I need a customs broker, and I have (almost) all the paperwork

[mopar4]

I recently moved from Canada to Florida and I brought my 1987 TLC diesel JDM import with me. The vehicle has a VIN that is only 11 digits long. I know that the province I moved from would sometimes supply a new VIN for imported vehicles, and I can only guess that this is what the case is with this vehicle (all my previous JDM imports had a VIN with 14 digits). I love this LC and would love to keep it because it has the 12HT engine with low mileage. I have been having issues with getting it registered in Florida because I didn't get a customs form when I drove it across the border (form CP7501). I need the form stamped, so apparently I have to go through a customs broker now to get the customs form. However, all the brokers I have conversed with want a Carfax for the vehicle. That seems to be impossible because the Carfax site in Canada requires a 17 digit VIN.
Does anyone know of a reputable customs broker that they have experience with that could help me through this process? I want to avoid driving it back to Canada in order to sell it.

 

[gilmorneau]

the province I moved from would sometimes supply a new VIN for imported vehicles, and I can only guess that this is what the case is with this vehicle

Why would you need to guess about this? If your home province in Canada assigned the vehicle a new VIN it would be on your ownership paperwork and should also appear on the vehicle itself, usually in the form of a sticker or plate issued by the provincial authorities. In any case, Florida doesn't require an assigned VIN as far as I can tell (I don't live there), but you will need to get a VIN verification form 82042 completed by a DMV inspector, or law enforcement officer, or notary public, or vehicle dealer......

I have been having issues with getting it registered in Florida

Lol...I didn't know this was possible.

apparently I have to go through a customs broker now to get the customs form

No, you just need to visit a US Customs office. Find the one nearest you:

Port of Entry

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

Tell them you want to import your car and need a stamped 7501. They're supposed to collect import duty at the rate of 2.5% of the vehicle's value, and you'll need to have NHTSA (HS-7) and EPA (3520) declaration forms ready for them. You'll need proof of ownership (and possibly insurance) as well. Yes, it's probably better to do it at the border, but you don't need to, and for a vehicle over 25 years old, you don't need a Customs Broker or Registered Importer to do any of it for you.

the brokers I have conversed with want a Carfax for the vehicle

??? I've imported several cars. Never heard of this. Are these "brokers" just shady car dealers, or actual US Customs Brokers?

Does anyone know of a reputable customs broker that they have experience with

Sure, I've used Seabridge/Lamprecht out of Baltimore many times with great service and no problems. But, as above, you don't need to use a Customs Broker for what you're doing. You can, if you just want to pay someone to take care of it for you, but you don't need to. BTW, a Customs Broker will get it legally imported into the US, but they won't get it registered in Florida (or any other state) for you.

I want to avoid driving it back to Canada in order to sell it.

If you want to sell it in the US, it will need to be cleared through US Customs first. If you want to sell it in Canada, just drive it back there. If you want to keep it in the US indefinitely as your personal vehicle, clear it through Customs as outlined above.

None of this should be too difficult. Good luck.

 

[mopar4]

Why would you need to guess about this? If your home province in Canada assigned the vehicle a new VIN it would be on your ownership paperwork and should also appear on the vehicle itself, usually in the form of a sticker or plate issued by the provincial authorities. In any case, Florida doesn't require an assigned VIN as far as I can tell (I don't live there), but you will need to get a VIN verification form 82042 completed by a DMV inspector, or law enforcement officer, or notary public, or vehicle dealer......

Lol...I didn't know this was possible.

No, you just need to visit a US Customs office. Find the one nearest you:

Port of Entry

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

Tell them you want to import your car and need a stamped 7501. They're supposed to collect import duty at the rate of 2.5% of the vehicle's value, and you'll need to have NHTSA (HS-7) and EPA (3520) declaration forms ready for them. You'll need proof of ownership (and possibly insurance) as well. Yes, it's probably better to do it at the border, but you don't need to, and for a vehicle over 25 years old, you don't need a Customs Broker or Registered Importer to do any of it for you.

??? I've imported several cars. Never heard of this. Are these "brokers" just shady car dealers, or actual US Customs Brokers?

Sure, I've used Seabridge/Lamprecht out of Baltimore many times with great service and no problems. But, as above, you don't need to use a Customs Broker for what you're doing. You can, if you just want to pay someone to take care of it for you, but you don't need to. BTW, a Customs Broker will get it legally imported into the US, but they won't get it registered in Florida (or any other state) for you.

If you want to sell it in the US, it will need to be cleared through US Customs first. If you want to sell it in Canada, just drive it back there. If you want to keep it in the US indefinitely as your personal vehicle, clear it through Customs as outlined above.

None of this should be too difficult. Good luck.

To update on this...
I got the required forms and a broker to help me with this. The broker was VERY helpful and helped me with many of the issues that came up, even after they had technically fulfilled their end. I discovered that the broker was a requirement in this circumstance. Some replies suggested that I take care of the process myself, but since the vehicle was not registered as an import when I crossed the border, I was required to hire a broker to take care of the process. I had the paperwork ready at the time I came into the country, but the CBP officer had a nasty bug up his ass and wouldn't even let me attempt to import the vehicle at the time.
I got the EPA form, the DOT form, the CBP7501 form, and then went to have the LC inspected at the Florida department of highways. e inspector found that the VIN supplied from Toyota was not the VIN used on the CBP Entry inspection form (CBP used the VIN supplied by the provincial government). The broker helped me get a new CBP Entry form stamped with the correct VIN (supplied by Toyota). I thought I was all set. At the DMV, I was told that the information was insufficient, even after they talked with the vehicle inspector at the Florida Highway Patrol. Now I'm required to get a title from my provincial government with the original VIN. And the provincial government won't give me the title unless I'm there in person.
I had a full head of hair prior to all of this, but I've pulled most of it out.

 

[gilmorneau]

The broker was VERY helpful

As they tend to be. I'm glad you found a good one.

the CBP officer had a nasty bug up his ass

Always a danger with bureaucrats, and we're sometimes at their mercy.

I had a full head of hair prior to all of this, but I've pulled most of it out.

Sorry to hear of your experience.

Let me see if I have the facts straight:

1: The car is a JDM import and has an 11 digit VIN as originally supplied by Toyota and also a separate VIN supplied by the Canadian Provincial government? Both numbers are physically present on the car? Do you have any documentation from the Canadian authorities pertaining to the VIN reassignment?

2: US CBP used the Canada-issued VIN on the import paperwork? So that's what's on your 3520, HS-7, and 7501?

3: Florida is telling you they only accept the Toyota-issued VIN? Which means they need to see it physically on the car and also on the Canada title paperwork? (this is not true, BTW, as a re-assigned VIN is legitimate in Florida)

4: The Canadian title has the provincial-issued VIN on it?

5: The Canadian provincial authorities won't generate a new title with the original Toyota-issued VIN unless you (and presumably the car) are physically present in Canada? And if they can issue title with the Toyota VIN, why did they go to all the hassle of creating a new VIN before?

You have two options, I guess, but you really need to have the same VIN on everything in order to be successful. Since you already have the provincial VIN number on a Canada title, the 3520, HS-7, and a 7501, and (presumably) on the car itself, that seems like the best one to use IMO. What should have happened when you got your Florida VIN inspection is that the inspecting officer should have used the provincial VIN, not the Toyota VIN. Once that number is assigned by the provincial authorities, it is, for all intents and purposes, the legal VIN number of that car, regardless of the number Toyota assigned at manufacture. Florida should recognize that as the legitimate VIN for the vehicle, as there are many circumstances under which a vehicle might get a re-assigned VIN, and it's
totally legitimate in Florida as it is elsewhere.

All that said, if the Canadian provincial-assigned VIN doesn't appear anywhere on the vehicle, and you have no documentation of the VIN re-assignment, then you are stuck getting everything with the Toyota assigned VIN, even if that means returning to Canada to get it done.

Sorry I couldn't be more help. Good luck.

 

[AirheadNut]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, I too have been through the wringer with local DMV people not knowing the law when it comes to Canadian assigned VIN's on JDM imports. For both the US and Canada, once a Canadian province assigns a new VIN to a vehicle that is the legal VIN in all of North America and supersedes the original Toyota frame number. Legally your paperwork should only have the Canadian VIN on it and the DMV should accept that as the vehicle's VIN. For me the solution was usually to just go back to the DMV at a later date and hope I got someone who wasn't having a bad day.

 

[gilmorneau]

Been thinking about this a bit more. I think the answer, as @AirheadNut says, is to go back to the DMV and have the Canadian-assigned VIN on everything. Which means you'll need to get a new VIN verification form (82042?) with the Canadian VIN and not the original Toyota VIN. Anyone doing the VIN verification should know that the assigned VIN is the legal, correct one. If they don't, find a new inspector. You'll also need your original Customs Clearance form (7501) that had the Canada-assigned VIN on it, assuming you kept it.

Whatever paperwork you have, be it Canadian Title, Insurance papers, import papers, VIN verification, Customs declarations, everything needs to have the same, provincial government assigned VIN number on it. That includes the car, BTW. The provincial authorities must have attached a plate or sticker to the car with their number, didn't they? Certainly hope so. If you had any paperwork related to the provincial-assigned VIN, that would probably be helpful to have with you at both the VIN verification procedure, and at the DMV for title/registration.

As before, best of luck. You'll get it done.

 

[mopar4]

Well, be that as it might be, I was at the mercy of the DMV folks, and nothing I would say would change anyone's mind. In the end, I got it done. The secret was to just keep trying at different locations. After my 3rd try, they accepted my paperwork (which is all valid and legal and showed that the vehicle is legit and has no liens).
And now, much to my future regret, I am listing the truck for sale. It can be seen in the classified section.