Not everyone is lucky enough to find the boat they want to purchase right in their own backyard. It would be ideal if you had a broker, previous owner, or manufacturer around the corner offering just the vessel you want at the price that is perfect for you, but things rarely work out that way. Many Canadians do end up buying boats that are manufactured and registered in the United States, and if you end up doing something like this, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the process involved before you get ready to bring the boat into Canada. Knowing the best ways to import a boat from the USA can save you from potential headaches and problems when you are bringing the vessel across the border.
Import a Boat from the USA: Gathering Information Before Import
You want to make sure that you have all your paperwork in order before the date in which you are planning to bring your boat into Canada. Preparing ahead of time will help ensure that you do not overlook something you may need or make an error on any of your paperwork that could cause a problem or delay. A bill of sale is a necessity when importing, so you want to make sure you have something from the broker or the deal to help smooth the transition. You will also need to have your identification so that you can prove you are a Canadian citizen.
The Day of Import
When the day arrives that you are going to import a boat from the USA into Canada, you will have a few steps to take. If you are transporting the boat by water, you will need to stop at one of the designated ports on your route so that you can contact the proper customs officials. They will inspect your paperwork and the boat to make sure everything is correct. If you are traveling by land, you will need to stop at the border to have everything confirmed by Canadian customs officers at the border. In either situation, you will also need to pay any appropriate tax or duty that may be owned (the amount can vary) before the vessel can be brought into Canada.
Registration After Import
Once you have gone through the process so you can import a boat from the USA, you will want to look into the registration process or licensing so that your vessel can have all the legal information you need to operate in Canada. Here at the National Vessel Registry Center Corp., we can assist you with any and all the paperwork you might need to file with Transport Canada as part of the process. We provide all the applications in electronic form so that you can do everything on your computer, and our fast and secure system allows you to complete everything quickly and get it to us so that we can send your paperwork to Transport Canada for you. With our assistance, you can accomplish all you need to do so that your new ship is ready to go.