Canadian buying South African cat Taxes

[Grimgrak]

If I buy a used cat in the US or central america most likely a south african built cat what am I on the hook for it i never bring it into canada?
What if I were to bring it into canada? Located in BC if that makes any difference.

[Knot Safety]

You can register it in Canada. Just don’t bring it back to Canada or you will have to pay GST, PST and likely a duty as it’s South African manufactured and not parts of NAFTA/EU trade agreements. All in, look at 25% taxes, payable on entry.

Keep it outside Canada, fly the Canadian flag and tour the world until you are ready to sell and it will work out well

One wrinkle though if you go Canadian registered and it’s greater than 12 meters in length - you will need an official Canadian registered tonnage measured to visit the boat to do the measurements so you can register it. If under 12 meters, this is not required. Lagoon 400 are just a couple of cm under 12 m which worked well for me. Not well for friends who bought an L42.

[Grimgrak]

Originally Posted by Knot Safety

You can register it in Canada. Just don’t bring it back to Canada or you will have to pay GST, PST and likely a duty as it’s South African manufactured and not parts of NAFTA/EU trade agreements. All in, look at 25% taxes, payable on entry.

Keep it outside Canada, fly the Canadian flag and tour the world until you are ready to sell and it will work out well

One wrinkle though if you go Canadian registered and it’s greater than 12 meters in length - you will need an official Canadian registered tonnage measured to visit the boat to do the measurements so you can register it. If under 12 meters, this is not required. Lagoon 400 are just a couple of cm under 12 m which worked well for me. Not well for friends who bought an L42.

Looking at a 53 but does an official from canada need to weigh it or do i just use a broker agent while the boat sits a stones throw from the border in US waters?

[Knot Safety]

It’s not weight it’s measurement. It has to be an official appointed tonnage measurer. They exist all over the world but they have to be Canadian registered. Online search Canadian tonnage measures. Two sites will come up - Canada and international. Find the one you want, pay his fee and travel and you are done