MileCheckWhat do you need to drive into Canada in your own car?
Prepare an accepted travel document for everyone, plus the car’s registration and proof of insurance valid in Canada. Declare what you are carrying. This guide covers a visit from the US, not permanently importing a vehicle.
Facts checked September 2026. Every number links to its source; prices and rules change, so confirm the day you travel.
Check each traveller’s status
CBSA recommends a valid passport for US citizens. If you plan to use NEXUS, a US passport card or an enhanced licence at a land crossing, confirm that the exact document is accepted for both entry and the return trip. A regular licence is not an enhanced licence.
US permanent residents should carry a valid passport and official proof of US permanent residence. Other nationalities have their own requirements.
Children and pets
Bring each child’s travel documents and relevant custody papers. A consent letter from an absent parent or legal guardian can help establish permission to travel.
Use the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s pet guidance for the animal’s species, age and origin. Check the return requirements too, especially the CDC rules for dogs entering the US.
Government of Canada consent-letter guidance · CFIA travel guidance · CDC dog-entry requirements.
Carry the car’s paperwork
Carry the registration and insurance proof. Ask your insurer to confirm the trip is covered and whether it will issue a Canadian Non-Resident Inter-Province Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card. The special card is not required for every tourist. GEICO says its US insurance card is accepted for its customers visiting Canada.
Ask the owner or lessor for written cross-border permission if the car is not yours. For a rental, read the company’s cross-border rules.
GEICO Canada insurance guidance.
Declare food, purchases and money
Declare food, plants, animals and animal products. The currency reporting threshold is CA$10,000 or more in total currency and monetary instruments, including foreign-currency equivalents. It is a declaration threshold, not a ban on carrying that amount.
Eligible visitors of the required age can bring 1.5 litres of wine or 1.14 litres of spirits or 8.5 litres of beer within the alcohol allowance. These are alternatives. Tobacco has separate quantity and duty rules. Check the visitor allowance before packing it.
CBSA declaration guidance · CBSA visitor allowances.
Leave cannabis home and resolve firearm questions first
Canada’s legal cannabis market does not permit bringing cannabis across its border. The restriction includes cannabis products and CBD products without the required federal permit or exemption.
Declare firearms and other weapons. For an ordinary visit, leave them home. If the purpose of the trip involves a firearm, resolve its import and possession requirements before departure. Declaring an item is not the same as having permission to bring it.
CBSA cannabis rules · CBSA declaration guidance.
A past DUI can affect admission
A past impaired-driving offence can make you inadmissible to Canada. Do not assume a short visit or an old conviction removes the issue.
Consult Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada before booking. A temporary resident permit or rehabilitation may be relevant, depending on the case. Neither is a promise of admission at the border.
IRCC inadmissibility guidance.
Kilometres and winter equipment
Read Canadian speed limits in km/h. Review the kilometre-marker guide for your route rather than treating a number as a US mile marker.
BC’s signed winter routes generally run from October 1 through April 30, with some ending March 31. Quebec’s December 1–March 15 winter-tire requirement applies to Quebec-registered vehicles, with stated exceptions. Its visitor guidance excludes vehicles registered outside Quebec. Equip the car for the conditions regardless.
British Columbia · Alberta · Ontario · Quebec · Nova Scotia · Northwest Territories.
GEICO Canada insurance guidance · BC signed winter routes · Quebec winter-tire requirements.
Before you leave the border
Quebec prohibits driving a vehicle equipped with a radar detector. Check provincial rules before packing one. Set up your phone’s Canada coverage before driving away.
For the return, read the US crossing guide, but use CBP’s returning-resident rules if you live in the US. A Canadian visitor’s allowance is not your US resident allowance. Keep receipts and declare your purchases.
Know exactly where you are — live
Your mile marker shows even offline. Live DOT alerts and the nearest camera on your route are part of MileCheck Premium and need a connection to update. Runs on CarPlay and Android Auto.
Questions, answered
Does everyone need a passport?
Check accepted documents for each citizenship and entry method. CBSA recommends a valid passport for US citizens.
Is the special Canadian insurance card always required?
No. Ask your insurer what proof to carry. GEICO says its US card is accepted for its customers visiting Canada.
Must you declare exactly CA$10,000?
Yes. Canada’s threshold is CA$10,000 or more in currency and monetary instruments.
Can you bring legal cannabis?
Not without the required federal permit or exemption for crossing the border.
Do all BC winter-route rules end in March?
No. Some designated routes remain covered through April 30.
Can you use a radar detector in Quebec?
Quebec prohibits driving a vehicle equipped with one.
Driving into Canada · Driving into the US · Phone use in Canada · Phone use in the US · Canada hub · US visitor-driving guide · Find your mile marker · Cross-border rental rules
Border wait times · Report your location.
Kilometre-marker guides. British Columbia · Alberta · Ontario · Quebec · Nova Scotia · Northwest Territories.
New York mile markers · New York cameras · Washington mile markers · Washington cameras.