Canadians driving US registered and plated cars in Canada?

Hey guys, here's the scenario: Using your US address, you get a Fl. driver's license and buy, register and plate a car in Fl. In the spring, you get it across the border (most likely by having an American friend drive it across).

As a Canadian, can you drive the car in Canada? For how long? Any other comments?

Thanks!

 

i actually recentley checked about this exact thing for someone a couple of months ago, according to the ministry as long as you have a florida drivers liscence you can drive it for up to 6 months if i remember correctly, i can't really remember but she also said something about not enforcing the rule but if caught g.s.t might have to be paid....sorry jamie wish i could remember the smaller details i suggest giving your local ministry of transportation a call and asking them, also the car must be plated with u.s insurance which you will definatley want to speak with a broker about to make sure the car is insured up here.

 

Lets say you're a snowbird and own a house in Florida and spend your winters there. You can go out and buy your car in Florida, register it, pay your 6.5% state taxes, plate it and insur it in that State using your Florida address. You don't need a Florida's drivers licence. Drive it while you spend your winter in Florida. You can drive it across the border and use it here. It can stay here for six months less a day.

 

So if you're paying 6.5% in state tax (at least in FL), there's really no monetary gain (duty vs. state tax is a wash). Unless there are expensive mods to import the car or it's just not admissible otherwise (like a Lambo).

What has caught your eye, Jamie?

 

Can this 'trick' be used to drive a US 355 in Canada for the 6 months per year?

 

Probably, but you need a US property... if you don't already have one, the premium for a Canadian car is probably less than the cost of a property... although, maybe not

 

There is some oft-used federal law that prohibits Canadians from driving US registered vehicles. It's enforced by the RCMP and I suspect there's not much stopping the OPP or regional po-po from notifying the RCMP should they pull you over for some infraction.

 

Yes, but don't you still have to pay GST (or PST) - not sure which or both, when you register the car in Canada? If so, then you'd be paying duty plus Canadian sales taxes V.S simply 6.5% by having the car just "visit" Canada.

 

taxes wouldnt be my biggest concern....i would be more concern about the insurance laws, and how they affect you when or if god forbid something happens.

If its US, would that insurance company payout given that you were driving here in Canada for 5 months, and in the US for 7 months ?

 

Buying a car in Florida and then driving it in Canada is problematic when you try to insure the vehicle. Most Florida insurers have a provision for limited coverage while out of state or country. If you drive it in Canada for an extended period of time, you may find that you have no coverage here. Insurance coverage has to originate where the car is licensed.

 

I was told by one of metro's finest that if you have an Ontario drivers license you cannot drive a usa plated car here.

 

Thanks for the info boys!

 

On top of that if the car is not allowed into Canada or on the RIV list (like 355 with the 2 mph bumpers)you cannot drive for an extended period of time especially six months more like a couple of weeks so I was told.

 

I heard about this as well....My main concern would be getting involved in a big accident and having no coverage because they proved that you basically did this to save yourself money or drive a car here that can't be imported.

 

I tried this once with car that did not meet RIV standards, and I couldn't find insurance anywhere. I had to get my deposit back from the vendor.

 

Good day All,

As others have mentioned, you really need to talk to your insurance company. In my case, I was working in Chicago for an extended time with my Canadian Car. I notified my (Canadian) insurance of this fact and they stated that (technically) after 30 days of having the car out of the province/country without notifiying them would result in a voided policy. Consequently, they added a premium to my policy (increased liability coverage and a higher risk premium) and I was able to drive have my car fully insured in the US without worry. In my case the additional premium worked out to be around 60% more than my normal premium. For what its worth, I had no issues crossing the US border (I had the blessing... er papers... from the US INS) or returning back to Canada.

Now, I would suspect that the situation would be similar for the opposite situation (US car driving in Canada).

Cheers,

Sam

 

I live in Buffalo and my parents tried to drive my car, NY Plate, across the border to their home in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario drivers license, and were turned back at the border as someone stated earlier about some obscure law and the agent wasn't a bit polite about it either.

 

I was stopped with an f40 with fla plates and spent the afternoon at 54 division explaning the situation.

 

In my opinion, unless you have a legitimate home in the US, and use the car legitimately in the US the majority of the time with the occasional use in Canada, it just isn't worth the hassle. I really looked into this in detail last year, and there are so many complications with trying to drive a US-registered car in Canada.

 

At least you had a Veal...