Yes I used search. Yes I went to the customs website (goverment, not cool cars) As any of you Canucks know if you paint cars, all the laws have changed here and we can't get the same paint we used to. The one I'm just wrapping up cost me North of $600.... just for paint! Automotive finishes are a relative bargan South of the border. So my question is. Can I bring a gallon of paint across the border? Is it legal? Has anyone done it? Thanks!
I highly doubt you can bring it over. I would just call the border station and talk to them. I know when my 55 got trailered over the border it was there for 2 hours while they verified vin, ***le, etc. It had a half a gallon of paint in a box inside the car and they never said a word about it, so maybe just don't mention it and play dumb if they ask, but thats probably a bad idea I get those sometimes. Scot
I don't know about having it shipped over the boarder but as far as I know if you go down and pick it up it's not a problem. I'm working on a friends car now and he's planning on getting the paint from the states too.
Chopped51...I worked as a inspector with Canada Customs for 12 years at the Peace Arch border crossing as well as at the 'truck crossing' nearby. I have been retired from the service for about 12 years now, and my recall is very foggy concerning specific importations...but, I can offer this advice: Canada Customs (now called Canada Border Services) maintains a customer service telephone line just to answer questions such as yours. Just open your phone book to the section for governemnt listings. Those folks would be glad to answer your questions. None of that information is secret, you only have to ask to be informed. Then you will know what you can bring and what you can't. And there is a reason why certain goods are prohibited/restricted. Not good enough that you think you are just being inconvenienced, your government (love 'em or hate 'em) has p***ed legislation proclaiming goods to be safe for importation or banned. I would never, under any cir***stance, suggest you just "forget" to declare anything you obtain while outside Canada. If you think crossing the border is a pain in the backside now, just wait until you find yourself on the receiving end of search and seizure process. And, depending upon the cir***stances, you might be risking much more than just an embarr***ed "Oops, I musta forgot about that." Monetary fines can be substantial, criminal prosecution may also result, and forfeiture of goods and conveyances (meaning your car, truck, boat or whatever). And, to put this all in its proper perspective, with today's computer technology, if caught you have the benefit of being identified each and every time you cross the border and you can expect personal attention and frequent disruptive searches. Hey, you live in the greatest country in the world, but it comes with responsibilities. Your special paint may be banned for good reasons. Go to "plan B" and find something just as flashy, but legal. And always "Declare, declare, declare" to the nice customs man. There aren't many lies and excuses he has not heard, and most people are not good liars. Ya don't have to like paying duty & taxes on importing goods, you only have to pay 'em so you can stay worry-free next time you find yourself approaching that booth. And any time you plan to cross the border, take ALL the receipts you have for any & all special equipment on your vehicle. Do yourself a favour and put 'em all in neat order in a s**** book or photo album. The less time the customs guy spends looking to verify your 'stuff', the quicker you get through the border. Lots of people brag about how they sneaked through customs and didn't get caught...very few brag about what happened after they did get caught. It just ain't worth the h***le. Officer Dudley Dooright...
what are the laws, why are they intacked for ?? is it a health thing?is it an enviroment thing? im interested to hear more here, hopefully whatever the law is it doesnt fly over here, i like the idea of going to my local paint supplies shop and getting whatever i need, I totally sympathize with you guys, this is a ******** hard rule what ever it may be, and its interferring with your hobbys and happyness, heres an idea for you guys, have you got any friends in the trade of panel work or spraying ,if so can u possibly gain your paint through them ? or friends of friends etc, just throwing ideas to help you guys out, makes me realize that im a lucky guy, gd luck and all the best A-tub
A friend brought in some old style lacquer for a vintage restoration, when he came back from a trip to the US as a personal purchase. Told me he could not bring it into Canada under his company name as it would have to meet all current regulations for automotive paint.
It is not actually legal to mail paint here and shipping it can be a ******. I did get several pints of metalic gold organic maple syrup a couple of years ago. Pretty good stuff.
if your concered about useing water base paint ppg has a single stage paint called dellfleet and its reasonable $
I recently (4 months ago or so) ordered paint from TCP Global in So-Cal, Fed-Ex showed up with it a week and a half or so later, no problems.
Speaking as someone who often has to import stuff from the states via the mail service and the dreaded customs, I just feel it necessary to point out that if you go south of the border to buy your paint you will re-enter your country with exactly that in the trunk of your car. A tin of paint. Not heroin, not crack cocaine, not under age pros***utes "I'm very sorry officer, I did not realise that it contained prohibited substances!" Or even "what, the paint? That's been there for months!" What's the worse that is going to happen? Confi****ion and a fine? It's not like they're going to send you to the big house for it are they? Or has Canada turned into Nazi Germany? Just playing devils advocate that's all. Paul
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