How to Register a Canadian Car in the USA: Import, DMV, and Costs

To register a Canadian car in the USA, you clear it through U.S. Customs and Border Protection with the required federal forms, confirm the vehicle meets U.S. safety and emissions standards (or have it modified until it does), pay any applicable import duty, and then title and register it at your state’s motor vehicle agency within that state’s deadline for new residents. The paperwork is manageable. The cost is where people get surprised: depending on whether the vehicle qualifies under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the import duty alone can range from zero to 25% of the vehicle’s value.

First, Do You Actually Need to Import It

Not every Canadian car crossing the border has to be formally imported. Canadian visitors and temporary workers can drive a Canadian-plated vehicle in the U.S. for personal use for up to one year without importing it, as long as the vehicle meets U.S. safety and emissions standards or leaves the country within that period.¹ Nonresidents can bring vehicles in duty-free under federal rules, provided the vehicle is used only for personal transportation of the owner, family, and guests. Selling that vehicle within one year of entry triggers forfeiture unless you pay the applicable duty to a port director before the sale.²

If you’re moving to the U.S. permanently, or you bought a car in Canada and want to keep it here, the full process below applies.

Federal Paperwork at the Border

Tell the CBP officer at your first stop that you’re importing a vehicle. You’ll be sent to secondary inspection to file forms and pay any duty owed.

Two federal forms are required for almost every vehicle. EPA Form 3520-1 declares compliance with federal air pollution regulations and must be filed with CBP for every motor vehicle entering the country, including motorcycles and kit cars. DOT Form HS-7 identifies the legal basis for admission under the safety standards administered by the Department of Transportation.³ Download both from the respective agency sites and fill them out before you arrive at the port.

Bring your Canadian registration or ownership document (provinces issue registrations rather than titles), a bill of sale showing the purchase price, and any USMCA certification paperwork if you plan to claim duty-free entry. For Canadian vehicles, EPA Form 3520-1 also asks for proof the vehicle was built for the Canadian market, such as a Canadian emission control label, the provincial registration, or a letter from the manufacturer’s U.S. or Canadian representative.³

Meeting U.S. Safety and Emissions Standards

Every vehicle less than 25 years old must comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and EPA emission requirements to be permanently imported.⁴ Vehicles at least 25 years old are fully exempt from both and can be imported regardless of their original specifications.⁵

For a vehicle under 25 years old, the fastest path is the manufacturer’s certification label. Vehicles built to U.S. specifications carry a label near the driver-side door stating that the vehicle conforms to all applicable FMVSS. Many Canadian-market vehicles roll off the same assembly lines as their U.S. counterparts and have this label already. A sales contract identifying the vehicle as U.S.-compliant helps at the border too.⁴

If the label isn’t there, contact the manufacturer’s U.S. representative. NHTSA treats the manufacturer as the only reliable source for confirming whether a specific vehicle was built to comply with all applicable safety standards.⁵ A conformity letter from the manufacturer can stand in for the missing label. For DOT purposes, a conforming label must state that the vehicle “conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) in effect on the date of manufacture.”⁶

If the Vehicle Doesn’t Conform

A non-conforming vehicle needs professional help, and the cost jumps.

For safety, you must contract with a DOT-registered importer (RI) before or at the time of importation. RIs are businesses approved by NHTSA to modify non-conforming vehicles and certify them to FMVSS. NHTSA maintains a public list of active RIs by state, with roughly 109 businesses currently operating nationwide.⁷ You’ll also post a DOT bond equal to one and a half times the vehicle’s dutiable value, on top of the normal customs entry bond. Copies of the bond and your RI contract must be attached to the HS-7.⁴

For emissions, a non-conforming vehicle must go through an independent commercial importer (ICI) approved by the EPA. The ICI handles modifications, testing, and certification, and EPA won’t release the vehicle to you until that work is done. Arrange ICI work before shipping the vehicle to the U.S.; CBP and EPA can seize vehicles arriving at a port without ICI arrangements or a valid exemption in place.⁸

Import Duties and the 2025 Tariff Situation

The baseline federal duty on a foreign-made passenger car is 2.5% of the purchase price or declared value. Trucks are charged 25%. Motorcycles are 2.4% or free.⁴

Vehicles that qualify under USMCA enter duty-free. Both new and used vehicles are eligible, but the rules of origin are strict: the vehicle must meet thresholds for regional value content, labor value content, steel purchasing, and aluminum purchasing. CBP notes that vehicles produced before 2020 are unlikely to qualify, while those built on or after July 1, 2020 may meet the standard. Without USMCA certification paperwork at entry, full duties and fees are collected.⁴

The picture changed sharply in 2025. The U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on goods from Canada that do not satisfy USMCA rules of origin.⁹ For a used Canadian car that doesn’t qualify, that 25% rate replaces the old 2.5%. On a $20,000 vehicle, that’s the difference between $500 and $5,000. Trade policy keeps moving, so check CBP’s current rate schedule before you commit to a purchase.

Returning U.S. residents who took their own vehicle abroad get better treatment. You can apply your $800 CBP personal exemption and those of accompanying family members toward the vehicle’s value, then pay a flat 3% on the next $1,000, with any remaining value taxed at the regular duty rate.⁴ Returning residents who can present a state registration card or CBP Form 4455 showing the vehicle was taken abroad for personal use may qualify for duty-free re-entry.²

Registering at the State DMV

Once the vehicle is cleared and compliant, put together a document packet for your state motor vehicle agency. Requirements vary by state, but most will ask for:

The stamped federal customs paperwork, including EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7.
Proof of ownership: the Canadian provincial registration and your bill of sale showing purchase price, date, buyer, and seller.
Compliance evidence: the manufacturer’s certification label, a manufacturer’s conformity letter, or the RI/ICI certification if the vehicle was modified.
A U.S. auto insurance policy meeting your state’s minimums. Arrange this before the DMV visit; some insurers want to see the import paperwork first.
A valid U.S. driver’s license issued by the state where you’re registering. If you’re still on a Canadian license, you’ll typically need to exchange it first or alongside registration.

Most states require a physical VIN verification before issuing a title for an out-of-country vehicle. A law enforcement officer or authorized inspector confirms the VIN matches your paperwork. Many states also require a state safety inspection or emissions test for first-time registrations, particularly on newer vehicles. These state checks are separate from the federal compliance certification.

After the inspections, you’ll pay registration fees and state sales or use tax, and the DMV will issue a U.S. title in your name, plates, and a registration card. Some states hand out temporary plates while permanent ones are produced, with processing times ranging from a few days to several weeks.

Watch the Registration Deadline

Most states give new residents a limited window to register a vehicle after establishing residency. Thirty days is the most common, though several states allow 60 or 90, and a few require registration within 10 days or immediately. Miss the window and you’re looking at fines for operating an unregistered vehicle. Check your specific state’s DMV site as soon as you arrive.

Odometer and Other Canada-Specific Details

Canadian odometers track kilometers, and federal odometer disclosure rules require the reading to be reported in miles. The standard federal disclosure forms specify miles with no option for kilometers.¹⁰ Most modern vehicles let you toggle the display between metric and imperial. When you fill out the odometer disclosure, convert kilometers to miles (multiply by 0.6214) or switch the display to miles and report what you see. If the vehicle only reads in kilometers, note that clearly on the disclosure so you can’t be accused of misrepresenting the mileage.

Daytime running lights are mandatory in Canada but optional in the U.S., and Canadian configurations may not meet U.S. labeling requirements for the lamps.¹¹ These differences rarely block importation at the federal level, but they matter at state registration and when you eventually sell.

What It Costs

The total bill depends almost entirely on two things: whether the vehicle qualifies under USMCA, and whether it conforms to U.S. safety and emissions standards. Realistic line items:

Import duty: 0% if USMCA-qualifying. Otherwise potentially 25% of the vehicle’s value under current tariff policy for non-qualifying Canadian goods. Check CBP’s current rate; this is often the largest single cost.⁹
Customs processing fees: A merchandise processing fee typically applies on top of duty.
RI/ICI modifications, if the vehicle is non-conforming: Several thousand dollars or more depending on the work, plus a refundable DOT bond of 1.5 times the vehicle’s dutiable value.⁴
State sales or use tax: 0% to over 8% of the purchase price, depending on state and locality.
State registration and title fees: From under $50 to several hundred dollars.
VIN verification and inspections: Usually small fees, often under $20.
U.S. auto insurance: Varies by state, vehicle, and driving history.

A conforming vehicle that qualifies under USMCA gets through with modest out-of-pocket cost above the price of the car itself, mostly state taxes and registration. A non-conforming vehicle that also doesn’t qualify for a duty exemption is a different animal: you could spend $10,000 or more on a $30,000 car before it’s legally on the road. Run those numbers before you buy, not after the vehicle is sitting in a customs lot.

1
Government of Canada. Driving Outside Canada With Your Vehicle
2
eCFR. Title 19, Part 148 – Personal Declarations and Exemptions
3
United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Form 3520-1 – Declaration Form: Importation of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Engines Subject to Federal Air Pollution Regulations
4
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importing a Motor Vehicle
5
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Importation and Certification FAQs
6
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Importation and Certification FAQs
7
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Active Registered Importers
8
United States Environmental Protection Agency. Learn About Importing Vehicles and Engines
9
The White House. Fact Sheet – President Donald J. Trump Adjusts Tariffs on Canada and Mexico To Minimize Disruption to the Automotive Industry
10
eCFR. Title 49, Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
11
Government of Canada. Trucks, Buses, MPVs – Federal Lighting Equipment Location Requirements