There are a lot of people who want to buy a car outside of the province of Ontario. It may be that they have seen a car in another province that they want to buy. Or, they may have found a good deal. No matter what the reason there are rules that have to be followed. When buying a car outside of the province of Ontario.
Can I Purchase a New Car In Canada That Comes From a Different Province?
You can purchase a car anywhere you like. You have to know what the regulations are for buying that car in the province or country where you are buying it. Also, you need to know what the rules are for the province in which you will be bringing the vehicle to.
What Do I Need to Do To Register an Out of Province Vehicle in Ontario?
Once you buy an out of province vehicle, you may be bringing it to Ontario. This means you are going to have to register it. Every vehicle that is going to get driven in Ontario needs to get registered. When it is coming from out of province then there are some extra steps that come with this process.
Buying a Car Outside of Ontario
Quite often individuals buy cars in other provinces. Then they drive them back home to Ontario. They don’t realize that there are regulations about this. The first step is registering the vehicle in this province.
The information you are going to need to provide is;
- Your full name
- Date of birth
- Your signature
This is when you are using your driver’s licence. It also applies if you are using the identification number for the registrant.
Also, there is another document that you will need. It is a list of imported goods. On this list will be the vehicle that you are registering that has come from out of province.
You will also need to take care of the taxes that apply to the sale. In most provinces, this gets paid as retail sales tax. When the vehicle is being registered in Ontario, the 13% harmonized sales tax is applicable.
Non Residents of Ontario
Some individuals who have bought their vehicle outside of the province of Ontario. They are moving to Ontario now to become a resident here. If so then there may be an opportunity to become exempt from the RST.
Personal Use and Commercial Vehicles
Some individuals buy a vehicle that gets classed as a commercial vehicle. In the place where it is being bought from. The new owner is now going to use this vehicle for personal use in Ontario. If so, there are specific rules that are going to apply to this.
One of these will be the rules that apply to the heavy duty vehicles emissions testing. This will apply to those vehicles that are older than the current model year. Some are not sure as to what makes up a heavy duty vehicle. It is those vehicles that get registered at a gross weight that exceeds 4,500kg. Proof of empty wait needs showing. When registering the vehicle. Although this is sometimes shown on the ownership. If so it might not be necessary to provide more proof.
A complete bill of sale is another requirement. If the vehicle isn’t transferred over as yet into the new owner’s name. Also, added to this will be the need to prove the out of province ownership.
There may also be a need for structural safety. For this, the vehicle has to go to a vehicle inspection station. This gets determined by whether the vehicle is a rebuilt or salvage. Or something equivalent to this.
Buying a Car Outside of Canada
One may think that it would be far more difficult to bring a vehicle into Ontario. If it comes from outside of Canada. It is not all that much more difficult than bringing one in from another province of Canada. There are a few more requirements. What is most important is to be sure to have all the necessary documents.
One of these documents is going to the vehicle import form-1. At the border when the vehicle is coming through it will have to have the Vehicle Import Form-1. This can now get done online and filed before the declaration at the vehicle. This way the form gets done and completed when the car arrives at the border. Proof of this is presented when registering the vehicle in Ontario.
Proof of identity of the individual registering the vehicle needs to be given. Which is the same as that used for bringing in a vehicle from another province.
Emissions Testing
Ontario is very strict about emissions testing. If the vehicle is a light-duty vehicle, there is no need for an emissions test. Which is the Drive Clean test in Ontario. At least this is not required at the time the registration is being completed. But, there are specific rules for vehicles that are seven years or older than this. It means that every alternate year the vehicle must go through an emissions test. For the registration to get renewed.
Insurance
Vehicles that are going to get driven in Canada means the driver must get insured. It is important that the individual knows what all the rules are. When an individual is registering a vehicle in Ontario. Also is getting the vehicle permit, licence plate and the sticker to know what all the rules are. Proof of insurance, in this case, is needed.
Staying Informed
Rules and regulations when bringing a vehicle in from another province are important. But, they can change at any time. Any individual that is planning on doing this should check for updates. It can be a real hassle to get denied registration. All because of some error of omission. Or by not following the rules.
About the Author: Ashley Miller
