Importing "used" from BC to US

[Charlie]

Does anyone have definitive information on importing an Escape from British Columbia, Canada to the US?

Title transfer process in BC?

BC and Canadian sales tax due? What I find is that it is not due until the trailer is registered.

Temporary plates? How do I get them as it appears that the plates are turned in when the trailer is sold.

For importing, CBP form 7501 must be filed with only the pertinent information filled out - per a border agent at Sumas, WA

It would be nice for these requirements and procedures were documented in one place with references as to where the information came from. Maybe someone is a documentation specialist

I appreciate any help!

Charlie

[Bobbie54]

There shouldn't be any BC tax paid by you as I assume you are the buyer. Importing is pretty easy. Just get the forms and the bill of sale/registration whatever they call it in BC. (I imported mine from Alberta so a little different.)

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Artic...0Form%20HS%2D7.

The trailer does have the DOT sticker so you can import it yourself, there shouldn't be any hassles, takes about 20 minutes at the border. It may be easier to do in Sumas because they are familiar with Escape than in a border town in MInnesota- even if you reenter and travel home through Canada. When you register at home you pay any tax due to your state.

[cpaharley2008]

I always thought the trailer was exported/imported at Sumas where you pick it up.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I always thought the trailer was exported/imported at Sumas where you pick it up.

I don't know what the OP has in mind. It sounds like he's contemplating buying a used Escape in Canada and taking it to the US. Which is easy enough to do. Otherwise why would he ask the question when ETI handles all the exporting process.

In BC trailers are registered in the owner's name and have an assigned license plate number. We don't have a "title" document. If you bought an old pile of crap that hadn't been on the road for a long time a simple bill of sale would get you started on the road to registration in BC but you'd have to pay sales tax on it. If you bought it and wanted to export it no agency in BC would be involved.

Ron

[YakRV]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I always thought the trailer was exported/imported at Sumas where you pick it up.

Yes, Escape handles all that for new deliveries. In fact, they insist on driving the trailer across the border themselves to save the US buyer from having to pay any related taxes/fees (for a Sumas pick up). They do all the paperwork as well.

Like Ron in BC, I’m not sure what the OP is planning to do. Charlie, does your question pertain to a new or used Escape?

Also, getting temporary tags varies by state. Our state doesn’t issue temporary tags for RVs, so (like many other members of this board) we towed from Sumas to home without tags. We had zero issues.

Getting the plates when we were back home was a bit of a hassle, but only because the local office didn’t know how to handle registering a travel trailer manufactured in Canada.

Edit: I just read the post again, and looks like Charlie is asking about a pre-owned Escape (caught the reference to plates being turned in when sold - reading comprehension goof the first time around, oops). Sorry to clutter up your thread with my nonsense, Charlie!

[Camper Scott]

We purchased our 2020 5.0 from a private seller in Chilliwack, BC in April 2022. This was my process and copies of the forms are attached.

1. Spent night at Sumas Mountain Lodge. Woke up early to beat traffic and was only one in line at 6:30 am. To cross into Canada. I suggest not making small talk with border agent. I was sent to the detention area for further questioning. They did want to validate my cashiers check was made out to the party I was buying from, otherwise I think they consider the check amount as cash that you are bringing into Canada. Stopped at the first Tim Horton for coffee and Tim Bits.

2. Meet owner and inspected the trailer.

3. Went with owner to her bank and deposited the cashiers check in her account.

4. Went to BCAA in Chilliwack. Owner had set up an appointment time for us in advance. It took about 1 hour there to complete everything. That included canceling her license plates and insurance. They created the following documents for us.
1. Bill of sale
2. Copy of the title from previous owner (Canada calls it Vehicle Registration)
3. Transfer/Tax form
4. Temporary Operation Permit and Owners Certificate of Insurance. This gets you Canadian insurance on the trailer to get you to the border and it gets you a temporary License Plate. I had already put insurance on the trailer through my insurance company but for $36 I felt much better having it and the temporary license. Plus, when I had called the Sumas border crossing prior to the trip they told me I needed it.

5. You also need to make sure the trailer has the DOT sticker on the side of it. All of the Escape trailers should have it, but just make sure as the US border people check for it.

6. Coming back into the US you will be pulled into the detention area again and have to go inside. I brought the papers listed above and it took about 30 mins for them to go through what they needed to do and create form 7501. I did not have to pay any import fees on mine. They also went into the trailer and looked at info on a paper inside one of the closets so make sure you have the keys handy to get into the trailer.

7. Once back in Michigan I went to the Secretary of State with all these same papers, paid my tax and was able to get it licensed.

The scariest part was waiting on the US side while they were figuring out if I owed import fees. When they called me back up to the counter the agent asked me if I had more than $10,000 in cash on me. I told him there was no way I could pay that much in import fees. He laughed and apologized and started over saying I owed no import fees but part of the normal questioning is to see if you are bringing more than $10,000 in cash across the border with you.

Scott

[YakRV]

Wow, now that’s an answer! Good job, Camper Scott. (Just a “little” better than mine )

[Rossue]

Yes- just the facts Ma'am!

[Charlie]

Wow!

I wish that had been there when we started figuring out what was needed.

To the moderators: can Camper Scott's post be put someplace where it is easy to find?

And, sorry for not including "pre-owned" in my original post - my wife and I were stressed about finding all the answers and having something not covered after driving 1,800 miles

Charlie

[pjeng]

Originally Posted by Camper Scott

We purchased our 2020 5.0 from a private seller in Chilliwack, BC in April 2022. This was my process and copies of the forms are attached.

1. Spent night at Sumas Mountain Lodge. Woke up early to beat traffic and was only one in line at 6:30 am. To cross into Canada. I suggest not making small talk with border agent. I was sent to the detention area for further questioning. They did want to validate my cashiers check was made out to the party I was buying from, otherwise I think they consider the check amount as cash that you are bringing into Canada. Stopped at the first Tim Horton for coffee and Tim Bits.

2. Meet owner and inspected the trailer.

3. Went with owner to her bank and deposited the cashiers check in her account.

4. Went to BCAA in Chilliwack. Owner had set up an appointment time for us in advance. It took about 1 hour there to complete everything. That included canceling her license plates and insurance. They created the following documents for us.
1. Bill of sale
2. Copy of the title from previous owner (Canada calls it Vehicle Registration)
3. Transfer/Tax form
4. Temporary Operation Permit and Owners Certificate of Insurance. This gets you Canadian insurance on the trailer to get you to the border and it gets you a temporary License Plate. I had already put insurance on the trailer through my insurance company but for $36 I felt much better having it and the temporary license. Plus, when I had called the Sumas border crossing prior to the trip they told me I needed it.

5. You also need to make sure the trailer has the DOT sticker on the side of it. All of the Escape trailers should have it, but just make sure as the US border people check for it.

6. Coming back into the US you will be pulled into the detention area again and have to go inside. I brought the papers listed above and it took about 30 mins for them to go through what they needed to do and create form 7501. I did not have to pay any import fees on mine. They also went into the trailer and looked at info on a paper inside one of the closets so make sure you have the keys handy to get into the trailer.

7. Once back in Michigan I went to the Secretary of State with all these same papers, paid my tax and was able to get it licensed.

The scariest part was waiting on the US side while they were figuring out if I owed import fees. When they called me back up to the counter the agent asked me if I had more than $10,000 in cash on me. I told him there was no way I could pay that much in import fees. He laughed and apologized and started over saying I owed no import fees but part of the normal questioning is to see if you are bringing more than $10,000 in cash across the border with you.

Scott

Very helpful, Scott! Thank you! I am wondering about whether it would have been any advantages for the Canadian seller, to bring it to the US, and have the buyer pick it up there? Thanks again.

[kootenaigirl]

Originally Posted by pjeng

Very helpful, Scott! Thank you! I am wondering about whether it would have been any advantages for the Canadian seller, to bring it to the US, and have the buyer pick it up there? Thanks again.

Unfortunately Canadian sellers are not allowed to cross the border and sell the trailer. The sale and transfer of the trailer needs to happen on Canadian soil and then the buyer will have officially exported it when they cross the border.

[pjeng]

Thanks for the info!

[pjeng]

I was also wondering about the payment method. With a cashiers cheque, is there not a holding period where the bank holds the funds to make sure they are there? I guess there could be a possibility of a fraudulent cashiers cheque… how could this be safe guarded? Or would another form of payment be better than a cashiers cheque? Thanks!

[cpaharley2008]

I have always held the "title" until payment clears and then release the title.....

[pjeng]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I have always held the "title" until payment clears and then release the title.....

Hi cpaharley, thanks for the response. I'm not sure, how I could 'hold' the title to the trailer until the payment clears - would the new owner not need the title when they leave Canada to go to the US?

[cpaharley2008]

They will need title in order to register the trailer in their home state, not to cross the border...