Pat's Boating in Canada: Importing a Boat from the U.S.A.

This information was created entirely from boaters' comments in can.rec.boating and contributed since 2006. It's grown quite lengthy, but you may search for specific words or just start reading the Reader Comments (see below). I know nothing at all about the subject so don't ask me! Contact Canadian Border Services or U.S. Government with your questions.

Purchase: The easiest way to import a boat is to hire a broker, but you can do it yourself with a little effort. Read Sep/09 if you use an agent. Keep all paperwork (ownership, titles, licenses, ads, emails, invoices, cancelled cheques) organized for border crossing and further paperwork in Canada. You must check for liens yourself: loans, unpaid repairs, and services. Arrange a professional boat survey to eliminate surprises - do not use their surveryor! Usage, salt-water, damage, and maintenance affect a boat's value more than age. A satisfactory sea-trial can be made a condition of purchase. As soon as you complete a purchase, you can arrange insurance. Arrange to have your tow vehicle's insurance extended to cover the trailer and boat during transit back to Canada. Trailer licence exemptions may be enough to reach the border - once in Canada you are given additional time to get a licence. Do not buy a U.S. boat while it is in Canada!

At the Border: Tell the truth when asked a question (no details, just the answer). You need "ownership" and "bills of sale" for boat, trailer and removable accessories, taxes and surveys. Get separate bills of sale, as you must pay GST, possibly PST on the boat, but only GST on the trailer. (HST may change this.) Federal duty is no longer charged on boats manufactured in Canada, Mexico or the U.S. (NAFTA); boats made in other countries pay 5%-9.5% duty. Most marine "safety equipment" is duty-free. Import requirements are the same for importing a boat by water as by road. You pay a RIV fee on a trailer only if it's less than 15 years old. If the trailer came from a "non-title" state, you may need to get a letter from the state (or their website) stating that fact. The trailer must have a valid VIN - call RIV to find out if the VIN is valid before you import it.

After your return: You will need to get a federal inspection on the trailer at a Canadian Tire store, then buy a licence at a provincial Driver & Vehicle Licence Offices - some provinces charge PST on trailers. A Canadian who buys and keeps a boat in the U.S. cannot bring it into Canada - it is considered "imported" with all related paperwork and fees.

BOATERS' CONTRIBUTIONS

The comprehensive original research in 2006 was provided by a boater who wishes to remain anonymous. This was followed by real-life experiences by boaters who have imported a boat (and trailer). Notice the dates! Please note that a U.S. "registered" boat is equivalent to a Canadian "licenced" boat - most comments are about this type of boat (more). Please contact me with corrections or new information. I know absolutely nothing about importing boats so I cannot answer questions - sorry!

See our List of Terms for abbreviations used on this page. You may also like to read a few testimonials.

Research by a boater in April 2006

This is the author's extensive research of the legal requirements to purchase, license and insure a used boat and trailer from Michigan, U.S.A. for import to Ontario, Canada. [Information is comprehensive and may appears very complex. Some will be outdated. Boaters' reports that follow may of more practical use.]

FEEDBACK FROM BOATERS

If you have contributions with NEW information, please contact Pat. Please include your province and any other important details. I know absolutely nothing about importing boats so do not ask me questions - sorry!

Boater clarification of "advance notice" (May 2006)

You do not have to notify U.S. Customs 72 hours in advance so they can perform a title search - Canadian and U.S. border services both confirmed it applies to cars, but does not apply to boat or trailers. To import a boat into Canada from the US, Canadian Border Services requires the titles (ownership papers which must have a registration date) and a bill of sale which separates the value of the boat and the trailer. If the trailer is less than 15 years old, you must pay $209 (2006) for a safety inspection once you get home. You pay GST and PST and that's it.

Comments from Jeff in British Columbia (July 2006)

Hi Pat,
Thanks for having a great resource about boating. I just bought a used jetski and trailer from a private seller in Washington state and brought it back over the border. I would not have known get two separate bills of sale for the trailer and jetski without your site!

I stopped in at U.S. Customs before I entered Canada (Peace Arch crossing). I produced the title and indicated that I was exporting the boat and trailer, but U.S. Customs apparently only gets involved if it is a motorized road vehicle, so they sent me on my way.

On the Canadian side all they required were the two titles and bills of sale. I paid GST + PST on the jetski, and GST and the $209 RIV fee on the trailer. When I get the registration and plate for the trailer (plus insurance, as here in B.C. trailers require separate insurance) I'll have to pay the PST on the trailer value.

I'll have to go to get the trailer checked at Canadian Tire.

So to summarize: no stop needed at U.S. Customs; at Canada Customs have titles and bills of sale (a copy of the boat ad is useful to show the price), pay taxes and RIV fee, and you're clear into Canada. Get the VIN for the trailer, have the inspection done, then license the trailer, pay PST, and the trailer will get it's plate. Then get a new Canadian boat licence. A bit of legwork, but in my case well worth the effort...

Personal watercraft fall under tariff rate code 8903.92.00, so duty on jetskis made outside Canada/U.S. would be 5% or 9.5% depending on the country of manufacture. Since the jetski was made in Canada, no import duty was charged.

Toronto Boater finds "title optional" States (October 2006)

Hi Pat -- your resource on importing a boat from the U.S. into Canada was a great start. I can confirm that U.S. Customs DOES NOT NEED to see titles for boats or trailers. The problem is, not everyone at U.S. Customs knows this. The first time I called, the officer insisted they see the documents in advance and again when I got to the border; the second time I called, a supervisor insisted they didn't need to see anything and I didn't even have to stop at the border. He quoted me Section 192 of U.S. Customs legislation which states that only those looking to export land-based self-propelled vehicles provide title documents to U.S. Customs in advance. Boats and trailers definitely fall outside this categoy! I stopped in to get the documents stamped anyway however because Canada Customs insisted all along this step was required... sigh.

Now, here's another wrinkle. Some states, like North Carolina, consider themselves"title optional" states. The boat must be registered, but does not need to be titled. What was important was that I had notarized bills of sale for both the boat and trailer. In North Carolina, a bill of sale is as good as title, or so it says on the Wildlife Commission website for that state. They are the folks who look after boat titles and registration (Trailers, btw, do require title in NC, and I had that). This caused a huge headache as U.S. and Canadian Customs had never heard of a title optional state and continued to insist that I produce a boat title, a document which didn't physically exist.

The issue sort of resolved itself when U.S. Customs decided they didn't need to see any documents (as noted above) and the Canadian side seemed satisfied with the U.S. Certificate of Origin for the boat which tracks title only from the manufacturer to the dealer. It was the closest thing I had to a title document for the boat, and even though it didn't really relate to me at all as the second owner I was allowed to pass with that and my notarized bill of sale. I wouldn't want to bet that would happen twice in a row, however.

Good luck to any who jump though these hoops. The most frustrating thing is that not everyone one in the government organizations you must deal with actually understands the rules. It's the luck of the draw depending on who answers the phone that day. Combine that with separate agencies within a single country that don't agree on requirements, and you've got the makings of a real headache. Thankfully, I made it though and now that the 21 hour drive towing a trailer across the U.S. is a fading memory, I'm glad I did it. I got a great boat for a fair price and that in the end is what matters.

Boater comments (October 2006)

I just got back from the U.S. with my boat. Following your recommendations, it was a breeze. To be sure, I called U.S. Customs in Houlton Maine a week in advance and they told me there was no need to report to them when bringing a trailer and boat out of US. Again, when I entered the U.S. I told the agent what I was doing and he said there was no need to report back.

Canadian authorities were thorough, but courteous and with everything at hand as recommended, it went smoothly.

Just one caveat though. If anyone is thinking about trying to sneak a boat back without paying duty, don't. About three days after I returned, the marina manager called to let me know that Revenue Canada had been at the marina asking questions about three of the boats there, mine included. Aparently, DFO (Fisheries & Oceans) had been checking out some of the boats and contacted Revenue Canada about those with U.S. license plates on the trailers.

I have had no contact from local Reveue canada officials and don't expect to. However, maybe some boats are being taken into Canada without duty being paid.

Comments from Matthew in Ontario (November 2006)

Hey Pat, having just bought a boat and a trailer from the U.S. and bringing them into Canada, I wish I had found your site before I started. The only thing you may want to add would be when trying to obtain Canadian Compliance Labels. I sent the Canadian compliance office in Ottawa the 4 pictures from various angles, but I received a letter stating they also wanted a 5th colour picture of the VIN plate on the boat. I was going to complain that they never requested that picture, but I don't have much energy left.

Later, Matthew sent more...
I have the boat and trailer in Canada now, and after a month I am still working on getting the trailer registered. The VIN plate was removed when repainted years ago and not put back on. There is a lot of information you need on that little plate when trying to import and register the trailer in Canada. So make sure the VIN plate is on the trailer and has all the information. (Call RIV and they will let you know if the VIN is valid or not.) I took my trailer to Canadian Tire yesterday and because I didn't have the VIN plate that stated the gross vehicle weight of the front and rear axle, [they] couldn't finish the paper work. Nothing was easy throughout this whole process, but the deal on the boat was worth it.

Comments from Jeff in Toronto (December 2006)

Just wanted to share some insights to my recent experience importing a boat into Ontario from Michigan. Similar to others' comments, you don't need to stop in U.S. Customs on your way back, although they told me I would have to on my way in and threatened to seize the boat if I was caught. I called U.S. Customs well before going down, and they advised these rules don't apply to boats/trailers. Anyway, I brought cash into the U.S. to buy the boat, and that was probably the worst part. U.S. Customs grilled me about the origin of the cash and my true intentions, searched my vehicle and treated me very rough. Anyway, the boat I purchased had a lien on it and in order to get clear title, I need to pay this off in cash, as the U.S. bank required this to release the lien. I then went to the Michigan Dept. of Transport and had a new title document prepared. They were very helpful as well and provided me documentation to support there was no title ownership required in Michigan for boats, in case I had a problem at Canada customs. When we arrived in Canada, it was a smooth experience. I paid the GST, filled out the form to import a trailer, and we were on our way. The real challenge comes once you are here, applying for the compliance certificate, new license in Ontario, getting the trailer recall certificate, and trailer inspection. Still a great deal, but this process is not simple and there are potential hurdles mostly from a consistent lack of knowledge by U.S. Customs. Don't try to import without paying customs - if they seize the boat, they will seize your car as well. Not worth it.

Comments from Darren in Toronto, ON (April 2007)

I just brought a boat into Ontario that I purchased online from a seller in Virginia. The process was absolutely hassle-free and I would not think twice about doing it again. As long as you have clear titles for the boat and trailer as well as separate bills of sale for each, there is no problem at the border. I arrived at the border and was through within 20 minutes after filling in the RIV form for the trailer, paying the taxes on the boat and the GST on the trailer. They didn't even really inspect the trailer or boat at all. One thing that I was concerned about, but didn't end up being a problem, was the VIN plate on the trailer was basically blank. It's a good idea to check before you buy if the information on this plate is legible or not as I could see the border giving you a hassle over that. Often, the information on these plates gets worn away or painted over and there is no real proof that the trailer is the one listed on the title .. they didn't even look at mine. The only tricky part is the license plate on the trailer to get home - I used an Ontario plate from another trailer but that could have caused me some problems. [check transit exemptions]

Currently I am waiting on RIV to let me know my trailer status. I expect to have the boat licensed shortly thereafter. So far its been pretty straightforward.

The only thing to be careful about is when a dealer in the U.S. claims a boat is "freshwater", note they often view brackish water to be freshwater. Coming from Ontario, where our boats are absolutely pristine from real freshwater, there can be noticeable differences.

Comments from Harry (May 2007)

This is a great site for info and I used it for my purchase of a boat. The one snag I had was the trailer, which was reissued a new VIN number which was not 17 digits. Through the seller of the boat, I was able to get in contact with his dealer and trade it in on a new one. Being new to all this I made sure to get separate bills of sale and titles but during all rush I didn't check all the material until 10 miles down the road after leaving the dealership. Sure enough, the title for the boat wasn't signed on the back and the VIN number for the trailer was incorrect on the title slip. I was able to call the previous owner on his cell phone to sign the title for the boat at the dealership and get the right title for the trailer - about 40 minutes. The dealer also told me I had 24 hours to move the trailer back to Canada without a plate [check]. The customs officers were very helpful and got the paperwork started to safety the trailer and at that time I was informed to keep the paper work with the boat in order to move this trailer without a license plate until the boat is safety'd. Safety for the boat was a snap and also getting licence numbers for the boat at Service Canada. I hope this helps in some way.

Comments from Eric from Edmonton (May 2007)

Coming back with the boat you will need bill of sale (boat and trailer separately) and title (boat, trailer). Run VIN number of trailer with Transport Canada or RIV before purchasing (1-888-848-8240). Also compliance labels on trailers. As for a license plate to transport a new boat, you're allowed to drive with it unregistered in the U.S. for 30 days. The trailer cannot be registered in Canada until after you pay RIV $209 at border and take in [to a Canadian Tire] for inspection. Last part is paying the GST and PST at Customs - they take almost anything for payment there. RIV does not require recall clearance letters any more. Hope this helps.

Comments from a boater (June 2007)

Called RIV, but they said they don't deal with boats, to call Transport Canada. Transport told me to call Service Canada Center. Service Canada transfered me to Boating Safety. Boating Safety said to print forms off the website and mail in with pictures of the boat, but they do not deal with trailers. Bought a local boat instead.

Comments from a boater (July 2007)

...I'm concerned about insuring the boat from the time it is purchased until it is licensed in Canada. My insurance agent has informed me they cannot insure the boat during this time. However, while towing the boat from the U.S. to Canada, my auto insurance liability coverage would apply to the boat and trailer should I be involved in an accident. But damage to boat or trailer would not be covered, so I am looking into buying insurance in the U.S. to cover the value of the boat...

Comments from a Manitoba boater (October 2007)

...I just brought a used Glasstron 175 back from South Dakota to Winnipeg. It was easy! You do not have to stop at U.S. Customs. You can take cash across the border to complete the sale, as long as you declare what you are doing with it. Seperate bills of sale for the boat and trailer are a must. I had titles from the last owner but Customs did not even look at them. The last thing is a properly filled out Vehicle Import Form - "Form 1". Easy!

Comments from a boater (November 2007)

I recently purchased a 2001 Rinker listed online from a private seller - you do not need to pay state tax as you might have to with a dealer. Beforehand, I made several phone calls to RIV and U.S. Customs. Here's the deal:

No need to stop at or inform U.S. Customs returning home (only applies to cars etc.)
Proceed directly to Canada customs
Declare purchases, show titles for boat and trailer, separate bill of sale for boat and trailer (be prepared to show proof of price)
{You no longer need a recall clearance on boat or trailer at the border.}
Pay taxes: GST & PST on boat and GST on trailer.
Pay RIV fee for trailer. Border officials fill out FORM #1 for your trailer. FORM #2 will come in the mail for the authorized Canadian Tire inspection, then buy licence plate and pay PST.

Everything at the border was smooth. Just be prepared - they grilled me about how I paid for the boat (I had proof of withdrawal of cash from my account). Hope this helps anyone thinking of importing a boat -- its a breeze!

Comments from Greg in Alberta (December 2007)

Thanks for the info, really came in handy. Purchased a Sea Doo X20 in Georgia, Had it shipped to Montana, picked it up and drove across the border to Alberta. Georgia is a Non Title state, where all you need is the Bills of Sale. If the boat and trailer is manufactured in North America there is no duty - you only pay GST and the RIV Fee. Thanks Again.

Comments from a boater (December 2007)

Just bought a boat from the US. The process was a breeze as per previous comments on this website. One thing has changed in Nov 07 - you DO NOT need to get a Canadian Compliance Label for your boat anymore. This from Transport Canada and I had it confirmed in 2 phone calls. Good luck!

Comments from a B.C. boater (January 2008)

We just imported a 19' runabout from WA to BC and the border was the least of our problems.

Lesson #1: Make sure the vendor has the actual title for the boat and trailer. We bought ours through eBay and the vendor clearly said that he had the title and registration - he didn't. His "bank" held them as security for his boat loan, which he told me only after I paid the deposit. I thought we could go to his bank branch and trade the titles for payout of his loan, but he banked with some mickey mouse virtual bank with no branches. Eventually I had to deal directly with his lender to pay his loan to have the titles released. Don't trust your vendor - insist on seeing a picture of the titles in their hands.
Lesson #2: Washington State has electronic titles. Even after the loan was paid, we still didn't get paper titles. We had to wait for the State of Washington to re-generate new paper titles and have them sent to us. Scary dealing with a virtual bank that's holding virtual titles!!
Lesson #3: Make sure the VIN on the trailer is clearly legible. Again I asked the vendor about the VIN and he said it matched the title. The VIN printed on the compliance sticker, over time in and out of the water, the number had become almost illegible. While we got it past the federal inspection, this could have just as easily resulted in us having to re-export the trailer back to the U.S. according to the letter we got from RIV.
Lesson #4: We did not need a recall letter from the manufacturer of the trailer, which is good, because they are no longer in business.
Lesson #5: Go through your boat carefully before crossing the border - if it contains any drugs or weapons from the previous owner, you've got big problems.
Lesson #6: In B.C. we only needed the federal inspection for the trailer, no need for a provincial safety inspection.
Lesson #7: CBSA staff are nice, but their penmanship is questionable. The RIV staff got the VIN corrected on the FORM 1 since they couldn't read it.
Lesson #8: RIV staff were great to deal with - really!! We called and gave them our email address and the FORM 2 was sent out within days.

After 3 months, we finally have tbe boat at home and the trailer licenced. The only reason we stuck it out throughtout this ordeal was because it was very good deal on a sweet boat. I would still do it again, but not without insisiting on seeing pictures of the titles and VIN before purchasing.

Comments from a Barrie, Ontario boater (February 2008)

Thanks to you and everyone that posted information my experience importing my 1988 22 Foot Larson Senza 454 330 HP, was simple. Here is what happened:

Found the boat (Internet).
Contacted seller.
Viewed boat and came home.
Made an offer. Found out the owner had a lien on the boat.
Made arrangements with owner to go to his bank. Paid lien off. Bank stamped ownership to release lien. Paid cash - no problems at the border if under $10,000.
Owner supplied bill of sale for boat and trailer.
Crossed border, paid taxes at Canada customs, PST, GST on boat, GST on trailer. No RIV fee because trailer is more than 15 years old.

Note: Do not lie at border about how much you paid for the boat - they will find out. The agent that processed ours did a Internet search for the listing. Whole border experience took about 20 minutes and was extremely easy. We figured we saved about 45% by importing.

Comments from a Canadian boater (March 2008)

I purchased a boat in Arizona, and sent in my documents to U.S. Customs 72 hrs in advance (when I called, they said I had to). I had read on your site you didn't have to, but sent it anyway. I found I didn't have to stop at U.S. Customs because the boat and trailer aren't "self-propelled". Went to Canadian Customs, paid my GST, the officer checked my compliance plate on the trailer and I was sent on my way. ... Have your "titles" if buying in a title state, your bills of sale (1 for boat, 1 for trailer) and everthing should be a breeze.

Word of Warning from an Ontario buyer (March 2008)

I recently imported a Sea-doo and trailer from Buffalo. When I did this I did not realize everything that was involved. When I went to see the Sea-doo, the owner had it at a friend's house in Canada. What I did not know was that the owner had not "imported" it and that the Sea doo should not have been in Canada during the off season.

I then had to take the Sea-doo and trailer to the border. I paid my taxes on it and then they gave me FORM 1 from the RIV. They mailed me a FORM 2 [they will email it if you ask] to take the trailer to Canadian Tire to have it inspected to meet Canadian safety standards. The only problem was that I had to get a 10-day trip permit to take the Sea-doo to the border. It took them almost 3 weeks to mail me FORM 2 to have it inspected, -- but now the trip permit is no longer valid and I am not eligible to get another one. I have to take the Sea-doo to Canadian Tire and have it inspected with no plates on it, since I can't get the ownership in my name, or plates without this inspection.

I really feel like I am running around in circles here, but at least I'm getting closer. I have now had the Sea-doo for about 2 months and I still do not have it in my name yet. My advice for anyone importing anything from the U.S. is that you should make sure you have all of the necessary information (papers). This site would have been very beneficial to me if I had found it before I went through this process!

Comment from an Ontario buyer (March 2008)

Fantastic site - saved me loads of time and grey hair. There was one major hitch in the process I have not seen mentioned anywhere on your site. I found boat, priced, surveyed, bought it - the litmus test when you cross the border with a payment is that it must be a form of payment the customs guy himself cannot cash. Blew through U.S. Customs, and Canadian Customs even called in the RIV for me (nice guys!). They said if I wanted to bring the trailer back into the U.S. I would have to leave it at U.S. customs for 72 hours(??). RIV inspection was 10 minutes and totaly anticlimactic. License the boat (Service Canada) free. Really simple, 5 minutes, thanks to all your info.

Licence plates for the trailer $35 plus PST on Trailer price are payable when you get the plates. (They tried to charge me PST on the whole sale, so bring receipts proving you paid it at the border.) BUT, to license the trailer AFTER taxes paid, RIV stamped, etc. - Ontario MOT needs the empty weight of the trailer! They have some info about GVWR and maximum load calculations, and my trailer had GVWR and Max Load on the plate, so I could calculated the empty weight and provided pictures of the trailer plate. If your trailer is less than 900 Kg empty, the MOT does not need a "weight slip" - their hot line says so, and they told me too, but in the end, you will have to find a way to prove it weighs less than 900 Kg. [ GVWR - Max.Load = Empty Weight ]

Later: This boat has about one year of hours, and new cost (in my garage) checked at the boat show 2008 model, was over $40,000. Closest boat in Canada is 4 years older around $29,500. I saved 20-30% on this boat over an equivalent boat in Canada.

COST SUMMARY:
$18,000 USD - Boat
$1,000 USD - Trailer
$2,410.80 CAD - GST/PST boat, GST trailer, at border
Call credit card company first or they may deny the payment!
$204.75 - RIV at border
$115.69 CAD - Trailer licence plates $35 + PST on sale $80.69
(prices converted to CAD for tax)
FREE - Boat licence
$600 CAD - Gas, food, hotel
...Info on Pat's website, PRICELESS!!!
TOTAL PRICE: $22,331.24

Comment from a British Columbia boater (March 2008)

After I read all the comments on this site I was confident to search for the boat in U.S. ... Six weeks of searching, I found one from a dealer. For $75 they did all the paperwork including trailer {recall - no longer required} and permit to drive. I did not have to pay State tax. ... The border issue was a breeze - paid GST, PST, and some inspection at Canadian customs. Don't forget to buy a trailer binder policy to attach the liability of the towing vehicle - cost me $29 for 1 week which gave me time to take it to Canadian Tire. I faxed FORM 1 (RIV), paid online, and emailed a request for FORM 2 - received in 24 hours. The only thing that bothered me was transporting a $31k boat from Bellingham to home without boat insurance. When I crossed to U.S., I said 'I'm going to pick up my boat' and they did not ask how am I going to pay it. Had a bad experience at Canadian Tire - long story. Thanks to all the people who shared info to this site.

Comment from Chris From Toronto (April 2008)

A big, big, big word of thanks for having this page up. It certainly made things easier, and set the expectation for the headaches to come. I bought a boat and trailer from Oklahoma, which was fine except Oklahoma is a non-title state for trailers. The vender was great - he had a local manufacturer create a VIN plate and place it on the trailer, and he agreed to have different notarized bills of sale for the boat/trailer/outboard motor. I didn't try any funny stuff at the border and I had no issues at customs. But the province of Ontario still didn't want to give me a plate for the trailer. Given that a title document didn't exist, I needed a letter from the Oklahoma State government, on their letterhead, stating that they don't title boat trailers. Thankfully the State of Oklahoma has one on their website, but it would have been a headache otherwise. It's definitely worthwhile to make sure this letter is easily acquired before buying from a non-title state.

Comment from Ontario boater importing by water (April 2008)

We live in Windsor and are buying a boat from the Detroit area and are driving it across the border via water. All we need to do is go to our marina and phone Canada Customs to report that we imported a boat (note: we have Nexus Cards). They will give us a release number, which we take with our papers to Canada Customs within a few days, pay the taxes then we are free to go Service Canada to get a new Ontario Licence. All set and done. [No other confirmation using this procedure.]

Comment from Alberta boater (May 2008)

Just brought a boat across at Sweetgrass (Canadian Customs) into Alberta. It was an absolute breeze. You need your titles for boat and trailer, and separate bills of sale for boat and trailer. Agent was excellent helping fill out the Form 1 Import form for the trailer and informed me of the next steps with RIV.ca registration. Paid my GST and on my way. RIV is done, waiting on the forms and next stop is Canadian Tire (trailer inspection). If I knew it was this easy, would have done this sooner.

Comment from an Ontario boater (June 2008)

Your info was most helpful! I bought a used boat with a motor and trailer on EBAY from Atlanta (Georgia). Prior to leaving, I asked the owner to mail me the bill of sale for each item, and the registration (Georgia doesn't require a title). With that I obtained a 10-day temporary trip tag for the trailer. MOT (Ontario) requires the U.S. owner's birthday to transfer ownership of the trailer. Driving south, the U.S. border does not require any notification. Upon return to Ontario towing the boat/trailer, I presented the following documents to Canada border officers: the bill of sale, the U.S. registration, the temp plate # and receipt, the proof of payment (Paypal), and all conversation recordings made with the seller. The customs officers were impressed. I only paid $44.96 in taxes to import the boat, motor and trailer. I paid PST for the trailer later when I got the licence plate. For those who need to get plates, try and find out what year the trailer was manufactured and the GVW (gross vehicle weight) because they will ask. Thanks!

Comment from an Ontario Boater re Trailer (July 2008)

Trailer: The MTO (Ontario) is difficult to deal with under the best of circumstances. Arrive prepared. You need the bill of sale, title (if the state requires one) and a copy of the owner's registration of the trailer ($9 in U.S. express post). This will most likely include the validity of the current plates, the owner's date of birth, empty weight, serial number, color, state of manufacturing, year of manufacturing, manufacturer, trailer designation (i.e. boat), along with other personal information of the current owner. Once you produce these documents, the MTO will transfer the trailer into your name and can issue you a trip permit valid for 10 days (enough time to drive home where you arrange an Ontario license).

If you'll be spending more then 2 days in the U.S., have the seller issue you 3 bills of sale for the boat, outboard motor, and trailer. This way you could take advantage of having the motor fall into your 'allowable imports' (outboards only) and you will not have to pay duty fees.

My experience at the border took less then 20 minutes because I printed copies of every email I had with the seller, and copies of all documents together. If the trailer has been modified it may be classified as "other" and you may not be subject to an inspection. I hope I've helped.

Comment from Toronto buyer of new PWC (July 2008)

I purchased a new PWC and trailer from an area dealer in Buffalo NY. Prior to the purchase dealer provided copies of the "Certificate of Origin" (COO) papers for both. Copies are NOT acceptable by the MOT for a 10 day temporary trip permit, so I suggest you pay for the trailer in advance to get the original COO papers for trailer, then apply for a "trip permit". (Only other option is to use a trailer plate for another trailer, but you risk a fine and impounding of the trailer if police stop you.) I faxed papers with cover letter to U.S. Customs at Lewiston NY explaining that I would be returning at 7 PM on certain date with the goods for export, and was unclear if I did require export of a PWC and Trailer. [Other letters indicate U.S. border is not required leaving U.S.] Left all my contact info on the letter to advise if there were any issues. Upon arrival at 6:45 PM at U.S. Customs, informed the office for export is only open from 8 AM till 4 PM. Asked if I needed to export a PWC and trailer and was informed yes and to come back in the morning. This was not possible so I suggested that I would be proceeding to Canada Customs and was wished "good luck" by U.S. Customs. Canada Customs was uneventful, no request for export stamps from the U.S., just fill out "Form 1", pay your GST/PST on the PWC, and GST on the trailer (you need two separate invoices) and they provide a paper describing steps to obtain your licence numbers and plates, RIV form, etc.
Canadian Dealer price PWC $12,000 + $1,000 for a trailer + GST and PST. Total: $14,690
U.S. Dealer same items $8,150 + PST and GST ($9209) + $205 for the RIV. Total: $9,459
Savings $5,231 (36%)
Note warranty will only be applicable in the U.S. so if I require any warranty service I must return the unit to the dealer - with savings as noted it is worth it.

Comment from boater (July 2008)

I wish I had known about your site before I purchased my 1996 Procraft Bassboat a couple of weeks ago. RIV doesn't recognise the VIN. Although getting the boat and trailer into Canada was a breeze, I am now having difficulty finding the trailer manufacturer as Tracker Marine purchased Procraft in the late 90's and they have no records of anything, boats or trailers, before that time. So, if I cannot locate the manufacturer to get a VIN correction letter on their company letterhead, I am going to have to return the trailer to the U.S. ...

Comment from Alberta boater (July 2008)

Just brought in a boat from Great Falls to Calgary and was amazed at how easy smooth it went. You have to do your homework and your site was great resource. The border was simple as I had my "titles" and "bills of sale" for boat and trailer along with the appropriate compliance tag on the trailer. I was done in 15 minutes. Just finished the RIV inspection at C-Tire so I am essentially done. Went to the Federal Government (Harry Hays Building, Calgary) and got my pleasure craft [licence]. They processed it on the spot and gave me my new Alberta licence numbers. That took about 20 minutes in total, mostly waiting in line. The only interesting part my insurer. They wanted VIN's or Serial #'s for boat, trailer and engine. They needed to insure all three seperately. Not a big deal however didn't realize they seperated out the engine on a stern drive boat. Thanks Pat for your site. I saved a ton and the process was easy!

Comment from John from Ontario (September 2008)

Importing the boat was a simple process, a little stressful, but worth it. Bought a 2004 Ski Nautique with a trailer from Tennessee. Ensured all Serial Numbers, H.I.N. and V.I.N.s match. Had proof of funds and payment. I used travelers cheques with receipts. Declared everything and as my mother told me, honesty is always the best policy. Armed with Certificates of Origin, separate bills of sale for both the boat and trailer, and a letter confirming there is no lien on the boat from the owner, customs took 10 minutes. Know the date of manufacture for the trailer. I drove with no plate to get the trailer to the Canadian Border, and after that, the RIV paper work is good for 45 days on the Canadian side. (I did have a trailer plate in the car for a homemade trailer just in case, but many states do not have a requirement for a plate on trailers.) Liability insurance for the trip back into Canada is provided by your auto policy generally, but the boat is not covered for an at-fault loss, i.e. you drive off the road and crash. Insurance for this can be purchased separately from most insurance brokers for about $250. I did not stop to report at U.S. Customs. No Compliance Certificate is required. All that is needed is to get license through Service Canada and complete the RIV with Canadian Tire. Thanks to all who provided information on this page. It is an excellent resource and was a determining factor that gave me the confidence I needed in the process to make the journey.

Comment about importing New Hampshire boat/trailer (September 2008)

First things first. Thank you Pat for this website and to all the contributors for taking the time for contributing your experiences.

I purchased a boat in New Hampshire and brought it into Canada. I had separate bills of sale for the boat and trailer (critical to have this when you arrive at the border). It took a total of 15 minutes to fill out the paperwork and pay the taxes. It was a very efficient process.

When I received the Form 2 from RIV I had the trailered inspected at CTC and they faxed the form off to RIV while I waited. From there I went to the MTO and registered the trailer. The only hiccup was that the MTO wanted to know both the Gross and Net weight of the trailer. I only had the gross weight but this was not a show stopper. I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone else who is considering bringing a boat into Canada. The information in Pat's website provided me with all the information that I needed to avoid any problems. I figured I saved between $4 - 6K on this purchase.

Comment about importing a boat by water in 2006 (October 2008)

This is to confirm that I also brought a boat (32' cruiser) in by water from Detroit to Windsor two years ago (see April 2008 comment). All we needed to do was phone Canada Customs and report entry - no Nexus cards. Then proceeded to Canada customs with the reference number obtained in the phone call to pay taxes. Had all required documents to prove ownership etc. of course - took about 15 minutes. Then I moved the boat by road to Midland... I did that in October 2006.

Comment about importing boat/trailer to Manitoba (September 2008)

In September 2008, I purchased a boat and trailer from Wisconsin and towed it back through Emerson Customs into Manitoba. I got the seller to fax the Bill of Sale so I could purchase a temporary insurance permit from Manitoba Public Insurance, as Manitoba car insurance does NOT cover the trailer being towed. Period. No exceptions. In Manitoba, the trailer is a separate vehicle and requires its own insurance. I called RIV and confirmed that a 15 yr trailer did not require Form 2.

I printed out the original ad, my sales receipt and headed off to Wisconsin. At the U.S. Border I declared my intention for entering the U.S. They wanted to know how much cash I had and the method of payment. I declared the credit card payment and went on my way. I picked up the boat/trailer and drove back to Emerson. I had:

Bill of Sale (showed trailer price, boat price, tax and total)
Printout of Wisconsin state statute stating Title exemption of trailers under 3000 lb. GVW
Original Boat Title with buyer and sellers signatures
Printout of eBay auction showing winning bid
Printout of eBay payment receipt
My passport
Boat and Trailer - Trailer had no VIN, only 6 digit serial number
My Jeep (wife and 3 tonnes of shopping from Fargo included with Jeep)

I declared boat and trailer (purchase) and handed over title and sales receipt. Customs asked for: eBay auction proof of winning bid, proof of my eBay user name. I provided eBay auction printout and eBay payment receipt. I paid tax and drove home. Called Canadian Tire to arrange for a safety and was told it was over 15 years old and didn't require one. Went to Insurance agent, handed over Form 1 and got my trailer registration plates. No problems.

Lessons: Have your Documentation ready. If you are importing a trailer over 15 years old make sure Customs stamps Part 16 of your Form 1 (the RIV exemption). You will need the Gross Vehicle Weight of your trailer for MPI (Manitoba Public Insurance) to register it. Search your boat prior to Border crossing to make sure NOTHING suspect is in there.

Comment about importing boat/trailer to Alberta (November 2008)

Thanks very much for the information on your site - made the process extremely simple. I'm from Calgary and just imported a boat. I arranged to pick it up in Sweetgrass, and then came back across into Canada. As others have noted, make sure to have a separate bill of sale for the trailer and boat. In my case it was a new boat - so had the Manufacturers Statement of Origin (MSO) (instead of a title) assigned to me by the dealer. Also had the "No recall" letter on the trailer from the manufacturer. Stopped at the 'Exporting from US' sign before reaching the Canadian Crossing - NO NEED TO DO THIS. The U.S. Agent said I should have just proceeded to Canada Customs without stopping - they had no interest in boats. At Canada Customs they helped me fill out the (RIV) Vehicle Import Form - FORM 1. After paying the GST, I was on my way in less than 20 minutes. I'm going to riv.ca to finish the process, get my FORM 2 after paying, and then will head to Canadian Tire (for trailer licence).

Extremely simple thanks to reading this site in advance. Even with the exchange rate at $1.27, I still saved $14K over the best cost from a dealer in Calgary ($36K vs $51K) including the shipping and GST. Thanks very much Pat!!

Comment about importing boat/trailer to Ontario (June 2009)

Hi Pat
Just wanted to thank you and your (readers) for helping me get my new boat over the border. I purchased a new 2008 Nautic Star Bay 2110 with a 150 E-Tech from a dealer in North Carolina. With your help I managed to bring it over the border in less than twenty minutes. I was well prepared. I crossed at the Thousand Island Bridge (Ivy Lea, Ontario). Paid the GST on the whole package and PST on the boat and motor at the border. Paid the PST on the trailer later when licensing. The agent did the RIV for me and I paid the fee. Everything showed up in the mail in about one week. I had the inspection done at Canadian Tire and that was it. Everything was so easy I can't believe more people don't do this. I saved more than $10,000. The whole key is being prepared with all the paperwork in order.

(Second email) When getting ready, I did phone the RIV office... You no longer need a statement from the trailer manufacturer. That was more important when I was thinking about a used unit. The thing they seemed interested in most was the compliance sticker on the trailer. Mine even said good for T.C in Canada. R.I.V. did send me a new sticker as well.

Comment about importing boat/trailer to B.C. (September 2009)

I purchased a boat from a dealer in Bellingham, Washington. Boat had a "paperless title" and no trailer. The previous owner traded in the boat to the dealer I bought it from. I hired a company out of Anacortes Washington, Marine Document Services (MDS), who came highly recommended. Here's how it went.

I needed an "Affidavit of Loss Release of Interest" form (green) from Washington State Department of Licensing, signed and notarized by the previous owner.
I needed an Affidavit in Lieu of Title (DMV Washington State) releasing interest and signed by the bank manager.
MDS arranged to get notarized statement "bill of sale" from the previous owner (who traded in the boat).
MDS made up another "bill of sale" showing the dealer had sold the boat to me. This also had to be notarized.
I also needed the purchase invoice from the dealer showing what I paid for the boat.
MDS also provided a great cover letter for the package explaining all documentation provided and to "please afford all rights and interest to the above". It was the best 250 bucks I ever spent. We took boat from Bellingham to Roche Harbor and from there to Sidney (by water) to check into customs and pay duty. The customs guy saw her letter and pretty much just scanned the rest. In a nutshell, customs likes to see a paper flow of ownership that has no holes in it. As long as it was seamless, there should not be a problem. I never did get the actual "title". There are more and more states going to this "paperless title" system. Anyways, it was quite the adventure and well worth the effort.

Comment about importing boat/trailer to B.C. (September 2009)

Hi Pat, Would like to thank you and all of the good folks that submitted their stories and experiences on importing a boat/trailer into BC, Canada. I have done just that and it was a breeze. Made my deal via Craigslist and email with tons of photos. Had the seller split the cost of the boat and trailer into 2 separate Bill Of Sale and had the original title of Ownership papers. U.S. customs does not want to see your boat or trailer as it is deemed "non self-powered vehicle". Went through Blaine Truck Crossing with the custom officer filling out the RIV form #1 in less than 15 minutes + taxes and gone...
Couple of points to make:

Get the VIN number of the trailer and validate with RIV before purchasing / closing deal.
Separate Bill Of Sale for trailer and boat - only way that CBSA will process and generate RIV form 1.
Ensure you have Binder insurance prior to going down to pickup boat and trailer and then you also need temp transport plate (Washington State in my case).
Sea trial boat if possible. (We found a great public launch off of 199th (Marysville) that was free and took us into Skagit River Slough.)
Make sure you have correct trailer hitch plugs and correct receiver for level height to trailer + 2" ball.
U.S. Customs does not need to receive your paper work (usually 72 hours in advance). I verified as of 09/2009.
Pay GST / PST and GST on trailer only. ICBC will tag you with PST on the trailer when you license it.
With your Form #1 in hand, register online with www.riv.ca and pay your RIV fee.
Fax in your Form #1 and Title of Ownership and give RIV an email address to send you the Form #2 for Federal inspection
Book an appointment with your local Canadian Tire Service Manager and bring all documents + Form #2 to get stamped
Once stamped - you can go directly to ICBC to register / license your trailer
Send in the Form 2 and RIV will send you a new label from Transport Canada for your road worthy trailer
Decide on how you want to register or license your boat with Transport Canada (Services Canada) for new numbers on your hull.
Clear your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) and enroll in courses to get into boating.
Recalculate your final cost to import your boat and trailer and figure out how much you saved. Buy wife expensive dinner!

Fish On...:=)

Testimonials

"Used .. some of the feedback you had received. Wow, did this make my job easier. Customs people are appreciative of people who are prepared and this site prepared me for every possible glitch. I highly recommend it." -- Manitoba boater (Nov/2007)

Thanks Pat for your site. I saved a ton and the process was easy! -- Alberta boater (Jul/2008)

Thanks to all who provided information on this page. It is an excellent resource and was a determining factor that gave me the confidence I needed in the process to make the journey. -- Ontario boater (Sep/2008)

..The whole process including buying, transporting, licencing and insuring the boat was a breeze. The total time I spent at the border was 15 minutes - incredible. The agent at the border as well as the insurance agent in Vancouver were impressed with the fact that I had all my documentation in order (thanks to your site Pat!!). Again I want to thank you for all of the valuable information you maintain on your site - keep up the good work. -- British Columbia boater (Oct/2008)

Hurricane Boats

There are thousands of boats in the U.S. that have been damaged in hurricanes and storms and even accidents for that matter. Boats that have been repaired can be perfectly functional, but could be unsound. Read this: Storm Damaged Boats.

Boat License	Most common way to identify a pleasure boat. Pleasure boats may also be registered. (more)
CBSA	Canadian Border Services Agency (was Customs & Immigration)
Compliance Label	No longer required to verify boat construction standards. (more)
Duty	Federal tax may be charged depending on country of manufacture. No duty on boats made in Canada, U.S., and Mexico
FORM 1	Trailer - Vehicle Import Form
FORM 2	Trailer - CBSA collects fee for Transport Canada's federal inspection for a trailer (safety standards) to be done at a store.
Forum	Similar to a newsgroup, but on a web site (more)
GVWR	Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
GST	Federal Goods and Services tax on imported boats, trailers
HST	Harmonized tax (GST & PST)
Licence plate	Trailer license issued by provincial Vehicle License Offices
Licence	Boat license issued by Services Canada
MOT	Ministry of Transportion (provincial government)
NAFTA	North American Free Trade Agreement (import duty)
Newsgroup	Discussion available via a news server (or google news) Like mailing lists, only public. (more)
PST	Provincial Sales Tax may be charged on boats (not trailers)
Trailer Recall Clearance letter	From manufacturer or authorized dealer. No longer required.
RIV	Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles
Title	Ownership paper with a registration date
VIN	Vehicle Identification Number of trailer (should matches papers) Check Transport Canada or RIV records (1-888-848-8240)

Importing a Boat from the U.S.A.

Last updated:

BOATERS' CONTRIBUTIONS

Research by a boater in April 2006

FEEDBACK FROM BOATERS

Boater clarification of "advance notice" (May 2006)

Comments from Jeff in British Columbia (July 2006)

Toronto Boater finds "title optional" States (October 2006)

Boater comments (October 2006)

Comments from Matthew in Ontario (November 2006)

Comments from Jeff in Toronto (December 2006)

Comments from Darren in Toronto, ON (April 2007)

Comments from Harry (May 2007)

Comments from Eric from Edmonton (May 2007)

Comments from a boater (June 2007)

Comments from a boater (July 2007)

Comments from a Manitoba boater (October 2007)

Comments from a boater (November 2007)

Comments from Greg in Alberta (December 2007)

Comments from a boater (December 2007)

Comments from a B.C. boater (January 2008)

Comments from a Barrie, Ontario boater (February 2008)

Comments from a Canadian boater (March 2008)

Word of Warning from an Ontario buyer (March 2008)

Comment from an Ontario buyer (March 2008)

Comment from a British Columbia boater (March 2008)

Comment from Chris From Toronto (April 2008)

Comment from Ontario boater importing by water (April 2008)

Comment from Alberta boater (May 2008)

Comment from an Ontario boater (June 2008)

Comment from an Ontario Boater re Trailer (July 2008)

Comment from Toronto buyer of new PWC (July 2008)

Comment from boater (July 2008)

Comment from Alberta boater (July 2008)

Comment from John from Ontario (September 2008)

Comment about importing New Hampshire boat/trailer (September 2008)

Comment about importing a boat by water in 2006 (October 2008)

Comment about importing boat/trailer to Manitoba (September 2008)

Comment about importing boat/trailer to Alberta (November 2008)

Comment about importing boat/trailer to Ontario (June 2009)

Comment about importing boat/trailer to B.C. (September 2009)

Comment about importing boat/trailer to B.C. (September 2009)

Testimonials

Hurricane Boats

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