Exporting from U.S.? Beware AES
Readers of our recent story about exporting a used motorcycle into Canada from the United States have alerted us to a recently added regulatory hurdle.
It has long been the case that when exporting a self-propelled vehicle from the U.S., you must stop at the U.S. border station when exiting, and “check out.”
As part of that process, a new information-filing requirement called Automated Export System (AES) went into effect in October. It requires the filing of data about the purchaser, seller, vehicle and travel plans (for instance the border crossing that will be used) at least 72 hours prior to the vehicle’s export.
Readers tell us it takes some figuring out; basic information is online in various locations, such as cpb.gov, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website. Note what it says about requirements for non-U.S. residents.
When researching, be sure to use the keyword AES or you may not find what you need.
Other websites explain how it works, but their advice may not apply to Canadians. Beware of out-ofdate information still online, even at official locations such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website, where a screen called “Exporting a Motor Vehicle” makes no mention of AES.
As before, it is wise to call the phone numbers in official materials to cross-check your interpretations of the rules. Head off grief again by calling the border station you will use, to verify what they will want to see. Experienced readers weighed in. Writes Sean Klady: “I have done this a few times — I started off with a car and a couple of motorcycles for myself, then for friends — just casually, not a business.
“I bought a car last year and unfortunately was caught in the ‘after October 3’ situation. I had no knowledge of AES. It was in an email back from U.S. customs that I learned that, without an AES number, I could not export, period.
“I spent hours trying to figure out how to get the number on my own — you wind up having to go through both the Census Bureau AND the IRS — for a non-resident. It is not impossible but as best as I could tell, it would be a couple of months for paperwork and procedures.
“So I found a U.S. customs broker online, they filed the paperwork with the Census Bureau, got me the AES number and I sent that to Buffalo customs and it was all easy from there. Best $175 I ever spent (that is what they charged me).
“My car was properly exported and imported in late October. So that’s my recommendation, that you hire a U.S. customs broker.” Share your tip, add your take: email wheels@thestar.ca with “importing” in the subject line.