Cross Border Relocations Customs Regulations
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This document discusses the requirements for moving employees and their households across the Canada/US border. It outlines the necessary documentation for employees, family members, motor vehicles, alcohol, firearms, pets, and plants. A Canadian or US work visa is required. Household goods are generally duty-free but motor vehicles, alcohol, and firearms have additional paperwork requirements. Pets need updated vaccinations. Plants cannot be transported across the border. The document provides forms and concludes that Taylor Moving has experience coordinating these complex cross-border relocations.
Cross Border Relocations Customs Regulations
- 1. Cross Border Relocations The ins and outs of successfully moving employees over the Canada/USA Border Presented by: Taylor Moving & Storage
- 2. Canada to USA Relocations • Employee must be a US citizen or possess a work visa (i.e. Green card, H-1, TN-1, L-1 etc.). • All accompanying household members must have a visa and or Status in the US (i.e. – H-2, TN-2, L-2,green card etc.). • Visas/I-94 cards must be activated and stamped by US Customs prior to household goods crossing. Taylor strongly urges that this is done before load date to ensure there is no logistical issue or unexpected costs. • Your Taylor move coordinator will obtain the passport pictures, visa/I-94 cards copies of each family member (Canadians) or passport pictures and social security numbers for each family member (US citizens). This is done via email. • Your Taylor coordinator will then ask for form 3299 to be filled out, signed and emailed back. Consulting on the correct filling out of this form is provided. • The Taylor coordinator acquires all of these documents before load day.
- 3. 3299 Form - Front -
- 4. 3299 Form - Back -
- 5. Canada to USA Relocations All used household goods clear customs at the border crossing and are tax and duty free under the previous discussed documents. There are however, several exceptions: • Motorized vehicles (cars, motorcycles, boats, etc.) • Alcohol • Firearms Each will be reviewed in the following slides
- 6. Motorized Vehicles • There are multiple forms that need to be filled out. Your Taylor Coordinator can help complete all of them. • Most financed vehicles can not be imported. Client must buy out right. • When vehicle crosses border US customs should stamp the 7501 as cleared. • If they don’t, the shipper must go to the nearest international airport to clear the vehicle with all supporting documents. All documentation needed is listed on the following slide.
- 7. Motorized Vehicles Purchased in Canada and moving to USA • Letter of Compliance (Provided by manufacturer) • Letter states if car meets DOT & EPA standards • Usually a fee for letter, client is responsible to pay and obtain. Fees vary by manufacturer. • Completed EPA (Provided by Taylor) • Completed Declaration (Provided by Taylor) • Completed 7501 (Provided by Taylor) • Scanned copy of the vehicle registration.
- 8. Motorized Vehicles Purchased in USA and moving back • Completed EPA (Provided by Taylor) • Completed Declaration (Provided by Taylor) • Completed 7501 (Provided by Taylor) • Scanned copy of the vehicle registration. • Scanned copy of bill of sale/old title. • Letter of Compliance is not needed.
- 9. EPA Form
- 10. Declaration Form
- 11. 7501 Form
- 12. Alcohol Most Clients have alcohol that they want to ship with their house hold goods. Beyond the normal transportation issues that arise from moving it (e.g. wine) there are a few customs issues to keep in mind. • If beyond a few bottles, customs will require an inventory outlining what and how much is being imported. Please see next slide for a spreadsheet that will help with this process. • Once Inventory is received by our move coordinator we will forward a copy to US customs. At this point the customs officer will let us know how much, if any, duties will apply. • At this point the client will make a decision on whether or not to take them. • It is mandatory that the client pay these duties to US Customs.
- 14. Pets Household pets are an important member of any family. We often are asked what needs to be done to have those clear customs with no unwelcome surprises. • All domestic pets (i.e. dogs, cats) need to have all updated vaccine and rabies shots done within 30 days of formal entry. This needs to be recorded by a certified vet. • The pet bust be given a clean bill as certified by a vet no longer than 14 days before formal entry. • There are many rules and regulations for exotic pets. If a client is taking one it must be dealt with on a case by case basis.
- 15. Firearms The transportation of firearms can be difficult. We do urge clients with firearms to transport them on their own. If we are required to transport them or if they are taking them, the following must be done: • A firearm permit must be obtained (application form Taylor to provide) • The process to obtain this permit usually takes 4 – 6 week. As such, this needs to be done well before move day. • If firearms are moving on van, our van foreman must have the original permit. • All guns must be transported in a gun case, must be trigger locked and have to be easily accessible for US Customs inspections.
- 16. Firearm Permit
- 17. Plants The movement of plants is difficult during any move. It is more so on cross border relocations. Due to restrictions at US Customs, we cannot move plants to the the USA on our van. We also strongly urge our clients not to transport them by themselves either.
- 18. USA to Canada Relocations • Employee bust be a Canadian citizen or possess an activated Canadian work permit. • Family members’ paperwork is not required. • When moving to Canada the household goods are place in bond at the border crossing and are only cleared at the nearest inland customs house. • Client will need to meet van foreman and provide their passport, work permit and household goods inventory. • All used household goods are tax/duty free and are cleared at this point except motorized vehicles, firearms and alcohol.
- 19. Motorized Vehicles • All motor vehicles ideally are owned by the client. If the vehicle is financed (i.e. has a lien against it) the client will need a notarized copy of the title, notarized letter allowing transportation from the lien holder on their letterhead. • All original titles/ownership must stay in the vehicle. • Copies of the ownership must be faxed or emailed to US Customs 72 business hours prior to the car entering Canada. Weekends do not count as the 72 hour rule. • When the car arrives to destination, the client must meet the driver at the nearest in land customs house to clear. • Clients on a Canadian work permit are able to transport their cars duty free. Returning Canadians with a USA bought car have the first $10,000 of the depreciated red book value of their car duty free. Any value over this $10,000 limit may be subject to HST (VAT) taxes applicable to their province.
- 20. Pets Similar regulations cover the transporting of pets to Canada as they do to the United States. All domestic pets (i.e. cats, dogs) must have a clean bill of health from a vet no longer than 14 days before formal entry and must have all vaccines and rabies shots no longer than 30 days before formal entry. Exotic pets need to be done on a case by case basis.
- 21. Firearms Canadian firearm regulations are much stricter in Canada than the United States. For instance, hand guns are for all intents and purposes banned in Canada. If a client wishes to move firearms into Canada, Taylor cannot transport them. In order to take their firearms, a client will need to take formal RCMP directed training, receive special permits, register the firearms with the RCMP and have proof of special firearm storage cases.
- 22. Alcohol If a client wishes to move alcohol to Canada beyond a few bottles, there is a potential for taxes and duties to apply. In such cases, the following process will apply: • Using the same spreadsheet as moving alcohol to the USA, the client will need to list out each bottle, and send to the liquor board in the province where they are moving. • The liquor permit must be paid for and obtained prior to clearing customs • On customs clearance day, the client will need to bring their liquor permit. The duties will be assessed by the customs agent and must be paid at this time.
- 23. Conclusion Moving an employee cross border has “mechanics” that are similar to a domestic move. As reviewed, there are however a number of steps that make these relocations much more difficult to manage. Cross border moving represents almost 40% of Taylor Moving’s revenue. Due to the high volume of cross border moves we have developed the infrastructure to manage the process from start to finish. We are unique in so far as we have our own DOT numbers allowing our entire fleet (17 units) to offer pack/load/haul service to and from the United States and Canada. Of course, we also have the backup of the entire Allied Van Lines/North American Van Lines fleet. Your Taylor move coordinator are more than willing to answer any questions you may have regarding cross border relocation.
- 24. “Taylor Takes Care” Thank you for joining us. Please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns.