Getting Car Insurance When Moving From Canada to the US

1. Apply for a visa: You’ll need a visa to live in the U.S. Find out which type of visa you need, complete the forms, and submit your application to the United States Department of State.
2. Open a bank account and get a credit card: To establish credit, apply for a credit card and open a U.S. bank account.
3. Establish residency: States have different requirements for how long you have to live in a place to be considered a “resident.” But typically, only residents are required to get U.S. driver’s licenses in their new state.
4. Get a U.S. license: The process for getting a U.S. license differs depending on which state you’re moving to. Generally, you will have to provide documents such as a driver’s license from your country of origin, your new Social Security Number, and/or proof of your identity. Additionally, there may be fees you have to pay. Look up your state’s individual requirements on its DMV website.
5. Research your state’s minimum coverage: Each state has different minimum coverage to drive in the U.S. The reasons why prices vary by state are due to the different requirements.
6. Compare providers: Once you have a valid U.S. license, you can shop for car insurance and get quotes from multiple providers using the same information with each insurer so you can accurately compare rates.

Note that the process for obtaining car insurance is different for undocumented immigrants.

When you change car insurance for a move from Canada to the U.S., your rates may or may not go up; it all depends on your driver profile, where you lived in Canada, and where you’re moving to in the U.S. Take a look at the average rates in Canada by province.

You might’ve paid anywhere from $900 to $1,920 for car insurance in Canada, with an average of $1,725 across all provinces. Here are the average annual costs in the U.S. for comparison.

The average cost of full coverage car insurance across the U.S. is $2,339, ranging from $1,211 in Wyoming to more than $3,200 in Florida. So whether you’ll save money during the move — or have to pay more — depends on where you’re moving to and from. For example, if you move from Ontario to Michigan, it’s likely you’ll pay more.

You can drive legally in the U.S. for six months as a tourist with a Canadian license. However, things change once you’ve established residency. Depending on the state and how long you’ve been a resident there, you may or may not be able to drive legally in the U.S. with a Canadian driver’s license. However, to get U.S. car insurance, you’ll need a valid U.S. license.

You can buy a car in the U.S. with a Canadian license. However, you may run into issues if you want to get the vehicle registered or insured. This is because it typically requires a valid U.S. driver’s license and proof of insurance. To get a license, you’ll need proof of U.S. residency, which differs by state.³

Moving countries is even more stressful than moving states, but with some careful planning, you’ll be driving in the U.S. in no time — while also following the letter of the law.

Once you secure all of the necessary credentials — like your U.S. visa, your credit card, and your license — you can begin the search for an auto insurance provider that is right for you. Remember that your rates can vary dramatically depending on the U.S. state that you’re moving to, and that you may end up paying more or less than your rates in Canada. Learn more in our auto insurance FAQs below.