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State guide · Michigan · checked October 28, 2026

How to import a car from Canada to Michigan

Three parts: make sure the car can come in, bring it through the border with a Registered Importer, then title it with Michigan Department of State (Secretary of State, SOS) - branch offices. Parts one and two are the same for every state and we handle them; part three is what this page is for.

Get a written quoteCheck a VIN first

Part 1 and 2

Getting it across the border

Before you pay

Check the car

Decode the VIN for build country and year, photograph the door-jamb label (FMVSS or CMVSS), and film the dash for the TPMS lamp. All three checks are free on our home page.

Border day

Registered Importer entry

We file CBP Form 7501, DOT HS-7 (box 3) and EPA 3520-1, post the DOT bond, and the car goes to our NHTSA-approved lot in Blaine, WA.

2–4 weeks

NHTSA release

Conformance work and the photo package go to NHTSA. When the bond is released you get the release letter and every stamped form, which is what Michigan will ask for.

Part 3

Titling and registering in Michigan

Agency: Michigan Department of State (Secretary of State, SOS) - branch offices.

Bring these documents

  • Vehicle title and ownership documents from the foreign jurisdiction (Canadian registration/ownership, signed over) (SOS 'Vehicle purchased overseas')
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection Entry Summary CBP Form 7501, stamped (SOS)
  • U.S. DOT form HS-7 (SOS)
  • U.S. EPA form 3520-1 (SOS)
  • Michigan driver's license or ID (SOS)
  • Proof of Michigan No-Fault insurance (SOS)
  • Application for Michigan Vehicle Title (TR-11L) if the ownership document lacks space for assignment/odometer; odometer mileage statement where the title has no space (SOS title transfer page; TR-11L)
  • Bill of sale / purchase price for 6% use tax computation (TR-11L use-tax section)
  • Lien termination statement if a lien was recorded (SOS)
  • Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin only for new vehicles; SOS notes the MCO indicates whether the vehicle was built to U.S. standards (SOS)
  • Registered Importer bond-release letter: not named on the SOS page but implied by 'must be imported by a certified importer' (verify with agency)
VIN inspection
No routine VIN inspection is required for titling an out-of-state or imported vehicle in Michigan; SOS pages list only documents. (A TR-54 vehicle number/on-road equipment inspection by law enforcement applies to assembled, salvage-rebuilt and similar vehicles - verify with agency if your vehicle has no prior title record.)
Emissions
None. Michigan has no emissions or safety inspection requirement for registration (verify with agency).
Sales / use tax
6% Michigan use tax collected by SOS at titling, computed on the purchase price or retail value, whichever is greater (TR-11L). Credit is given for sales tax paid to a reciprocal U.S. state with proof attached; Canadian GST/HST/PST is not a reciprocal-state tax, so expect no credit (verify with Michigan Treasury). Michigan Treasury makes the final tax determination; unsupported exemption claims can be penalized up to 175% of tax due.
Title and registration fees
Title fee $15 (plus $5 for instant title at a branch - verify); late title transfer fee $15 if not transferred within 15 days; plate transfer $10-$15. Registration (license plate) fee for 1984+ passenger vehicles is ad valorem based on the manufacturer's MSRP (declining over the first years); typical passenger-car plates run roughly $50-$250/yr, more for high-MSRP vehicles - use the SOS Registration fee calculator. Optional $14 Recreation Passport.
Odometer in km
SOS states the certified (registered) importer 'will convert the odometer reading to miles'; the Michigan title application (TR-11L / MCL 257.217) requires the reading in miles with no tenths. Michigan does not record kilometers - have the km reading converted/documented before applying (verify with agency).

Watch out for

  • SOS's 'Vehicle purchased overseas' guidance says the vehicle must be imported by a certified importer who converts the odometer to miles and handles duties; for an FMVSS-compliant Canadian vehicle self-imported with HS-7 box 2B, bring the manufacturer's compliance letter and be ready to explain (verify with branch).
  • Michigan requires the full federal set (stamped CBP 7501, DOT HS-7, EPA 3520-1) - not just customs paperwork.
  • Michigan No-Fault insurance must be in place before the branch visit.
  • Title must be transferred within 15 days of purchase or a $15 late fee applies.
  • 6% use tax is on the greater of price or retail value, so a low bill of sale will not reduce tax.
Sources

Instant estimate

What the import itself will cost

Duty, CBP fees, the DOT bond and our flat fee, before you add Michigan's title and tax. Set the build country from the VIN's first digit.

Estimated cost on top of the purchase price

$0

Get the written quote

Estimate only; your quote confirms the duty line on the entry date. Michigan tax and title fees are listed above and paid at the DMV, not to us.

Other states

Titling guides

WashingtonImport a car from Canada to WashingtonMontanaImport a car from Canada to MontanaNew YorkImport a car from Canada to New YorkArizonaImport a car from Canada to ArizonaFloridaImport a car from Canada to Florida
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