Can I ship my car from Dubai to Canada?

Yes it is possible to ship your car from Dubai to Canada. While there are certain regulations concerning auto transport from Dubai to Canada, It is not an impossible task and is certainly much more easily doable if you decide to indulge in our services in car shipping from Dubai to Canada.

Canada is the second largest country in the world by land area, so it poses a unique advantage in the field of logistics. They have ports situated in the middle of many of the global busy trade routes. It helps when Canada has accessible trade routes within the country and a solid enhanced logistics infrastructure as well. It makes sense that logistics and trade play a vital role in Canada’s economy and according to statistics, its revenue is only growing higher and higher.

It comes as no surprise that we, as a freight forwarding company, frequently deal with Canada and many of their ports on business matters, so we have a good relationship with the country and can provide excellent services in car shipping to Canada.

Car Shipping Regulations in Canada

Prior to shipping a car to Canada, you must make sure that your car will be eligible for import into Canada with regards to their car shipping regulations. Canada has strict shipping requirements with regards to safety standards being met when a vehicle is being imported.  There are no exceptions if the car does not meet their criteria.

The Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) works alongside Transport Canada to ensure that all vehicles being imported into Canada are done with respect to their safety standards.  It would be wise to verify whether your car will be accepted into Canada before you commit to shipping the car.  If you do ship an inadmissible vehicle into Canada your vehicle will be denied entry and you will be liable for all storage and disposal/re-export costs incurred.

While it is prohibited by the CBSA and Transport Canada to import vehicles that are not manufactured for sale in either Canada or the United States of America, there are circumstances where cars manufactured for other foreign markets may be imported. Such circumstances include:

• Where the vehicle is in excess of 15 years old.
• Where the vehicle is returning Canadian compliant vehicle being re-imported back into Canada (evidence will be required)

It should be noted that no amount of modifications made to non USA or Canadian cars to replicate their standards will allow the vehicle to be imported by the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Act under Canadian safety requirements.

Vehicles less than 15 years old

With the exception of cars manufactured for sale in the United States, it is prohibited by Transport Canada to import cars under 15 years made for foreign markets. Cars manufactured in the US are eligible for car shipping to Canada but with heavy regulations and restrictions. These heavy regulations are provided by the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV), a body established to administer regulations for the importation of US made vehicles into Canada. 

One aspect of these regulations by the RIV are the modification work to make it eligible under Canadian standards. We urge you to comply with all the requirements and modifications prior to shipping the car.

Vehicles over 15 years old

Vehicles that are over 15 years old qualify for an exemption from the RIV guidelines. However, the owner must be able to prove the claim of the vehicle being over 15 years old by providing the necessary documents, such as a copy of the vehicle license document (V5).

While it is permitted for such vehicles to be imported to Canada, there are heavy restrictions in registration of the vehicle. These guidelines differ from province to province so we urge you to be aware of these requirements prior to registration.

Car Preparation

For the car to be given approval to be imported to Canada, there are also several quality checks that are conducted on the vehicle inorder to meet the required standards. Therefore, Its best to prepare the vehicle for the process of car shipping. Special attention should be paid to,

• Undercarriage should be specially cleaned and should be free of foreign soil.
• No personal belongings and other cargo should be present in the shipment.
• Cleaning your vehicle inside and out.
• Making sure all lights are working.
• Checking tire pressure and treads.
• Ensuring all fluids are topped off.
• Repairing any damage or dents.

Documents required for car shipping to Canada

The following documents are required for your vehicle to be shipped to Canada. Additional documents are required depending on the destination country and the origin of the car in question. 

• Passport
• Proof of ownership and previous registration
• Insurance documents
• Original bill of lading
• An export certificate from the RTA

Our expert team at Car Shipping Dubai – CSD will be more than happy to cooperate with you in this matter.

Duties and taxes when shipping a car from Dubai to Canada

A duty of 6.1% applies for cars manufactured outside of Canada and the US while the tax rate differs from province to province. An additional excise tax of 100$ is charged if the car has air conditioning.

For returning residents, there is a tax and duty exemption if the car in question has been used for more than 6 months. However, it is only applied to the first $ 10,000 of the value of the car. If the value exceeds the amount, taxes and duties may apply.