Driving a new car into the US with non-matching registration?

May 27, 2010 2:07 PM

Driving a new car into the US with non-matching registration?

In a few days I'll be buying a new car in a different province than the one that I live in (in Canada). I won't be able to change the registration on my car until I get back to where I live. This is quite common for where I'm from, and I've made sure that this is Ok with all the relevant parties, so no problem there. However, while I'm out, I might want to make a trip over the border into the US. Might doing this with the non-matching registration be illegal, legal but give me a bunch of headaches or be kosher?

posted by northernsoul to Travel & Transportation (3 answers total)

Given the state of things over here in the states, perhaps you should avoid the potential hassle altogether by flying over the border or renting a car for the trip. At this moment in time, we're not really flexible about our borders, and I don't see that situation getting better any time soon.
posted by davejay at 2:12 PM on May 27, 2010

Best answer: From Ms. Vegetable:
- If the registration is in your name but the wrong address, you're fine.
- If the registration is not in your name, but you have a bill of sale and the title signed over to you, you should be fine.
- If the registration is not in your name and you don't have proof that you recently bought the car, it could be a huge pain to convince the border patrol you haven't stolen said vehicle.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 2:14 PM on May 27, 2010 [1 favorite]

Single data point: I've done this without any proof of sale (not a recently bought car, but one belonging to a friend). They looked at me askance, asked a few follow-ups, and let me thorugh. I don't think you're breaking the law, so it's really just a question of hassle.
posted by zvs at 4:32 PM on May 27, 2010