How to import a car from Canada to New York

Bring these documents

• Proof of clearance by U.S. Customs and Border Protection: CBP Form 7501 Entry Summary (DMV also accepts CBP 368, 7523, 3299, 3311 or 6059B) (NYS DMV imported vehicle page)
• Proof of ownership: for a used Canadian vehicle, the Canadian certificate of title or equivalent (provincial registration/ownership permit); DMV may also require a statement from the foreign motor vehicle authority that the document is equivalent to a title; for a new never-registered Canadian-built vehicle, the NVIS (NYS DMV)
• Form MV-82 Vehicle Registration/Title Application (NYS DMV register-and-title page)
• Form DTF-802 Statement of Transaction - Sale or Gift of Motor Vehicle (private purchase, sales tax computed at DMV) (NYS DMV sales tax page)
• Bill of sale showing purchase price (NYS DMV sales tax page)
• Odometer disclosure (on the ownership document or MV-103 Odometer and Damage Disclosure Statement)
• NYS insurance ID card (register within 180 days of its effective date) and proof of identity/date of birth (6 points) (NYS DMV register-and-title page)
• Certified English translation of any non-English document (NYS DMV imported vehicle page)
• DOT HS-7, EPA 3520-1 and Registered Importer bond-release letter: not named on the DMV imported-vehicle page, but DMV requires the vehicle to meet NYS safety/emissions standards; bring them (verify with agency)

VIN inspection

No separate state VIN inspection is required for titling; the VIN is checked at the mandatory NYS safety/emissions inspection station and DMV may inspect if ownership proof is in doubt (verify with agency).

Emissions

Yes. Every registered vehicle must pass the annual NYS safety and emissions (OBD-II for MY1996+) inspection; a new registration comes with a 10-day inspection extension and the vehicle must be inspected before it expires. DMV may require NYS safety/emissions compliance even if the vehicle is exempt from federal standards (NYS DMV).

Sales / use tax

NYS sales tax (4% state + local, generally 7%-8.875% depending on the county of residence) is collected by DMV at registration on the purchase price via DTF-802; if the price is below fair market value the Tax Department may assess on FMV. Credit for tax paid elsewhere (DTF-804) is available only for a limited number of reciprocal U.S. states; no provision exists for Canadian GST/HST, so expect full NYS tax (verify with NYS Tax Department).

Title and registration fees

Title certificate fee $50; plate fee $25; 2-year registration by weight from $26 (up to 1,650 lb) to $140 (6,951+ lb), e.g., about $59 for a 3,551-3,650 lb car; county use tax $5-$30/yr depending on county and weight; $50 (2-yr) MCTD supplemental fee in the 12 MCTD counties (NYS DMV passenger vehicle fee page).

Odometer in km

MV-82 and the ownership document record the odometer reading; NYS forms are in miles. DMV pages give no kilometer conversion rule; for a km odometer disclose the reading and unit and expect DMV/inspection station to record as presented or converted (verify with agency). A 1986 NHTSA interpretation to NYS DMV allows km-to-miles conversion (x0.62) with proper disclosure.