The Short Answer
For most vehicles, plan on roughly $1,500 to $5,000 in fees on top of the purchase price to import a car from the US to Canada. That range covers GST, duty (where it applies), the RIV inspection fee, and the smaller excise charges baked into the process.
The bigger issue right now isn't the standard fee stack, it's the 2025 Canadian retaliatory surtax on US-assembled vehicles, which can run up to 25% of the dutiable value where it applies. That single line item can wipe out any savings you thought you were getting from a US purchase. Checking whether the surtax applies to your specific vehicle is step one, not a footnote you read after you've already agreed to buy.
The Fee Stack, Explained
Once a vehicle clears the surtax question, here's what actually gets charged. You'll owe 5% GST on the converted value of the vehicle at the border. Import duty is 0% if the vehicle meets USMCA/CUSMA rules of origin, or 6.1% if it was assembled outside North America. Then there's the RIV (Registrar of Imported Vehicles) fee, about $325 plus tax (about $390 in Quebec), which covers the mandatory compliance inspection. A $100 air-conditioning excise tax applies to any vehicle with A/C, which is nearly all of them. Very fuel-inefficient vehicles can also trigger a Green Levy of $1,000 to $4,000, and vehicles priced over $100,000 are subject to the federal luxury tax. Finally, provincial sales tax is charged when you register the vehicle at home, on top of everything already paid at the border.
The Process, in Brief
Before you buy anything, confirm the vehicle is admissible by checking the RIV list, since not every US vehicle is legally allowed into Canada. Your US export paperwork needs to be filed with CBP at least 72 hours before you cross the border. At the Canadian border, you declare the vehicle and pay the duty, GST, and any applicable surtax. From there, you have 45 days to complete the RIV inspection at an authorized Canadian Tire location before the vehicle can be plated and registered in your province.
Rules Are Moving Fast
Tariff and surtax rules on imported vehicles have changed more than once since 2025, and they can change again. Verify the current rules with CBSA before you commit to buying a specific vehicle, not after.
Is It Still Worth It?
Between the exchange rate, the surtax risk, and the fee stack above, importing from the US only makes financial sense when there's a meaningful price gap on the exact vehicle you want, one large enough to absorb fees, duty, and the possibility that the surtax applies. In a lot of cases, that gap doesn't exist anymore. A broker who works the Canadian market can often find a comparable vehicle here, at a similar or better price, without the border paperwork, the 45-day inspection window, or the surtax risk.
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- An honest comparison of import cost versus a Canadian-market equivalent
- Surtax and duty guidance specific to the vehicle you're considering
- Full price negotiation on any Canadian-market vehicle we find
- A transparent Deal Summary before you approve anything
- Paperwork handled via DocuSign, no dealership visits required
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