Importing a used Escape to US

[DT6]

We are considering upgrading to an Escape 21or a similar BigFoot. I inquired to Eacape about the used listings and they only refer you within the country you live in. Is it really that difficult to export a used RV to the US? Does is place an exceptional burden on either the buyer or seller?

[ghosthunter]

Well Oregon is another planet so..... Just kidding.
I saw a thread on here awhile back that indicated it was a fairly easy process.

that's all I got.

[Vermilye]

Although you can hire a broker to do the paperwork, it is fairly expensive. It is not all that difficult to do yourself - I helped a friend purchase a Scamp in Ontario, CA, and import it to upstate NY. Took less than 1/2 an hour at the border with stops in both CA & US.

[Bobbie54]

It's pretty easy. The US info tells you what paperwork you need, customs takes 30-60 minutes, done. Check and see what your state requires, too, as it may include something customs doesn't care about. It's trickier if a very old unit like an old Boler but easy for Escapes.

[dmc94572]

i dit it. Hired a customs broker (Border Buddy) and they ref
me to a tow co that hauled it to storage awaitimg my arrival. Quick. about $1k all in. N. Vancouver to Farmington, WA.

[Iowa Dave]

I could Jack around for quite a while for $1,000. Can’t be that impossible especially if you’ve ever worked with other government paperwork like national historic places registry, US Geological Survey, the US Air Force trying to find paint colors and a camouflage scheme for an F 84f or removing radium instruments from a T-33. So I say do the contact homework ahead of time to see what there is to it and then make your decision. Taking guns into Canada for hunting and crossing back into the USA with bears in coolers ain’t that hard either. Pay attention and don’t be confrontational or question authority.
Iowa Dave

[dmc94572]

PS $500 for customs broker, $500 to get it across border storage for my arrival.

[Jim99]

it's pretty painless. the seller fills out a transfer tax form; in the purchaser section I only wrote my name, address, and signature.


Then you need to go to ServiceBC to pay the transfer tax, it was $11.50CAD.


At the border the agents will take your paperwork and fill out CPB form 7501, which I signed (zero cost/duty).


I drove home, went to the DMV, gave all my paperwork to them and they issued me my new title and registration.


There might have been other steps, but this was back in 2016. Looking at my records I only have the transfer tax form, receipt from ServiceBC, and the 'Entry Summary' form from US Customs (Form 7501).


I bought my trailer from a private party.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by Jim99

it's pretty painless. the seller fills out a transfer tax form; in the purchaser section I only wrote my name, address, and signature.


Then you need to go to ServiceBC to pay the transfer tax, it was $11.50CAD.


At the border the agents will take your paperwork and fill out CPB form 7501, which I signed (zero cost/duty).


I drove home, went to the DMV, gave all my paperwork to them and they issued me my new title and registration.


There might have been other steps, but this was back in 2016. Looking at my records I only have the transfer tax form, receipt from ServiceBC, and the 'Entry Summary' form from US Customs (Form 7501).


I bought my trailer from a private party.

Mine was from Alberta so different process- nothing had to be done in Canada except for the private transaction.

[pjeng]

Originally Posted by dmc94572

i dit it. Hired a customs broker (Border Buddy) and they ref
me to a tow co that hauled it to storage awaitimg my arrival. Quick. about $1k all in. N. Vancouver to Farmington, WA.

Hi dmc94572, thanks for the post regarding using a customs broker to import your Escape rv trailer from North Vancouver, BC Canada, to California:
Did you need to come up to Vancouver, Canada, first, to inspect the trailer and pay the owner? Did you need to meet the customs broker at the border with the bill of sale? Or did the customs broker handle all of that?
Thank you!

[marsman]

Just spit-balling here...Does it make it any easier for the Canadian owner to sell the trailer in USA? For example, driving the trailer into the States and then conducting the transaction on the American side?

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by marsman

Just spit-balling here...Does it make it any easier for the Canadian owner to sell the trailer in USA? For example, driving the trailer into the States and then conducting the transaction on the American side?

I inquired about that. In Minnesota we have to have the papers your need at the border to import or you can't get title or plates.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Viajante]

From my experience i would agree with Perry. There isn't a tax or fee due at the border, so I suppose the seller could do the export/import for the convenience of the buyer, but no net benefit. The seller could drive over the border without importing it, leaving the buyer to deal with the paperwork after the fact. That sounds like a bigger hassle.

That being said, ETI does the import/export paperwork and delivers the trailer across the border. There must be some corporate advantage.

[MarkinVan]

Originally Posted by Viajante

From my experience i would agree with Perry. There isn't a tax or fee due at the border, so I suppose the seller could do the export/import for the convenience of the buyer, but no net benefit. The seller could drive over the border without importing it, leaving the buyer to deal with the paperwork after the fact. That sounds like a bigger hassle.

That being said, ETI does the import/export paperwork and delivers the trailer across the border. There must be some corporate advantage.

Likely that ETI as a business doing so regularly with volume and wanting to make it easy for customers while meeting all required Canada/USA regulations on both sides of the border has different considerations.