Importing Heavy Equipment From Canada

If you’re considering importing heavy equipment from Canada, chances are you or your customers have a big construction job to do. If you can’t find the tools needed in the U.S., then Canada is good a place to find your gear. However, you’ll need to follow various regulations and make some careful preparations.

Key takeaways:

• Importing heavy equipment from Canada is beneficial due to its geographic closeness, easy communication, USMCA perks, and efficient shipping routes.
• You’ll need to follow the EPA’s emission requirements for the engine in your heavy equipment import.
• OSHA doesn’t directly regulate heavy equipment imports, but your cargo should abide by their requirements to make domestic distribution easier.

Our comprehensive guide provides you with a complete breakdown on everything that goes into importing heavy equipment from Canada.

What Types of Heavy Equipment Come From Canada?

There are many Canadian heavy equipment suppliers that can provide you with the gear you require for a construction project. For example, Frontline Machinery is a family owned Canadian business that supplies the entire country. 

Regardless of which company you decide to source from, you can obtain heavy equipment for various purposes.   

• Mining equipment
• Loaders
• Bulldozers
• Tractors
• Graders
• Excavators
• Backhoes
• Harvesters
• Cranes
• Forklifts
• Cherry pickers
• Steam rollers and pavers
• Hydromatic tools 
• Dump trucks

Many U.S. importers have taken advantage of the vast amounts of machinery available in Canada. I’ve provided data that shows how much typically enters the United States. 

It should be noted the machinery, apparatus, and equipment category can encompass other types of cargo besides construction gear. Nonetheless, these numbers show that Canada is a popular location to source this type of cargo. 

Why Import Heavy Equipment From Canada?

There are a plethora of reasons why you would choose to import heavy equipment from Canada. 

Some of the most likely ones are: 

• Geographic closeness
• Easy communication
• Cost benefits of the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
• Efficient shipping routes

In the following sections, I’ll review these benefits in more detail. 

Related: How Much Does It Cost To Import Goods from Canada

Geographic Closeness

Canada’s proximity and shared land border make transporting cargo much quicker compared to importing freight by vessel from a country overseas.

Heavy equipment can be transported via rail or on a flatbed trailer. Using these transportation modes is much more efficient than transporting it using a roll-on, roll-off (RORO) vessel. 

Easy Communication

Most Canadians speak English and Canada itself shares the same time zones as the United States. This makes communication with your supplier much easier. 

Not only will they understand you, they’ll be able to reach during the same hours of the day. 

USMCA

The U.S. has an established FTA with Canada called the USMCA. Under this FTA, numerous imported goods from Canada and Mexico receive preferential tariff treatment. This stipulation also applies to construction equipment. 

To receive preferential treatment, you’ll need to meet the rules of origin requirements laid out by the USMCA and provide a certificate of origin. USMCA doesn’t require importers to give a specific variant of this document, which means you can use a template of your choosing. 

However, you will need to include some vital pieces of information on the document:

• Produce of the Certificate of Origin
• Certifier
• Exporter
• Producer
• Importer
• Description of products and applicable HS Classification
• Origin criteria
• Blanket period (if applicable)
• Authorized signature and date

Applying for preferential tariff treatment for your Canadian construction equipment will help greatly reduce your costs. 

Related: NAFTA vs USMCA

Efficient Shipping Routes

One of the problems you’ll run into when importing from countries overseas are congested shipping routes, which can lengthen the amount of time it takes to receive your cargo. When importing heavy equipment from Canada, there are numerous overland routes that freight can travel on. 

Vessel transport is also available through the Great Lakes if necessary. With both land and vessel shipping available, you’ll have different options to pick from when it comes to moving heavy equipment into the country. 

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What Federal Agencies Regulate This Equipment?

Importing large cargo like heavy equipment will draw the attention of numerous federal agencies. You’ll need to satisfy their requirements before they allow these vehicles to enter. 

These include:

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Each of the federal agencies listed will require you to complete different steps correctly. I’ll explain the specific requirements for each agency in the following sections.

EPA

The first thing the EPA will want you to do is to obtain a Form 3520-21. When filling out this document, you’ll have to check off either box G or H to identify your type of equipment. Next, check off box 1 to indicate the provision under which you’re importing your cargo.  

Your cargo will fall into one of eight categories of non-road or heavy-duty highway engines, vehicles, and equipment. Rather than list all eight, I’ve provided the categories that will most likely apply to your freight. 

• Nonroad spark-ignition engines at or below 19kW
• Nonroad spark-ignition engines at or above 19kW

These engines can either be imported as a U.S. certified engine or as an engined installed in a certified vehicle. 

OSHA

OSHA doesn’t explicitly regulate the importation of heavy equipment into the country. This means you won’t have to complete any of their requirements for your Canadian cargo to enter the country. 

However, OSHA does require employers in the U.S. to ensure that all equipment is carefully maintained for safety. While you won’t be required to maintain heavy equipment you sell to construction companies, you should still provide equipment that’s functional and safe to use. 

This will assist your buyer in staying compliant with OSHA’s rules and regulations. 

CBP

CBP plays a limited role when it comes to importing heavy equipment from Canada. They’ll expect you to submit some essential documentation for your cargo to make entry. 

• Bill of Lading: Contains information about every item in a single shipment and is generally a long form document with information manufacturing, weight, and your business info. 
• Commercial invoice: Lists the monetary value of the shipment and adds more description. This invoice is specific to a Canada-to-U.S. journey and should not be confused with a Canada Customs Invoice, which is used for items going from the U.S. to Canada.
• Proof of delivery: Just as the name states, this document officially lets all parties involved know that the heavy equipment has been delivered.
• Certificate of Origin: This allows the shipper and receiver to claim preferential treatment for goods traded between Canada and the U.S. 
• CBP Form 5106: This form needs to be completed before importing any goods classified for commercial sale into the U.S. It also goes by the name of Importer Identity Form.
• Customs Bond: You’ll need this document since your heavy equipment will more than likely have a value of $2,500 or more and is regulated by a Partner Government Agency (PGA). 

Make sure to have all of your paperwork filled out and available 7 to 10 days before your goods arrive. This will prevent from having to rush filling them out. 

Related: Documents Needed To Import and Export 

Import Heavy Equipment With USA Customs Clearance

There’s a considerable amount of preparation that goes into importing heavy equipment from Canada. USA Customs Clearance can make this process a little easier. We have a team of Licensed Customs Brokers that are up-to-date on the requirements for these goods. You can also use a variety of services that we offer.  

• Import/Customs Consulting: Meet with one of our Licensed Customs Brokers to discuss the specifics of your import and unique situation.  
• Importer of Record Registration: If you’re a first-time importer, you’ll need to get registered with CBP.
• Manifest Confidentiality: Details about your supply chain can be viewed by your competitors. This document will help you keep this information secret. 

Get started by clicking the links or contacting our team through the site. If you have questions or concerns, you can call us at  (855) 912-0406 for more information.

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