Canada to USA | The Cross-Border Move Done Efficiently — Car Registration and Moving

Canada to USA | The Cross-Border Move Done Efficiently — 
Car Registration and Moving 

Moving can be both an exhilarating and cumbersome experience. Driving away with Toronto skyline in my rear view mirror felt like I was headed towards home. I was ready to close that chapter of my life and to start anew … In TEXAS.

I decided to pack-up all my belongings, sell what I can, donate what I can’t and ship my car and what’s inside it whilst figuring out the process of registering my car in Texas.

1|      CROSSING THE BORDER

 I took advantage of Ontario’s proximity to the border. One thing to keep in mind is shipping your car directly from Ontario to Texas would cost me approximately $500 USD more. The reason is this process requires more third party participants:

a.       Canadian Shipping Company: Ships vehicle from Ontario to Michigan ($350 USD)

b.       US company to ship the car from Michigan to Texas ($1,300 USD).

c.       A paralegal to handle customs for the vehicle—which they would hire for that process with an hourly rate between $150 - $300.

d.       Any additional fees by the US customs on what is inside the car

Looking to cut costs and simplify the issue at hand, I worked with only one US Shipping Company to move my car from Michigan to Texas and drove the car myself to Michigan. The quote I received at the time by AutoStar Transport Express was for $1,300 USD but it changes since fuel costs fluctuate. The way this process works is AutoStar coordinates with a driver to deliver your vehicle within a week’s timeframe. This means you need to move your car to a “safe reliable place” for a week’s duration. Hence, the adventure continues and I drove my vehicle to Michigan and left it at a relative’s house with the keys. Please note that Canadian insurance companies have a limit of how long they will insure you out of the province you were in. Mine was up to two months.

For the customs, it was easy breezy. I did the customs myself – which granted only takes around 5-minutes. It should be noted if your personal vehicle is made in USA, Canada or Mexico, your car is exempt from import taxes. I was exempt ! It also states online there is a $10,000 value exemption on vehicles for U.S. residents. However, I was required to pay $90 for registering my car for the first time in Texas. So far, that’s approximately an average of $400 savings.

In this step I was asked to show the following:

•        Bill of Sale (No loan on it)
•           Insurance Documents
•           Canadian Title/Proof of Ownership
•           [Form #3299 if you hired a paralegal to do it for you]
•           Federal Motor vehicle Safety Standards [FMVSS], which is essential a Mazda Letter of          Conformity. This will be discussed in detail below.
•       Passport and Driving License.
•       Credit Card or cash if you were asked to pay anything.

FMVSS
The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) is a letter you request from Mazda that shows your vehicle conforms with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) with regards to environmental and safety requirements. This letter is needed for border crossing.

The letter will include the following:

•          Car Model
•           VIN
•           Build Date
•           Conformity Status.

·       Emissions requirements

·       Safety and Labelling Requirements – [USDOT]

·       Recall Campaigns

Please note this letter takes up to 14 working days. So, plan in advance to ensure this aligns with your moving plans. 

Now that this part is done, park your car as discussed in Michigan and the shipping company will give you a call to pick up the car and the key.

2|      Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR)

A Safety Inspection is required to make sure your vehicle operates well. Make sure to change the settings in your vehicle (mileage specifically) from kilometers into miles. 

There is a list of Texas certified inspectors , which costs between $30-$50, and a Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) will be provided to you by the inspector.

3|      A VIN inspection at Auto Theft Task Force

A VIN inspection is conducted by a law officer who is an auto theft investigator to ensure the vehicle truly is yours and not stolen. The investigator will then provide you with a signed Original Law Enforcement Identification Number Inspection (Form VTR-68-A).

You can find a list of the Auto Theft Task Forces here.

* Do note that taking a task force appointment is timely. Plan ahead as this is one of the lengthiest steps. The one I had luck with for a quick turnaround was Duncanville Police Department [972-780-5024]. They operate every Tuesday by appointment only between 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. You are required to provide:

•           Photo ID
•           Proof of Ownership (Bill of Sale, Title or Receipts of Materials used)
•           Proof of Insurance
•           Texas Safety Inspection Certificate [VIR]
•           Customs Declaration Form
•           $40 or credit card.

4|      Apply for Texas Title/ Registration:

•           Now you are one step away from heading to your county tax office. Fill (Form 130-U), which is Application of Texas Title and/or Registration.

You should now have the following documents prior to going to the county tax office:

•           Federal Inspection – Car manufacturer in Ontario Letter of Conformity
•       (Forms as evidence for Customs Cleared and federal safety standards compliance, such as form HS07 or equivalent)
•           [VIR]—State Vehicle Inspection Report
•       [VTR-68-A] - Autotheft Report completed by a low enforcement officer
•            (Form 130-U) completed, which is Application of Texas Title and/or Registration.
•           The vehicles Odometer if required
•           Car Ownership/ Proof the car is completely paid for
•           Proof of Insurance

The base registration fee in Texas is $51.75. Let’s hope they have nice license plates initials to give you!

 

5|      Texan Driving License

Welcome to Texas!

Next step is getting to change your driving license. You have up to 90 days to make this change. This is especially required if you get any tickets that you would like to write off through a defensive driving course!

Link to find places is at Texas Driving License Services [DPS]. After the first time registration, renewing license can be done online. 

Please note that this must be booked in advance as getting an appointment in a short manner will be difficult. Walk-ins are allowed in some locations, like Plano, but you must camp there at around 6:00 a.m. as they stop taking people in after 8:30 a.m. (even if you are still in the line, you won’t make it in).

Moving in the shipping

Looking for additional ways to cut costs, put everything in your car and ship it!

Box and luggage shipping can be done wisely in this step. You can ship your car with luggage inside of it as long as it does not reach higher than the window’s level. There are weight restrictions that you can discuss with the transportation company. This results in significant savings.

Here is a video of how stuffed my car was!

 At the time of my inquiry, a medium-size box (18"*12"*10") of 5-10 pounds will cost between $100-$200, depending on the service provider you choose.

I hope this was of use and will make your travel plans smooth!

-- Lana B. Khoury --