Can anyone tell me about any costs (other than shipping of course) to import a horse to the US from Canada? Thanks
[QUOTE=c.harrison1;8477063]
Can anyone tell me about any costs (other than shipping of course) to import a horse to the US from Canada? Thanks[/QUOTE]
You just need permanent export and coggins. You can get that done during the vet check so not a huge additional expense. You’ll also pay taxes upon entry to the US. Still probably a huge savings considering the low Canadian dollar.
I didn’t pay taxes as it was a free horse, but just coggins and vet check, I think it was under 300 US (In April). Shipping was what I thought relatively inexpensive, under 700 for a 10 hour trip from somewhere in Canada to Newburgh, NY
We ship a lot of horses and ponies to the U.S. I will elaborate on what others have said already.
Your new horse will need to have a negative Coggins and health papers before crossing the border into the U.S. The health papers must be stamped by the federal vet within 30 days of crossing the border. So, if you do decide to get the paperwork done during the vet check, make sure NOT to get the health papers stamped until shipping has been arranged and a shipping date has been confirmed. Otherwise, if you cannot get your horse across the border within the 30 day period, you’ll have to pay to get new health papers done. 
Just simply ask the vet to send off the Coggins and hold back the health papers until shipping is booked.
You will have to pay a brokerage fee and vet fees at the border. It is usually around $250 and normally the shipping company will walk you through the process. It is very easy. Just requires signing a few papers and giving the broker your credit card number and Social Security Number as part of the Canadian/U.S. NAFTA agreement.
Is the brokerage fee in addition to taxes? What is the tax rate? Thanks!!
PM Nickelodian, she just did this.
Thanks Jo 
You need negative Coggins and a healt cert. When I did it, I’m pretty sure the brokerage company handled everything else for me. It depends on where you cross, but I used Bay Brokerage Company and they were good.
I didn’t use a shipper, trucked myself, so just had to make sure to cross when the border vet was there.
Sorry to derail, but do you pay taxes on a horse purchased in the states?
All of my horses were cheap cheap cheap (less than $1200) and I’ve never paid taxes… Was I supposed to?
ETA I also haven’t purchased a horse in around 10 years…
I had to show the Bill of Sale when coming back to Canada and had to pay some sort of Custom’s tax I believe. It was quite hefty. It was a few years ago now.
This is off topic and sorry to hijack your thread. We’re considering importing from Canada, but have no idea where to begin. Does anyone have recommendations on where to look for a young reasonably priced hunter? Preferably closer to the east coast?
You can just PM so as not to further take over this thread. TIA!
Yes, you are supposed to pay GST (HST as well, depending on the Province) on the purchase price…if you are a Canadian importing a horse back into Canada. That has been in place, I believe, since the GST was put in place many, many years ago.
The brokerage fees are separate, and are a flat fee. It is normally around $150. There are also no quarantine requirements.
Even with brokerage fees, the low Canadian dollar means you’ll probably get a screaming good deal bringing in a horse from up north. It’s been 15 years since I did it, and I’m really tempted to do it again!!
[QUOTE=Daventry;8485085]
Yes, you are supposed to pay GST (HST as well, depending on the Province) on the purchase price…if you are a Canadian importing a horse back into Canada. That has been in place, I believe, since the GST was put in place many, many years ago.
The brokerage fees are separate, and are a flat fee. It is normally around $150. There are also no quarantine requirements.[/QUOTE]
I think the cutoff for requiring to be registered for HST (or GST) is revenue of $30,000/yr.
If you are charged HST or GST, make darned sure that the seller is actually registered and has a HST/GST #.
Many Canadian sellers sell in U.S. dollars.
The above is particularly true as most of the North American horse sales websites are US based and you are instructed to enter the prices in US dollars only. For our American buyers however we are NOT required to charge HST (which is 13% in Ontario). Unfortunately for the Canadian buyers that is sometimes a pretty large additional cost to add on top of the price of the horse. But sadly we have no choice but to add the tax obviously 
Not all of them.
Wow…I would love to know how to avoid charging that tax. Only kidding! Don’t want to go to jail.
It wasn’t outrageous. 250 for brokerage, 175 for the coggins, another 100 (I think?) for the health papers.
A good shipper can help you. If you do a pre-purchase and have a savvy vet, they’ll draw up the papers first, then whenever you get the the shipping scheduled they stamp and send.
You are still very likely to get a good deal. Often the same quality horse is less in US $ in Canada than it would be in the US since after you do the current exchange, the Canadian seller is still very happy for the price received. I recently sold a horse to the US, and it worked out really well for both parties.
