Info for Canadian buying a US camper.

[Mel Comeau]

Going to the USA to buy a used Scamp trailer and bring it back to Nova Scotia. Besides a VISA and the courage to go through with the frustration of the wild money exchange, and Gov. regulations, were do I get necessary reliable info, and things to watch for that may not be in that info? Any 25 year clause on US trailers?

[Jon in AZ]

Mel, your link appears to go nowhere, but I've not heard of any changes affecting the purchase or importation of used travel trailers.

I believe you meant to say "passport," not "visa." My recollection is the age at which a trailer is considered "vintage" and doesn't have to be certified as meeting Canadian transportation requirements is 16 years going north into Canada. The 25-year rule applies to trailers coming into the US.

The place to star your research would be your provincial vehicle registration office and the Canadian Border Services Agency.

[Jennifer Minogue]

We just did this last month with a casita which we brought to ontario from Michigan.

1. Have bill of sale. This determines the taxes.😊

2. Have title signed by the owner.

3. We did not need plates for Michigan. We had 3 days to drive it home. We DID make sure we had insured it by calling our car insurance provider.

4. At the border we supplied the title and bill of sale. We then paid the federal portion of the hst (5%?).

5. We then went to the nearest license office (sarnia) and got a plate. We then paid the provincial portion of the hst (8%).

6. A few weeks later we get a notice from RIV in the mail telling us to go on line, fill in a form with info off the manufacturer's plate, and pay $335. A week or so later we get a form from RIV to take to an approved inspector. There is a link to find the nearest one. Hmmm, they were all Canadian Tire stores

7. We go to Can Tire and get "inspected". The inspector faxes the form to RIV. A couple weeks later we get a sticker to affix to the trailer next to the USA one.

8. As a special added task, we got a notice from the ontario license office that the title was wrong because the clerk forgot to convert pounds to kilograms so they needed to re-issue it.

We did not have to drive over provincial borders to get it home so I speak to how long you can drive it around without plates.

[Jennifer Minogue]

Cannot speak, that is.

[Mel Comeau]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Mel, your link appears to go nowhere, but I've not heard of any changes affecting the purchase or importation of used travel trailers.

I believe you meant to say "passport," not "visa." My recollection is the age at which a trailer is considered "vintage" and doesn't have to be certified as meeting Canadian transportation requirements is 16 years going north into Canada. The 25-year rule applies to trailers coming into the US.

The place to star your research would be your provincial vehicle registration office and the Canadian Border Services Agency.

Thank you for reply and info. I did mean passport and not visa. I failed to proofread what I had written. :-(

[Mel Comeau]

Originally Posted by Jennifer Minogue

We just did this last month with a casita which we brought to ontario from Michigan.

1. Have bill of sale. This determines the taxes.😊

2. Have title signed by the owner.

3. We did not need plates for Michigan. We had 3 days to drive it home. We DID make sure we had insured it by calling our car insurance provider.

4. At the border we supplied the title and bill of sale. We then paid the federal portion of the hst (5%?).

5. We then went to the nearest license office (sarnia) and got a plate. We then paid the provincial portion of the hst (8%).

6. A few weeks later we get a notice from RIV in the mail telling us to go on line, fill in a form with info off the manufacturer's plate, and pay $335. A week or so later we get a form from RIV to take to an approved inspector. There is a link to find the nearest one. Hmmm, they were all Canadian Tire stores

7. We go to Can Tire and get "inspected". The inspector faxes the form to RIV. A couple weeks later we get a sticker to affix to the trailer next to the USA one.

8. As a special added task, we got a notice from the ontario license office that the title was wrong because the clerk forgot to convert pounds to kilograms so they needed to re-issue it.

We did not have to drive over provincial borders to get it home so I speak to how long you can drive it around without plates.

Thank you Jennifer Minogue for your reply and info on your Gov. sponsored marry go round. I will keep your info in mind.

[Mel Comeau]

Originally Posted by Mel Comeau

Thank you Jennifer Minogue for your reply and info on your Gov. sponsored marry go round. I will keep your info in mind.

Merry go round. :-)