florida DL until after we are married, and after we get the NOA1 for the AOS. (As per the e-mail reply I received from the DMV.) I'm assuming that you can't register your car in the state unless you have a DL for the state, so that helps to squash the 10-day requirement. I'm assuming that you had no issues going to register 2-months in...?

[trailmix 77]

No issue at all, yes we waited to change over our licenses too. Their residency guidelines state things like, having a job, registering to vote etc etc - you will not have done any of those things so you really aren't considered a resident are you?

Bottom line is you can't do anything until you get married etc - so they can't really ask you to.

[cdn_gewels 0]

I wrote an email to the Florida Department of Saftey of Motor Vehicles regarding the registration. I have to say, they wrote me back within 12 hours and were pretty informative:

PS - Trailmix, you were dead on with all your info!

"Thank you for your recent inquiry. The Declaration of Domicile must be filed with the Clerk of the Court’s Office. Once the Declaration has been filed, your residency has been established.

In order to title and register a motor vehicle in Florida you will need proof of ownership (the Canadian Certificate of Title). If the proof of ownership is in a language other than English it requires a written English translation, signed by a translator, before a notary public. The translator must also state on the translation that he/she has knowledge of the two languages OR is fluent in the two languages; translates documents as a normal course of business and that his/her translation of the document is accurate. The person translating the document must be someone who has no previous or current ownership interest in the motor vehicle/mobile home. Form HSMV 82040, which can be found on the department's website http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/forms.html, must be accurately completed, including section 8 by a DMV Compliance Examiner/Inspector. (Out-of-country VIN verifications are checked thru NICB. If results are returned showing a lienholder on record, the VIN verification will not be completed until an original letter on letterhead stationery, from the lienholder giving permission to have the motor vehicle titled in Florida is received.)

The completed form, proof of ownership, proof of Florida insurance and title and license plate fees may be taken to a tag agency your area, for processing. The title fee is $85.25 or $87.25, if a lien is being recorded on the Florida title. License plate fees are based on the weight of the vehicle, therefore, we cannot provide you with this fee. Please use form HSMV 83140, License Plate Rate Chart to figure the fees needed for the issuance of a Florida license plate. The $225 Initial Registration Fee will be due. This form can also be found on the website mentioned above.

Six percent Florida sales or use tax and local discretionary sales surtax is required to be paid before a certificate of title and license plate can be issued by the department. The amount upon which the tax is applied is the larger of: 1) 80 percent of the loan value. 2) The fair market value on date of entry. 3) The outstanding lien on the motor vehicle at the time of entry into this state. No credit is allowed for any sales or use tax paid to a foreign country. We hope this information will assist you. "

[cdn_gewels 0]

So, I've been going through many, many threads about importing your vehicle and would just love some clarification, please. I just always need to make sure I got this all right! (This stuff makes my head hurt!)

I understand that you do require a compliance letter. I have already established that I can get that done quickly and without a charge. Interestingly enough, I've also been told it is valid for 30 days from Kia.

In the compliance letter, if it states that my car conforms to US standards... except the daytime running lights... do I need to get them disconnected or not? I'm concerned with the nhtsa.gov site says:

"If the manufacturer�s letter states that the vehicle complies with all applicable FMVSS except for those pertaining to the speedometer or headlights, the vehicle can still be imported as a conforming motor vehicle under Box 2B, provided the importer furnishes Customs with an invoice from a franchised dealer or repair facility authorized by the vehicle�s original manufacturer showing that the affected components have been replaced with U.S.-model parts."

The way I read that, if the daytime running lights are mentioned in the letter, I have to get them fixed. But, from what I've read on here, many VJers haven't had to do so. Any advice?

I want to be prepared when I cross the border, so aside from the compliance letter, is there some other paperwork I can have prepared as well? (The HS-7 Declaration form?) Also, do they need any EPA documentation or is this more for manufacturers and registered importers? I think I read a really old thread about needing to get a car tested. I have 2006 Kia.

Thanks for your patience with me. I know there are lots of questions. I just really appreciate clarification and up-to-date info.

[Tina&Roland 4]

For my car, we had the same problem with daytime running lights, but that's ok. You don't need to do anything about that.

[Peachey 10]

Gewels, don't worry about your daytime running lights. We called the Department of Transportation and they had never heard of anyone having to change their daytime lights to import their car. I fought with Nissan over this.

[trailmix 77]

No, you don't have to do anything else, you appear at the border, they give you 1 document to fill out (simple stuff like make, model, VIN etc) you fill that out they stamp it - that's it - you keep the copy to take when you register the vehicle. No use pre-filling it as it is done in like triplicate I think.

We also had the daytime running lights noted on our compliance letter - total non-issue.

[Krikit 1,164]

Krikit, how much state tax do they impose on you when you go to register the car? I'm moving to Florida in February.

I paid $170 to register the vehicle and change the plates. (This was 3 years ago.) I also paid the tax (1% local) on the Kelley Blue Book value, but no State taxes. However, I have read several scenarios in different counties in Florida..... some made them pay taxes, some not at all. I paid partial. Anyway, they said if I disagreed with the KBB value then I could just write them a letter explaining why. They were quite nice about it.

In Lake County I had to call the Tag Office (aka the Tax Collector's office) and schedule an appointment with the foreign vehicle import specialist. This person travels from county to county to specifically register foreign vehicles so I couldn't just drop in and expect her to be there. Make sure the import specialist specifies KM's when he/she notes the mileage during the registration process. Also make sure it specifies KM's and not miles on the odometer reading when you sign off on the registration documentation. I made sure the importer noted it in her paperwork, but I did not double-check the registration information that the tag office gave me to sign off on. What a pain. Read sad story here. I never did receive a new registration, despite several attempts. That's neither here nor there, now, because I eventually traded the car in and now it's someone else's problem. lol

You will need to sign the back of your current ownership where it says "seller" because it makes them feel better.

Oh! One last thing. Go to the DMV office and get your residency card. Once you have your AOS NOA you can get your driver's license and register your vehicle. This took me about 7-8 months. In the meantime I drove using my Canadian license and registration. The DMV told me it wasn't a problem to do so while I waited for my greencard.