Adventures in Canada Archives

Canada, Canadian border, tips — Oh Canada!

Cross the Canadian Border in your RV!

If you’re an American planning on embarking on an RV road trip into Canada, you should know that you will embark on a trip that will be equally as fun as it is memorable. If you’re not sure about where to go yet, Outdoorsy is a great resource to help research the best Canadian RV destinations.

But you should also know that since you’re obviously going to have to cross the border to get into Canada, there are some things you should know.

Canada, Canadian border, travel tips, RV — Photo by Melody Pittman of Wherever I May Roam Blog

Here are the top tips you need to follow to safely and smoothly cross the Canadian border in your RV:

Plan Extra Travel Time

Once you reach the U.S-Canadian border, the first thing you will notice is that there will be hundreds of assorted vehicles all backed up as they await their turn. While it largely depends on the time of day and year you arrive in regards to how long the line will be, plan on waiting at least thirty minutes to an hour before you talk to the border guard and are allowed entry.

Bring Your Vehicle Registration and Insurance

Just like in America, you must have your vehicle insurance and registration at all times. While you won’t be required to present it to the border guard, it is legally required for you to have in Canada.

Bring Your Passport

As you may have anticipated, crossing the Canadian border will require you to bring your passport. The only exceptions for where you won’t need your passport is if you are traveling internationally and have an enhanced driver’s license, or if you enter and exit Canada repeatedly and have a NEXUS card.

Bring A Rabies Vaccination Certificate (If You Have Pets)

Are bringing dogs and/or cats with you on your RV trip? If so, then you will need to bring a rabies vaccination certificate so long as your pets are older than three months old. Your vaccination certificate can only be provided to you from a certified veterinarian, and they will be valid for anywhere from one to three years.

The only types of pets that are exempt from needing a rabies vaccination certificate to enter Canada is if you have a service dog. Otherwise, you will need the certificate.

Keep Your License Plate Number Handy

The border guard will likely ask you for your license plate number, so you’ll either need to know it off the top of your head or have it written down on a piece of paper that you can show them.

Crossing The Canadian Border

An RV road trip in Canada is one of the best journeys that you can possibly take, especially in the summer. At the same time, there are many rules that you will need to follow to cross the border, but the tips you have learned in this article will help make everything go as smoothly as possible.