Drove my car across the border... now what???

[Allie Wabbit 1]

Hello again!

I need help... again! Well, some good VJ advice

I guess I did not spend too much time thinking about this and when we hired the U-Haul we got a transporter and put my car on it and drove merrily towards the border.

At the POE the officer asked if I have the import paperwork?!? Ahem... say what? He said not to worry, we have up to 6 months to import the car (my Canadian insurance company informed me they can do insurance for 180 days of me living in the States), so it seems I am not doing anything illegal. However, I now have to figure out how exactly to get Jersey plates and insurance...

Does anyone know what forms I need to complete? What fees/taxes/other monetary damage applies? Or where to find out about it?

How do I get plates? Am assuming at the DMV ....

Also, any advice on how car insurance will work here? I am a female, 40, clean driving record, G2, driver's license since 1993, no accidents, no tickets, clean insurance (think am a 7 star in Ontario).

My car is a 2008 Hyundai Accent (4 door).

Thanks!

[jkelly07 120]

try calling the new jersey dept of motor vet in Trenton nj

[ricnally 258]

You'll need to have a letter of compliance stating that your car is in compliance with US regs (unless it has a sticker on it somewhere stating that). For insurance, you'll need your driving history from your present insurance company. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how much cheaper insurance is here than in Canada. You'll have to take it to a port of entry and see the customs people there to import it. In California, you need to get a state driver's licence within a couple weeks of becoming a resident. Don't know if it's the same for NJ.You might need to take a written and a road test. Once you've done the importing bit, you register your car at the DMV where you'll get your plates.

[floridaboundcanuk 7]

you'll also need to find the closest cbp location that does car importation, likely at the closest sea port.

oops, what he said ^

Edited April 3, 2014 by floridaboundcanuk

[Rob & Monika 87]

Looks like you have 60 days from the date of your move for the drivers license.

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Licenses/Replacing.htm

[jfgk1987 303]

Hello again!

I need help... again! Well, some good VJ advice

I guess I did not spend too much time thinking about this and when we hired the U-Haul we got a transporter and put my car on it and drove merrily towards the border.

At the POE the officer asked if I have the import paperwork?!? Ahem... say what? He said not to worry, we have up to 6 months to import the car (my Canadian insurance company informed me they can do insurance for 180 days of me living in the States), so it seems I am not doing anything illegal. However, I now have to figure out how exactly to get Jersey plates and insurance...

Does anyone know what forms I need to complete? What fees/taxes/other monetary damage applies? Or where to find out about it?

How do I get plates? Am assuming at the DMV ....

Also, any advice on how car insurance will work here? I am a female, 40, clean driving record, G2, driver's license since 1993, no accidents, no tickets, clean insurance (think am a 7 star in Ontario).

My car is a 2008 Hyundai Accent (4 door).

Thanks!

I don't have any advice on your topic just kidding, actually I kind of do! You get your plates and license right at the DMV, they literally print out the license shortly after they take your photo. I see you live in Mt. Laurel, close to where I lived, don't go to the Cherry Hill DMV, you'll spend so many hours there...go to the one in Medford on route 70, it's very quiet and I spent maybe 40 minutes tops transferring my car stuff.

I just wanted to say "Lord help you!", car insurance in NJ is crazy expensive!! I lived there for 2 years and my premium went up hundreds (yes, hundreds) of dollars just for *living* there, I lived in Marlton, NJ. At least you never have to pump your own gas

Edit to add: I had/have a clean record, no accidents or tickets, at that time I had a 2000 Oldsmobile 4 door. My insurance cost $197 a month from State Farm, ridiculous!

Edited April 3, 2014 by jfgk1987

[Allie Wabbit 1]

You'll need to have a letter of compliance stating that your car is in compliance with US regs (unless it has a sticker on it somewhere stating that). For insurance, you'll need your driving history from your present insurance company. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how much cheaper insurance is here than in Canada. You'll have to take it to a port of entry and see the customs people there to import it. In California, you need to get a state driver's licence within a couple weeks of becoming a resident. Don't know if it's the same for NJ.You might need to take a written and a road test. Once you've done the importing bit, you register your car at the DMV where you'll get your plates.

So, I decided to "deal" with this today... Called Huyndai Canada and they said they do provide a compliance letter... HOWEVER, it says my car complies with CANADIAN regs... what sort of redundant nonsense that turned out to be... In addition, she was supposed to email it and has not yet. Guess I will be calling for that useless piece of paper tomorrow again ) I tried it on with Huyndai USA but since I did not purchase the vehicle in the USA they wont provide me anything except with advice to use an importer (think that ship has sailed since the car is now in the country). Do you know where to look for such a compliance sticker?

I am waiting for the letter of experience from my insurance company as well.... I guess whatever (and by that I mean everything) dos not get resolved with one call, can get resolved with many a call

I confirmed with the DMV that I have 60 days to change my license. I will need to provide them my SSN, something else that should have been coming in the mail and hasnt (applied for it today and was told should have it in 2 weeks...).

I did read up on their website and it seems no road test... phew

The importing will be the trickiest - still cant figure out exactly how to go about it. The POE officer said to go to Newark airport for the import but after I have downloaded and completed all the forms. So it seems POE and BP officers do not really have more than vague knowledge about the process.... SIGH... just thinking about it is exhausting

Thank you for your advice!

you'll also need to find the closest cbp location that does car importation, likely at the closest sea port.

oops, what he said ^

I was told Newark, but am thinking Philly is bigger airport.. am probably being naive here Thanks!

you'll also need to find the closest cbp location that does car importation, likely at the closest sea port.

oops, what he said ^

I was told Newark, but am thinking Philly is bigger airport.. am probably being naive here Thanks!

[Allie Wabbit 1]

Looks like you have 60 days from the date of your move for the drivers license.

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Licenses/Replacing.htm

Thanks!

[Allie Wabbit 1]

I don't have any advice on your topic just kidding, actually I kind of do! You get your plates and license right at the DMV, they literally print out the license shortly after they take your photo. I see you live in Mt. Laurel, close to where I lived, don't go to the Cherry Hill DMV, you'll spend so many hours there...go to the one in Medford on route 70, it's very quiet and I spent maybe 40 minutes tops transferring my car stuff.

I just wanted to say "Lord help you!", car insurance in NJ is crazy expensive!! I lived there for 2 years and my premium went up hundreds (yes, hundreds) of dollars just for *living* there, I lived in Marlton, NJ. At least you never have to pump your own gas

Edit to add: I had/have a clean record, no accidents or tickets, at that time I had a 2000 Oldsmobile 4 door. My insurance cost $197 a month from State Farm, ridiculous!

Tee hee hee That was great advice! We did go to the DMV in Cherry Hill earlier today to make sure that my passport, marriage cert and a copy of the lease showing me being added three weeks ago are sufficient as proof of identity. The website said original everything and since my husband was never given an originally executed copy of the lease and since we were on the same road because of applying for an SSN we stopped off at the DMV. Apparently the lease will be ok, however cant apply until I get my SSN (apparently earliest it will arrive will be in 2 weeks - there was no record of me in the database, so USCIS never bothered .... or we will see as I was told that I may end up with TWO SSNs..... wont be surprised if that ends up being the case )

The guy at the reception at the CH DMV gave me forms regarding vehicle registration and mentioned nothing about importing or inspections.....

I dare not think how much the insurance will be and am glad that the letter of insurance I will (eventually) get will help somewhat.

Wowsers.... then again I was paying $181 for my Accent back in the T Dot with no tickets/accidents and 7 stars record... le sigh. Being an ex insurance agent I KNOW what a scam insurance is and am yet to see mine go down. Every year the rates creep up or float the same and the excuses are different - industry raise, you live in a bad area, inflation, blah di blah blah... Can hardly wait to start getting quotes

Did you import your car from Canada or just transferred it from another state (assuming you lived in a different state and bought a vehicle there)? I am not in Mt. Laurel... am in *drumroll* CAMDEN Crime capital of the US of A Yes, ma'am, it is TRUE love that brought me here

[Sprailenes 47]

Sorry, I don't have much to add except WELCOME TO JERSEY! Mount Laurel here!

[jfgk1987 303]

Tee hee hee That was great advice! We did go to the DMV in Cherry Hill earlier today to make sure that my passport, marriage cert and a copy of the lease showing me being added three weeks ago are sufficient as proof of identity. The website said original everything and since my husband was never given an originally executed copy of the lease and since we were on the same road because of applying for an SSN we stopped off at the DMV. Apparently the lease will be ok, however cant apply until I get my SSN (apparently earliest it will arrive will be in 2 weeks - there was no record of me in the database, so USCIS never bothered .... or we will see as I was told that I may end up with TWO SSNs..... wont be surprised if that ends up being the case )

The guy at the reception at the CH DMV gave me forms regarding vehicle registration and mentioned nothing about importing or inspections.....

I dare not think how much the insurance will be and am glad that the letter of insurance I will (eventually) get will help somewhat.

Wowsers.... then again I was paying $181 for my Accent back in the T Dot with no tickets/accidents and 7 stars record... le sigh. Being an ex insurance agent I KNOW what a scam insurance is and am yet to see mine go down. Every year the rates creep up or float the same and the excuses are different - industry raise, you live in a bad area, inflation, blah di blah blah... Can hardly wait to start getting quotes

Did you import your car from Canada or just transferred it from another state (assuming you lived in a different state and bought a vehicle there)? I am not in Mt. Laurel... am in *drumroll* CAMDEN Crime capital of the US of A Yes, ma'am, it is TRUE love that brought me here

Actually I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, my fiance is the Canadian I lived in NJ for two years because I was living with my mom and she worked remotely for Campbell's Soup from NY. They moved us down there so she could be there in person. Campbell's Soup is in Camden so...I know all about things there NJ is okay but...it's not NY! I just had to come back...I do miss not having to pump my own gas but I sure do love paying only $95 a month for my 2012 Chrysler 200 (still using State Farm). Progressive or Cure car insurance might be the better bet to stick with in NJ, I only had State Farm because I didn't want to change companies, loyalty and all that.

I don't any advice to offer about importing your car, my fiance decided that since his car has a speedometer with only km/h (US requires mph) he'd leave it in Canada. It costs about $1k to convert the car to US standards and his car is worth about that much...not worth bothering with the change. There are a whole bunch of threads on this board for importing cars, they seemed to have pop up all at once! Rob & Monika (is there a way to link to members?) usually has very good advice about this topic.

[Sprailenes 47]

PS: You're brave for moving to Camden, even when I am just going to the Aquarium in the middle of the day, I lock my doors and try not to make any wrong turns.

[Allie Wabbit 1]

Sorry, I don't have much to add except WELCOME TO JERSEY! Mount Laurel here!

Thank you! Neighbour With a "U"

[Allie Wabbit 1]

PS: You're brave for moving to Camden, even when I am just going to the Aquarium in the middle of the day, I lock my doors and try not to make any wrong turns.

Yeah, I know... My hubbilicious moved here from Philly because the building we are in is quite nice (and a friend and colleague of his mother's has been living here for a few years and sang its praises). We are RIGHT by the Aquarium and yes, when we drive to the Pop Shop in Collingwood I pray for green lights all the way so we dont have to slow down He works over the bridge so we dont spend almost any time here...

[Allie Wabbit 1]

Actually I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, my fiance is the Canadian I lived in NJ for two years because I was living with my mom and she worked remotely for Campbell's Soup from NY. They moved us down there so she could be there in person. Campbell's Soup is in Camden so...I know all about things there NJ is okay but...it's not NY! I just had to come back...I do miss not having to pump my own gas but I sure do love paying only $95 a month for my 2012 Chrysler 200 (still using State Farm). Progressive or Cure car insurance might be the better bet to stick with in NJ, I only had State Farm because I didn't want to change companies, loyalty and all that.

I don't any advice to offer about importing your car, my fiance decided that since his car has a speedometer with only km/h (US requires mph) he'd leave it in Canada. It costs about $1k to convert the car to US standards and his car is worth about that much...not worth bothering with the change. There are a whole bunch of threads on this board for importing cars, they seemed to have pop up all at once! Rob & Monika (is there a way to link to members?) usually has very good advice about this topic.

Ah, I see Yeah, that is about the only good thing that came out of Camden The soup I mean. I know what you mean about NY... it has its own smell, taste and feel and yes, it is quite intoxicating to visit I will try them all, but first I will need to get the whole "import" issue sorted out. And exchange my driver's license if I EVER receive that SSN I was with Wawanesa in Canada 3 years ago so mayhaps they would give me a better deal here as a past customer

I think I found someone who can help. Browsed for hours yesterday and randomly came across a one man army Someone who does imports for IBM for 20 years and sounds like he knows what he is doing. If he comes through this may end well Thank you for all your advice!