Moving around the country and out of province vehicles?

[Invertago]

Hey, just wondering what other people do with moving around for jobs and out of province vehicles. Is it hard to import a vehicle to Ontario? Do you guys just trade them in when you move?

[mmm...bacon]

In just kept my 'Home' licencing/registration on my vehicles for my summer gigs - thinking that I was akin to a student moving to another province for school. If I had to live somewhere for more than 6 months, then it was time to pony up for the importation and whatever else checks that my new province required.
Be careful no to fall afoul of insurance/licencing regs, though - I did once, and my insurer sent me a nice letter explaining how I wasn't covered, along with a cheque for the amount of premiums that I'd paid. Thankfully, it was only metal that was bent, and not a person involved.

@#$! YOU, MPIC!

[nutlord]

Assuming your car is in good enough condition it costs about $200 to get it safetied. Then you bring the safety report to the licensing office and trade them your old license and registration for the new one. It takes about an afternoon and a few hundred bucks, but it's cheaper than trading in your car every time you move.

[PilotDAR]

For one more reason, it's probably worth re-registering the car in the new province. My charming middle daughter did not right away when she moved to another province. She called me very upset that someone had smashed her back window while it was parked behind her apartment. 'Nothing stolen, just broken glass, other cars not bothered. She's the nicest girl, I could not figure why, until a friend from the province asked me if she'd changed the plates - No, I replied.... Some locals do not like out of province plates.

[digits_]

For one more reason, it's probably worth re-registering the car in the new province. My charming middle daughter did not right away when she moved to another province. She called me very upset that someone had smashed her back window while it was parked behind her apartment. 'Nothing stolen, just broken glass, other cars not bothered. She's the nicest girl, I could not figure why, until a friend from the province asked me if she'd changed the plates - No, I replied.... Some locals do not like out of province plates.

Was that during covid? That's when I first heard about stories like these. I think (sincerely hope) that is not a factor anymore nowadays.

[Invertago]

For one more reason, it's probably worth re-registering the car in the new province. My charming middle daughter did not right away when she moved to another province. She called me very upset that someone had smashed her back window while it was parked behind her apartment. 'Nothing stolen, just broken glass, other cars not bothered. She's the nicest girl, I could not figure why, until a friend from the province asked me if she'd changed the plates - No, I replied.... Some locals do not like out of province plates.

That sounds like a Covid eta mind set, did that happen during the pandemic?

[PilotDAR]

No, the insult to my daughter was years before Covid. She has returned to her home province, and is well settled here.

[I WAS Pez]

On this....as others have said, the thing to really not trifle with is insurance. Dot your i's and cross your t's. If you EVER have to make a claim, even if entirely not at fault, hit by someone else with witnesses, etc, the insurance carrier WILL look for a reason to deny your claim. If residency and licencing requirements are not perfectly in order, they'll use that as a reason to deny a claim, despite having paid all premiums.

So.....check the legal requirements for where you're moving and call your insurer if in doubt. Remain fully compliant. It's not worth trying to save a few bucks or the annoyance of the time to do the switch - it's really important to be compliant, should you ever have to make an insurance claim.

The thing to remember with insurance is that it doesn't matter until it matters. And at that point, their first priority will be to attempt to disqualify your coverage, despite paying them thousands of dollars over the years and perhaps not even being in the wrong in the case of the actual claim.

[rigpiggy]

Most insurance(unless registered as student) will be invalid after 30-90 in province.

[Invertago]

So, now I'm wondering what commuting pilots do. What about leaving a vehicle in another provience for use when commuting to work? I'm guessing no change of address = no change of license?

[The Mole]

I disclosed to ICBC i would have my vehicle out of BC for 6 months, was doing a seasonal gig in onterrible. They happily asked for $400 more for that privilege. I'm not sure if i would have been covered, technically if your working in a province for more than few months your suppose to switch licences, insurance over. I think most just do it and claim stupid if something bad happens.