Have you ever wandered into a good deal for a boat online and asked yourself “can a Canadian buy a boat in the US?” If you have, good news! They can! Here’s what to do.
Can a Canadian Buy a Boat in the US?
When approaching an international purchase of a vessel, you need to be careful. After all, you’re not necessarily on your turf, so people might try to take advantage of you. However, when it comes to whether or not a Canadian can buy a boat in the US, don’t worry. It’s perfectly allowed and, as long as you take certain precautions, there shouldn’t be any problem at all. Here, we can take a look at the situation from two possible angles.
Documenting a Boat in the US
First, can a Canadian buy a boat in the US if they live there? Canadian nationals who reside or work in the United States are allowed to buy a boat in the United States and operate it as long as they meet the guidelines and requirements set forth by the American Coast Guard. So, if you intend to have a boat while you’re in the country, all you need to do after the purchase is to properly register the vessel with the USCG, which you can easily take care of online. As long as you have valid residence documentation for the United States, there shouldn’t be an issue with you registering your boat with the Coast Guard and using it for recreational and, by your visa status, commercial purposes.
Importing the Boat Into Canada
Now, can a Canadian buy a boat in the US to bring it back to Canada? Yes, of course, and the process is relatively simple. Of course, unless you’re working with a dealer, you might have to go to the United States and bring the boat over through land by way of a trailer. Be sure to approach this carefully and thoughtfully, making sure that the boat is in good shape and that it has no potential financial liens that you should worry about. Later, when crossing the border, do not stop at United States customs but, rather, at Canada customs, where you’ll declare the boat and its cost. Once you’re back in Canada, you can easily and without issue register the boat with Transport Canada or get it a pleasure craft licence, depending on the intended use.
Documenting With Transport Canada
Filing any sort of registration or license application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your boat’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.
