Moving from Chicago to Toronto
Chicago to Toronto is a long overland haul that ends with a land border crossing.
Chicago to Toronto
Get your free estimate
Step 1 of 3: your route
Free, no obligation.
Because the shipment typically stays on the ground the whole way, the main planning questions concern what Canada will let in under the new-resident entitlement, what it will not, and how a car is treated. This page sets out what counts as personal and household effects, the one-year rule on resale, medication limits and the vehicle inspection that follows import.
Documents and customs basics
Know what counts as household effects
The entitlement covers items such as clothing, furniture, appliances, books, musical instruments, hobby tools, personal vehicles, pleasure boats and motor homes. A house or large trailer used as a residence, and anything used commercially, is not eligible and is subject to regular duty and taxes. Source
Do not sell imported items too soon
Goods, including vehicles, brought in as settlers' effects and then sold or otherwise disposed of within 12 months of importation become subject to the duties that would otherwise have applied. Source
Bring prescriptions in original containers
Health Canada permits the import of a prescription drug if the quantity does not exceed a three-month supply and it stays in its original container. Source
Expect an inspection for any car
Transport Canada says an imported vehicle must be recall-free and pass a Registrar of Imported Vehicles inspection within 45 days. A vehicle that fails cannot stay in Canada, and vehicles modified from their original state, such as those with lift kits or raised roofs, do not qualify. Source
What your estimate needs
Your estimate starts from your inventory: the rooms, the larger items and anything that needs special handling, such as a vehicle. Share your list and your move date, and your consultant confirms the details for your route.
FAQ
Moving from Chicago to Toronto
What information is needed for a Chicago to Toronto estimate?
A room-by-room inventory covering furniture, appliances, boxes and specialty items such as pianos, safes or gym equipment.
Is a vehicle part of the household shipment?
Cars are eligible personal effects in principle, but they follow Transport Canada import rules and the Registrar inspection, separate from furniture and boxes.
What if I decide to sell furniture after arriving?
Selling or disposing of imported goods within 12 months can bring duties due on them, so keep the 12-month period in mind when deciding what to ship and what to sell beforehand.
Does the trip involve air or sea freight?
Not typically. This lane is usually handled overland, with customs clearance at the land border or at an inland office.
Sources
- Canada Border Services Agency: Moving or returning to Canada (opens in a new tab)
- Canada Border Services Agency: Memorandum D2-2-1, Settlers' Effects (opens in a new tab)
- Transport Canada: Importing a vehicle from the United States and Mexico (opens in a new tab)
Last updated November 1, 2026
Get your Chicago to Toronto estimate in writing
Share your inventory and move date, and we send an itemized estimate you can review before you commit.