How do I buy a Trailer in Canada and get it into the US
- Thread starter WMac
- Start date
Nadir_E
Adventurer
Best answer is to talk to your local Department of Motor Vehicles first to see what their requirements are for a new trailer registration. Once you have that info, make sure the trailer you're buying meets those standards (lights, brakes, whatever) and it should be a snap to register it.
-N
Dude, you better buy that trailer. It for the price I sent you, it includes the 70qt fridge, a 1000w Honda Generator, ... and all the bells and whistles.
If you aren't gonna get it, I am gonna throw it out to the Conqueror crowd, cause there are those with Compacts jones'n for a Conquest.
Dendy
ps Getting it into the states should be a snap.
If you aren't gonna get it, I am gonna throw it out to the Conqueror crowd, cause there are those with Compacts jones'n for a Conquest.
Dendy
ps Getting it into the states should be a snap.
lx450landcruiser
Explorer
I was eyeing that trailer over pretty well too. If you decide youd rather have a compact in the states let me know i have a brand new one sitting in the garage in arizona and im currently in washington across the boarder from that one.
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you’re talking at a State level.
The trailer has to come over the border and be declared, which is at the Federal level.
Trailers are classified as vehicles, up there with cars. So the trailer has to have a DOT & NHSA approved VIN label and must have been built for the USA market.
The only way to bring in a gray market vehicle is to have it brought up to standards by an DOT approved facility, and none of them work on small trailers.
If however the trailer has an approved US VIN plate then the import procedure is a breeze.
How about you just have the Canadian drive over the border with it, sell it to you and then muddle through it afterward with the MVD.
Tell them you built it yourself.
What are they going to do, call you a liar?
Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Governments are not going to help you get the trailer that you want. White lies won't hurt.
Tell them you built it yourself.
What are they going to do, call you a liar?
Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Governments are not going to help you get the trailer that you want. White lies won't hurt.
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Again I'm taking the roll of bubble buster.
What you have described has been done of course. The downside is that a vehicle that does not conform to US standards is liable to either immediate export or has to be destroyed, should it be discovered.
On top of that you have the possibility the Feds will press charges against you.
WMac
Adventurer
So just for the sake of conversation, Whos to say "Where it came from"
What I mean is, whats the diffrence in this one Vs one out of Atlanta ?
Second question, and Again I just dont understand any of this.
Is let's say a canadian citizian took a vacation to the US with a trailer in tow, and while here decided to "sell his trailer" to say ME ?
Again whats the diffrence in his and the same one from Atlanta ?
How does the DMV know where it came from, Canada Vs Atlanta?
They both originated from the same manufacture in SA. same wiring, lights, MSO, Etc. and were assembled somewhere else.......whos to say where that "Else" was.
Im not attempting to pull off something here. It just doesnt make any sence to me.
What I mean is, whats the diffrence in this one Vs one out of Atlanta ?
Second question, and Again I just dont understand any of this.
Is let's say a canadian citizian took a vacation to the US with a trailer in tow, and while here decided to "sell his trailer" to say ME ?
Again whats the diffrence in his and the same one from Atlanta ?
How does the DMV know where it came from, Canada Vs Atlanta?
They both originated from the same manufacture in SA. same wiring, lights, MSO, Etc. and were assembled somewhere else.......whos to say where that "Else" was.
Im not attempting to pull off something here. It just doesnt make any sence to me.
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Unfortunately the waters are very muddy when it comes to this brand of trailer. There is a considerable body of evidence that none of the trailers were ever imported legally into the USA.
This has nothing what so ever to do with the overseas manufacturer, it all has to do with the importer.
Every country or region has their own set or rules and regulations that have to be satisfied before a vehicle can be imported. It means that a European standard vehicle can't automatically come into the US, and a US vehicle can't go to Europe. To use your example of the lights on your trailer. The South African lights are certified by the SABS (South African Bureau of Standards), these light do not meet DOT standards, nor do the reflectors. So many of the components have to change based on the country the trailer is sold in.
The VIN number on a vehicle tells the story. It identifies in which country it was made, the manufacturer who made it, a vehicle description, the year it was made, the plant it was made in, and the production number.
Every vehicle legally imported to the USA has it's VIN entered into a data base with the DOT.
If you can send me a picture of the VIN label on this trailer I'll be able to tell you if you can legally import it into the US.
WMac
Adventurer
Martyn, I agree with everything your stating, and no question that You would know. and I understand the light issue, VIN plates, Etc. But that aside. these guys who buy these are getting them licensed. There dosent seam to be an issue in getting them registered in the US.
My concern is as I stated before, How do I get a trailer out of Canada and into the US,
My concern is as I stated before, How do I get a trailer out of Canada and into the US,
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Get me a picture of the VIN label on the trailer, and I'll be able to tell you if getting it into the US will be easy or hard.
ExpoMike
Well-known member
You might want to talk to Glen at Kamparoo in Canada. (www.kamparoo.com) I bought my used Kamparoo from him. He had it shipped down to me with all of the paperwork needed. I had to take it to DMV for a VIN verification and overall inspection. DMV was able to get a new title made up and plates for it.
Since Glen ships trailers to the US (new and used), he might have some insight or even for a small fee, broker it for you.
Good luck.
Since Glen ships trailers to the US (new and used), he might have some insight or even for a small fee, broker it for you.
Good luck.
Martyn
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Mike
The crux of this is that Glen has registered with the DOT as well as Transport Canada as an importer/Exporter of Kamperoo trailers. So they are legal in Canada and the US.
The second point is that Glen is selling new trailers at a commercial level, rather than a single export at a personal level.