Just a note for anyone planning to import an Audi A6 from USA to Canada.
- Summary
- It can be done without terrible trouble
- It costs money and takes some paperwork. Keep a folder to put ALL the paperwork in. It cost me about $3200 Cdn total to get Canadian plates.
- We brought our 2013 Audi A6 from USA to Canada, we bought it in 2012 and it had about 35,000 miles
- You have to get a recall clearance letter, call Audi USA about a week in advance and they will get Audi Canada to send you the letter
- You have to inform the US border crossing you plan to use of your export of the car at least 2 business days in advance. I hired a customs broker, Borderbuddy, to do this for me for about $100.
- Note that US border crossings only allow you to export cars on working weekdays between 8 and 4pm with no exceptions. I made it with 5 minutes to spare.
- The customs broker had already filed the paperwork with the US border station.
- They stamp your original US title
- The Canadian border is different, they are open 24/7/365 for imports, and you will see why.
- The Canadian CBSA border service wants their paperwork and their money
- If you are moving to Canada, put the car on the import form for all your furniture and you will get a $10,000 exemption on the tax and duty. The car does not have to cross the border at the same time, it just has to be listed as "goods to follow".
- The CBSA will fill out a "Form 1" when you cross with the car.
- They will charge you their part of the HST (Hated Sales Tax), duty, and excise tax on the value of the car. If your car is not NAFTA compliant, like the A6, you will pay a lot of duty. I paid about $2700 Cdn total for everything.
- They take all major credit cards.
- They recruit only from the minority of unfriendly Canadians
- Once you have your Form 1, your recall letter, and your title, you go online to the Registrar of Imported vehicles, link.
- You sign up for an account and input details of your vehicle
- You have to either upload, fax, or scan and email your title, recall letter, and form 1 to them
- They charge you about $200
- After a few days, they send you back another set of forms, print these out
- You then go to an inspection center, the RIV has a list, it is usually a Canadian Tire.
- The Audi A6 does not need any modifications to pass the inspection as it has daytime running lights, you can set the odometer to kilometers, it has a proper alarm system, etc. There is no need to go to an Audi dealer.
- The inspection center checks your car, then does an Ontario safety inspection. This usually costs about $150. You get more paperwork back.
- Get your Canadian car insurance set up.
- Go to a Service Ontario office with ALL your paperwork including the Canadian insurance papers. They will check the paperwork, charge you about $150, and give you Ontario plates and registration.
- You are done.