Toronto and Montreal are a long way inland, and people often assume a car from Ontario or Quebec has to be trucked to the Atlantic coast before it can go anywhere. Sometimes it does. But some of Canada's ports sit on the St Lawrence and the Great Lakes, right on the doorstep, and the eastern route avoids the Panama Canal leg that slows west coast cars.
This guide covers what is particular to central Canada: the river and lake ports, winter, and the provincial paperwork. Our guide to shipping a car from Canada covers the whole process, including the lighting work.
- Nearby ports
- Montreal, Hamilton, Québec
- Guide shipping price
- From £2,175 (Canada)
- Shipping time
- About 2 to 6 weeks
- Import tax
- 20% VAT + 10% duty
The ports on the river and the lakes
We ship from ports right across Canada. Three are in Ontario and Quebec, and two more on the Atlantic coast are within reach.
- Port of Montreal, on the St Lawrence, with RoRo ramps at QSL's Bickerdike terminal
- Port of Hamilton, on Lake Ontario, reached through the St Lawrence Seaway
- Port of Québec, on the St Lawrence in Québec City
- Port of Halifax in Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic
- Port Saint John in New Brunswick, at the mouth of the Saint John River
Which one your car leaves from depends on where it is, what is sailing and the time of year. We choose the port when we quote, so you do not have to.
Winter changes the options
The St Lawrence and the Great Lakes are not the same in January as in July, and that matters for which port is open.
| Feature | In winter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | Closed to ocean ships | The Seaway season usually runs late March to late December |
| Montreal | Open all year | Coast Guard icebreakers keep the river channel open |
| Halifax | Open all year | Deep, ice-free harbour |
So a car in southern Ontario might sail from Hamilton in the summer and go by road to Montreal or Halifax in the winter. You do not need to plan around it. We will.
Collection in Ontario and Quebec
We collect from anywhere in Canada, from a home address or a dealer, with open or enclosed transport, and the car is insured while it is moved. Our agents in Canada arrange it, so you do not need to be there.
The inland leg is part of the price. A car near Hamilton or Montreal has a short trip when those ports are the right choice. Our guide to the cost of shipping a car from Canada explains what else moves the figure.
RoRo or container
RoRo is generally faster, but the car has to run. A container is the safer option: the car is sealed in for the whole voyage and unloaded at our own premises in Castle Donington by our own team. For a classic or anything valuable, we would usually suggest a container. Our guide to container, RoRo or air has the full comparison.
Ontario paperwork
In Ontario the ownership document is the green vehicle permit. When you buy, the seller gives you the vehicle portion with the transfer section on the back completed. The seller keeps the plates and the plate portion, because in Ontario plates stay with the driver, not the car.
The Ontario government also says a seller is legally required to give the buyer a Used Vehicle Information Package, or UVIP. Ask for it, because it is part of a clean paper trail for the car.
Quebec paperwork
Quebec works differently. The SAAQ, which handles registration there, says the registration certificate is not a title to property, and tells buyers to draw up a written sales contract with the seller. For a Quebec car, that sales contract is the document to keep safe.
The SAAQ also suggests checking that the car is free of debt in the province's register of personal and movable real rights, the RDPRM, before money changes hands. If there is a loan on the car, our guide to shipping a car with finance outstanding covers the options.
Get the paper trail right before you pay. In Ontario that means the signed vehicle portion of the permit and the UVIP. In Quebec it means a written sales contract. Send us copies and we will check them before collection.
Your Ontario or Quebec paperwork
0 of 5 done
Our shipping agents tell you exactly what the Canadian export side needs once you accept a quote.
Once it lands
We clear the car through customs as HMRC CDS authorised agents and make the NOVA declaration. Then it gets the North American lighting changes: amber rear indicators, side markers, a rear fog light and headlights set up for the left. Our guide to converting an American car for UK roads applies to Canadian cars too.
A car under 10 years old takes an IVA test on our own site, one between 10 and 40 takes an MOT, and one over 40 needs no MOT. We register it with the DVLA through our dealer-level account, usually within 10 working days. If you are still choosing a car, our list of the most popular cars to ship from Canada may help.
What it costs
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping a car from Canada starts from around £2,175. That is shipping only. It does not include registration, other services, import tax or the lighting work.
A car from Canada pays 20% import VAT and 10% import duty on the price plus shipping. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty, and Transfer of Residence can make it tax free if you are moving here. The import tax calculator gives a rough figure.
Questions people ask
Which port do cars from Ontario or Quebec ship from?
It depends on where the car is, what is sailing and the season. The options include Montreal, Hamilton and Québec, and the Atlantic ports of Halifax and Saint John.
Can a car ship from Hamilton in winter?
Not usually. Ocean ships reach Hamilton through the St Lawrence Seaway, whose season usually runs from late March to late December. Montreal and Halifax stay open all year.
How long does it take to ship a car from Ontario or Quebec?
Shipping from Canada takes about 2 to 6 weeks. Cars from the east avoid the Panama Canal leg that adds time for west coast cars.
What paperwork do I need for a Quebec car?
The SAAQ says the registration certificate is not a title to property, so keep a written sales contract alongside it, plus the bill of sale and your passport or licence.
What is a UVIP?
The Used Vehicle Information Package. The Ontario government says a seller is legally required to give one to the buyer.
Got a car in Ontario or Quebec? Send us the details on the quote form and we'll price the whole journey to your door.
