Importing a car from France to Canada
Everything for this route: what Canada charges, how the car gets there and what to arrange in France — with the calculator preset for this route.
Taxes
Registration & paperwork
Not included: insurance, the green levy (CAD 1,000–4,000 on cars above 13 L/100 km) and winter-spec adaptations.
Registration tax by CO₂ band
| CO₂ g/km | General | Canarias | Increased* |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 120 | 0 % | 0 % | 0 % |
| 121 – 159 | 4,75 % | 3,75 % | 4,75 % |
| 160 – 199 | 9,75 % | 8,75 % | 9,75 % |
| ≥ 200 | 14,75 % | 13,75 % | 15 – 16 % |
* Asturias, Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia: 16 %; Cantabria 15 %; Murcia 15.9 %. Ceuta and Melilla: 0 % in every band.
Hacienda depreciation table (Orden HAC/1501/2025)
| Age | Value | Age | Value |
|---|
Transport from France to Canada
Indicative costs and durations for the usual ways to move a car on this route. Enter a real quote in the calculator for your own figure.
| Option | Cost | Duration | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car transporter (truck) | CA$1,050–CA$1,650 | 4–8 days | Paris → Toronto |
| Drive it yourself | CA$270–CA$520 | 2–3 days | export plates, fuel, tolls |
Worked examples: France → Canada
Two typical cars, calculated with this tool for a purchase in France. Change any detail in the calculator above to see your own figure.
Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI (petrol), 2023, 60,000 km, 125 g/km CO₂
Purchase price: CA$33,000 · Transport (indicative): CA$1,050–CA$1,650
| Customs duty | CA$2,095 |
| Excise: air conditioning (+ luxury tax) | CA$100 |
| GST 5 % | CA$1,827 |
| Provincial sales tax / HST part | CA$1,980 |
| Provincial safety inspection | CA$150 |
| Provincial registration & plates | CA$150 |
| Number plates | CA$0 |
Taxes & fees on top: CA$6,303
BMW X5 xDrive30d (diesel), 2021, 90,000 km, 185 g/km CO₂
Purchase price: CA$72,000 · Transport (indicative): CA$1,050–CA$1,650
| Customs duty | CA$4,474 |
| Excise: air conditioning (+ luxury tax) | CA$100 |
| GST 5 % | CA$3,896 |
| Provincial sales tax / HST part | CA$4,320 |
| Provincial safety inspection | CA$150 |
| Provincial registration & plates | CA$150 |
| Number plates | CA$0 |
Taxes & fees on top: CA$13,091
Taxes and fees in Canada for a car from France
Canada: 6.1 % duty on cars not built in the CUSMA region, 5 % GST at the border, provincial tax at registration, plus the RIV programme. Cars under 15 years old must be US/Canadian-spec; European-market cars are normally inadmissible until they turn 15.
Buying the car in France
France has a big market of well-priced cars — French brands especially — on leboncoin.fr, La Centrale and AutoScout24.fr. Private sales are common and cheaper; dealers (professionnels) give a VAT invoice and a legal guarantee. The seller must provide a contrôle technique (technical inspection) less than 6 months old for any car over 4 years.
The key export document is the certificat de cession (transfer form Cerfa 15776) signed by both parties, with the carte grise (certificat d'immatriculation) barred, dated and signed by the seller. French plates stay on the car; for a legal drive home get a WW export registration (immatriculation provisoire WW) or a transport. The seller can produce a certificat de situation administrative showing the car is free of liens.
Documents to collect in France
- Carte grise (certificat d'immatriculation) barred and signed
- Certificat de cession (Cerfa 15776), both copies
- Certificat de situation administrative (non-gage) less than 15 days old
- Contrôle technique (< 6 months) and the COC
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to transport a car from France to Canada?
Car transporter (truck): 4–8 days (Paris → Toronto) · Drive it yourself: 2–3 days (export plates, fuel, tolls)
Do I pay customs duty or VAT when importing a car from France to Canada?
Canada: 6.1 % duty on cars not built in the CUSMA region, 5 % GST at the border, provincial tax at registration, plus the RIV programme. Cars under 15 years old must be US/Canadian-spec; European-market cars are normally inadmissible until they turn 15.
What does it cost to import a car from France to Canada?
For a 3-year-old Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI the taxes and fees in Canada come to about CA$6,303; for a 5-year-old BMW X5 xDrive30d about CA$13,091 — transport from France not included. Calculated with this tool; the calculator above gives the figure for your own car.
Import into Canada from another country
Import from France to another country
These guides describe the usual procedure as of September 2026 and are indicative. Rules, fees and deadlines change and vary by region and office; carimportcalculator.com accepts no liability for decisions based on them. Confirm the steps with the authority named in each guide or a licensed agent before you buy.