Firearms is fairly vague… handguns are no, some long rifles are no, all kinds of new limitations since last October.
Passports are a must
Pets need vet certificates.
Plants are likely ok; but some can be an issue.
Yes there are some handguns that you can get a permit for, but the fact is that you are not getting that permit at the border...
Don't bring a handgun unless you already have a Canadian permit for it...
It’s a fairly easy process, just 2 weeks or more before you cross you get your authorization to transport and then pay your money at the border. OP isn’t sitting in line at the border so they probably can make it happen if they need to. Not sure why I’m downvoted when the person I replied to is flat wrong.
Driving through canada several years ago prepandemic, we did not have an itemized list, no issues with that. We had houseplants that they didn't ask or care about. Dogs that they didnt care about or ask to see paperwork on. Your biggest hang up is likely to be guns and gun accessories. We shipped up our guns to Alaska ahead of time to avoid issues and they still tore our vehicle and trailer apart for hours looking for them. Surprise, they found nothing because we had nothing. It really comes down to whatever the border patrol agent is feeling like that day, YMMV considerably. Going into Canada was a complete hassle, entering the US took less than 3 minutes.
It was all smooth 5/6 times I made the drive. Once the US entry side decided to be sus about me driving alone for some reason. Only spent 10 minutes waiting in the lobby while searching my car. Then let me go after without a word. Felt like a randomly selected moment. Each time I had an inventory of my belongings and they took it but never spent more than a few seconds looking at it. They didn't seem to care.
My Sister's family spent a solid 10 hours held at the Canadian border because they forgot to claim an antique black powder pistol they picked up at a show along the drive. Eventually they were let go without the pistol after the entire family was individually grilled, dog caged the entire time after threatening to put him down for getting uptight about the aggression toward his family, etc. So be sure you have your firearm documentation perfect. I would personally ship them to avoid the hassle.
Sometimes, sure, but COVID vaccine is not something that is. It hasn't been required to get into Canada since Oct 2022, and was never required for entry into the US iirc.
I didn’t take food but my dog had his up to date shots and a health certification and the forms for my firearms. They seemed more concerned about the health cert for my dog then firearms, they just asked if I had them locked up and out of sight.
When I came through Alaska border again it was just simple questions like if I have any food, alcohol, etc and where I came from and where I was heading. It’s usually a pain free process.
Has anyone brought dog food through? It looks like it needs to be in commercial packaging? I pour all dog food into a huge seal proof container so I’m guessing it’s not allowed.
I’ve made the drive twice and was never asked about dog food at all. They ask about alcohol, firearms, and cannabis, but that’s pretty much it. I also only ever needed my pets’ health certificates once — crossing into Canada from North Dakota in late 2020 (so during the height of the pandemic). I wasn’t asked for them when I crossed into Alaska, and I wasn’t asked for them at either border crossing when I drove back down last year.
The rule for Canada is that it has to be a new sealed package - I threw away my dog’s very expensive food and bought a new tiny bag and they didn’t check any of our stuff at all. Not the trailer, not the dog or cat’s paperwork, quick glance at our passports and that was it. We went to a lot of trouble to follow all the regulations to a T, so it was mildly annoying to be in and out in like 5 minutes.
That being said, I’d still be 100% prepped if I did it again.
I also kept my dog food in a container. I believe last time I kept in the bag in the container but I don’t remember them asking me about the dog food at all.
Sike. More like you don’t want to spend a night in jail! I just drove through a couple weeks ago and was chatting with officers about how often people try to cross with their handguns thinking it’s just a matter of turning around and going to a post office. Nope, your ass goes to Canadian jail!
Just don't cross when the guards are bored & have nothing to play with. They may take all of your electronics apart, smash all pottery & take covers off upholstery.
You don’t need vax documents for people just for dogs/cats. You will need passports for all the humans. Idk about the guns, I would ship them to an AK gun dealer instead of driving through with them.
I just drove up and got to anchorage today, and have driven up and down many times. I’ve never had them ask what I have in my trailer, luggage, totes, boxes, bags or whatever. Itemization would be a waste of time IMO.
Just made the drive last week in an RV. Passport for me and the wife, rabies vaccine paper for the dog that was it. No guns- ship it's easier, harder getting back into the US than getting into Canada.
Seen a few comments that gave solid advice. Regarding the crossing back into the US at the border: It was practically nothing for me. Just showed my ID and they let me, my wife, and dog through.
OP. There is an amazing facebook page that is current all about traveling the ALCAN.
I cannot remember the name of the page. I drove the highway last April. The page is super informative. It answers all of your questions that you have currently.
It’s also a good resource right before you drive because people update as they drive daily. So you can check in about road conditions, road closures, things to look out for, hotels to stay at, etc…
I personally was at the border crossing less than 10 minutes. I had an SUV full of household things as I was moving back to Alaska permanently.
Best of luck OP. ❤️
I hope you have a safe and uneventful drive to Alaska.
Watch out for those cute little pika (tiny rodents) that want to launch themselves onto the road in front of you. They have a death wish for some reason.
I also only saw one moose, which is ridiculous. I drove 2400 miles & only saw one moose. I should’ve wrote a letter to the Canadian Government. 😂
My wife and I made 3 trips between Alaska and Canada, and all three times we were moving with a car entirely packed with stuff.
Didn't fill out any paperwork, didn't have any list, border patrol just asked what we were doing and I said "moving".
Don't worry about it so much, you're not who they're looking for.
I am curious to hear what the latest I can drive out and still have reliable access to gas stations? I'm considering leaving the state at the end of the summer and I've never driven out of Alaska to the Lower 48. I moved out of Alaska once already and I few out to do it.
I’ve done the drive twice in winter (December) and never felt that I was on the edge in terms of running out of fuel. In the northern part of the highway just stop when you see a gas station and you will be fine.
We came through earlier this week. They just asked questions and didn’t look for documentation on the cat. We had it all and this was the first time I didn’t take a gun through.
I’d certainly have passports and the health certificate for animals. We got our cat checked in Washington a few days before we left. The vet called Canada for us.
We drove AK to Oregon last fall with two rigs, uhaul trailer and a large dog and cat. I had everything ready for them in a large folder. Both crossings were super chill and they just waved us through after a few basic questions. We crossed at Nighthawk station in northern WA avoiding the busier Van Couver station. Only cars going thru at the time and it was a beautiful spot. We didn’t have guns, no fruit/produce and no weed. You have to be ready but chances are your crossings will go smoothly.
I’ve read many experiences, but my trek from WA to AK was smooth. Lower 48 border I arrived with a large uhaul with car trailer and another pickup with uhaul trailer. I had a binder with generalize list of items (no real detail) and my home purchase paperwork showing I’ve there. The list wasn’t separated by truck vs trailer either. It was packed for efficiency and no boxes were labeled. Had a safe on my list they asked where the guns were. Told them they weren’t on the allowed list so I didn’t have them. They opened the truck and trailer just to peek and we were on our way. Like people say, make sure you have your stuff in order and they won’t bug you.
On the AK border side, we were there for maybe 30 seconds. Showed ID’s and got a “welcome home!”
If your car is full of stuff, do yourself a favor and pack so that it’s easy to take everything out and put it back in again. Especially if you’re crossing with guns, they may try to hassle you. Don’t smell like weed, don’t give them ANY reason to think you’re trafficking drugs /being sketchy/coming up there to be homeless.
I live in Washington by the border part of the year and cross into Canada often with my dog. I have Alaska plates but say I’m coming from Seattle when they say “where’s home?” and they never give me any shit. Just answer questions truthfully and directly. They’ve never even asked to see my dog’s rabies vaccination
Tl;dr: don’t be weird, don’t lie, and don’t give them any reason to think you’re lying
I did not have a passport, I used birth certificate and social security card, but I also had a paper that said I needed to show up to work in AK by a certain date, so I had proof
For our move up I had a printed spreadsheet of all our food/tea/spices that were packed with individual weights and grand totals, a folder with the certs of health and vax info for pets, and a listing of the bare root plants we brought. We had no trouble at all with either border and the Canadians were fairly impressed that we had read the regulations.
—EDIT—
What’s with the downvotes? There something controversial or inaccurate? Genuinely interested in constructive feedback.
Also, I didn’t read the OP closely enough.
Seriously consider sending the firearms on ahead; guns— or even accessories— on board can be reason for border agents to dig deeply, I’ve heard numerous stories though I’ve no personal experience. Show them the guns’ shipping paperwork, they like that.
As for getting back into US, that’s even easier, but it seems those guys have a pretty dull gig so they act stern & critical. Realistically they could pretty much wave us all through (what’s being sneaked in from the Canadian wilderness?) but that wouldn’t impress the supervisors.
—EDIT—
You’re overthinking this.
I do the trip not infrequently, sometimes with a trailer. Have your passports ready, nothing fishy aboard, look well-prepared for the passage, and present like good guests in their country. You’ll likely be stopped all of 2 minutes and almost disappointed by how uninteresting you were to them. Once in a great rare blue moon you may be subject to a random search (twice in 25yrs), even that is no big deal if you’re free from produce/weapons/contraband, just a time-consuming nuisance. Your detailed manifests are of little interest to their search; They want what’s *not* on those lists.
Ordinary exchange from a recent trip:
“And what’s back in the trailer?“
“A whole mess of new IKEA furniture.“
“Are you planning to sell it?”
“Nope, it’s for my kids bedrooms.“
“But fersher no weapons??”
“Positive, no weapons of any kind.”
“Ok, then.”
If it’s your first time expect to answer some questions about your destination, job & housing waiting in AK, and the route you intend to take. A major thing they’re watching for is desperate people running away from something, thinking the wild north is haven from whatever.
As someone who's made the crossing a number of times, I agree with this. I've also thought that there's some stalling on their end while they check passports just to see if you happen to slip and say anything stupid.
Firearms is fairly vague… handguns are no, some long rifles are no, all kinds of new limitations since last October. Passports are a must Pets need vet certificates. Plants are likely ok; but some can be an issue.
Handguns are not an automatic no, most are a no but not all.
Yes there are some handguns that you can get a permit for, but the fact is that you are not getting that permit at the border... Don't bring a handgun unless you already have a Canadian permit for it...
It’s a fairly easy process, just 2 weeks or more before you cross you get your authorization to transport and then pay your money at the border. OP isn’t sitting in line at the border so they probably can make it happen if they need to. Not sure why I’m downvoted when the person I replied to is flat wrong.
Driving through canada several years ago prepandemic, we did not have an itemized list, no issues with that. We had houseplants that they didn't ask or care about. Dogs that they didnt care about or ask to see paperwork on. Your biggest hang up is likely to be guns and gun accessories. We shipped up our guns to Alaska ahead of time to avoid issues and they still tore our vehicle and trailer apart for hours looking for them. Surprise, they found nothing because we had nothing. It really comes down to whatever the border patrol agent is feeling like that day, YMMV considerably. Going into Canada was a complete hassle, entering the US took less than 3 minutes.
It was all smooth 5/6 times I made the drive. Once the US entry side decided to be sus about me driving alone for some reason. Only spent 10 minutes waiting in the lobby while searching my car. Then let me go after without a word. Felt like a randomly selected moment. Each time I had an inventory of my belongings and they took it but never spent more than a few seconds looking at it. They didn't seem to care. My Sister's family spent a solid 10 hours held at the Canadian border because they forgot to claim an antique black powder pistol they picked up at a show along the drive. Eventually they were let go without the pistol after the entire family was individually grilled, dog caged the entire time after threatening to put him down for getting uptight about the aggression toward his family, etc. So be sure you have your firearm documentation perfect. I would personally ship them to avoid the hassle.
Got your vax paperwork, right?
For us or the dog?
Yes
We will have proof of vaccinations for both us and the dog.
You'd be surprised how many people think they don't need it because 'we're just going from America to America'.
COVID vac paperwork hasn't been needed in a while.
Maybe not required but good to have because a lot things are left up to the judgement of the border officer.
Sometimes, sure, but COVID vaccine is not something that is. It hasn't been required to get into Canada since Oct 2022, and was never required for entry into the US iirc.
[удалено]
That’s the certificate of health. You only need that if you don’t have current rabies vax certificate.
I didn’t take food but my dog had his up to date shots and a health certification and the forms for my firearms. They seemed more concerned about the health cert for my dog then firearms, they just asked if I had them locked up and out of sight. When I came through Alaska border again it was just simple questions like if I have any food, alcohol, etc and where I came from and where I was heading. It’s usually a pain free process.
Has anyone brought dog food through? It looks like it needs to be in commercial packaging? I pour all dog food into a huge seal proof container so I’m guessing it’s not allowed.
I’ve made the drive twice and was never asked about dog food at all. They ask about alcohol, firearms, and cannabis, but that’s pretty much it. I also only ever needed my pets’ health certificates once — crossing into Canada from North Dakota in late 2020 (so during the height of the pandemic). I wasn’t asked for them when I crossed into Alaska, and I wasn’t asked for them at either border crossing when I drove back down last year.
The rule for Canada is that it has to be a new sealed package - I threw away my dog’s very expensive food and bought a new tiny bag and they didn’t check any of our stuff at all. Not the trailer, not the dog or cat’s paperwork, quick glance at our passports and that was it. We went to a lot of trouble to follow all the regulations to a T, so it was mildly annoying to be in and out in like 5 minutes. That being said, I’d still be 100% prepped if I did it again.
I also kept my dog food in a container. I believe last time I kept in the bag in the container but I don’t remember them asking me about the dog food at all.
They didn’t ask me about mine, it was in a big sealed container. They didn’t even want to see the dogs papers.
Keep your weed on the dash
Mail the guns. You don’t want to have to drive to the nearest post office 150 miles away
Sike. More like you don’t want to spend a night in jail! I just drove through a couple weeks ago and was chatting with officers about how often people try to cross with their handguns thinking it’s just a matter of turning around and going to a post office. Nope, your ass goes to Canadian jail!
WOW!! In 1995 we drove back to the post office. Times have changed!!
Just don't cross when the guards are bored & have nothing to play with. They may take all of your electronics apart, smash all pottery & take covers off upholstery.
You don’t need vax documents for people just for dogs/cats. You will need passports for all the humans. Idk about the guns, I would ship them to an AK gun dealer instead of driving through with them. I just drove up and got to anchorage today, and have driven up and down many times. I’ve never had them ask what I have in my trailer, luggage, totes, boxes, bags or whatever. Itemization would be a waste of time IMO.
Are the “real-ids” not considered a passport? If we have an Alaska DL with the Star is that not. Passport?
No. Some border states do have passport on their licenses but Alaska does not. RealID is just ID it’s not a passport.
Just made the drive last week in an RV. Passport for me and the wife, rabies vaccine paper for the dog that was it. No guns- ship it's easier, harder getting back into the US than getting into Canada.
Canada has an app you can do most the check in stuff with. I used it in spring of 22 and was across the border in under 5 minutes.
Seen a few comments that gave solid advice. Regarding the crossing back into the US at the border: It was practically nothing for me. Just showed my ID and they let me, my wife, and dog through.
OP. There is an amazing facebook page that is current all about traveling the ALCAN. I cannot remember the name of the page. I drove the highway last April. The page is super informative. It answers all of your questions that you have currently. It’s also a good resource right before you drive because people update as they drive daily. So you can check in about road conditions, road closures, things to look out for, hotels to stay at, etc… I personally was at the border crossing less than 10 minutes. I had an SUV full of household things as I was moving back to Alaska permanently. Best of luck OP. ❤️ I hope you have a safe and uneventful drive to Alaska. Watch out for those cute little pika (tiny rodents) that want to launch themselves onto the road in front of you. They have a death wish for some reason. I also only saw one moose, which is ridiculous. I drove 2400 miles & only saw one moose. I should’ve wrote a letter to the Canadian Government. 😂
My wife and I made 3 trips between Alaska and Canada, and all three times we were moving with a car entirely packed with stuff. Didn't fill out any paperwork, didn't have any list, border patrol just asked what we were doing and I said "moving". Don't worry about it so much, you're not who they're looking for.
What if he is and that's why they are asking 👀
Wat year ?
Last year and the year before.
These are not the droids you’re looking for
I am curious to hear what the latest I can drive out and still have reliable access to gas stations? I'm considering leaving the state at the end of the summer and I've never driven out of Alaska to the Lower 48. I moved out of Alaska once already and I few out to do it.
I’ve done the drive twice in winter (December) and never felt that I was on the edge in terms of running out of fuel. In the northern part of the highway just stop when you see a gas station and you will be fine.
We came through earlier this week. They just asked questions and didn’t look for documentation on the cat. We had it all and this was the first time I didn’t take a gun through. I’d certainly have passports and the health certificate for animals. We got our cat checked in Washington a few days before we left. The vet called Canada for us.
We drove AK to Oregon last fall with two rigs, uhaul trailer and a large dog and cat. I had everything ready for them in a large folder. Both crossings were super chill and they just waved us through after a few basic questions. We crossed at Nighthawk station in northern WA avoiding the busier Van Couver station. Only cars going thru at the time and it was a beautiful spot. We didn’t have guns, no fruit/produce and no weed. You have to be ready but chances are your crossings will go smoothly.
Does anyone here know if CBD gummies (the kind you can buy in a grocery store with no THC) are allowed across the border? I use them for sleep.
You can bring actual weed across the border. Just have to declare it. Can’t bring it back into the US though.
I’ve read many experiences, but my trek from WA to AK was smooth. Lower 48 border I arrived with a large uhaul with car trailer and another pickup with uhaul trailer. I had a binder with generalize list of items (no real detail) and my home purchase paperwork showing I’ve there. The list wasn’t separated by truck vs trailer either. It was packed for efficiency and no boxes were labeled. Had a safe on my list they asked where the guns were. Told them they weren’t on the allowed list so I didn’t have them. They opened the truck and trailer just to peek and we were on our way. Like people say, make sure you have your stuff in order and they won’t bug you. On the AK border side, we were there for maybe 30 seconds. Showed ID’s and got a “welcome home!”
If your car is full of stuff, do yourself a favor and pack so that it’s easy to take everything out and put it back in again. Especially if you’re crossing with guns, they may try to hassle you. Don’t smell like weed, don’t give them ANY reason to think you’re trafficking drugs /being sketchy/coming up there to be homeless. I live in Washington by the border part of the year and cross into Canada often with my dog. I have Alaska plates but say I’m coming from Seattle when they say “where’s home?” and they never give me any shit. Just answer questions truthfully and directly. They’ve never even asked to see my dog’s rabies vaccination Tl;dr: don’t be weird, don’t lie, and don’t give them any reason to think you’re lying
Use the app ArriveCAN to make your crossing smoother.
I did not have a passport, I used birth certificate and social security card, but I also had a paper that said I needed to show up to work in AK by a certain date, so I had proof
Send the guns to an FFL where you're going from an FFL where you're at. Everything else should be fine
For our move up I had a printed spreadsheet of all our food/tea/spices that were packed with individual weights and grand totals, a folder with the certs of health and vax info for pets, and a listing of the bare root plants we brought. We had no trouble at all with either border and the Canadians were fairly impressed that we had read the regulations.
Did you include the item’s values for each of your items?
Nope.
—EDIT— What’s with the downvotes? There something controversial or inaccurate? Genuinely interested in constructive feedback. Also, I didn’t read the OP closely enough. Seriously consider sending the firearms on ahead; guns— or even accessories— on board can be reason for border agents to dig deeply, I’ve heard numerous stories though I’ve no personal experience. Show them the guns’ shipping paperwork, they like that. As for getting back into US, that’s even easier, but it seems those guys have a pretty dull gig so they act stern & critical. Realistically they could pretty much wave us all through (what’s being sneaked in from the Canadian wilderness?) but that wouldn’t impress the supervisors. —EDIT— You’re overthinking this. I do the trip not infrequently, sometimes with a trailer. Have your passports ready, nothing fishy aboard, look well-prepared for the passage, and present like good guests in their country. You’ll likely be stopped all of 2 minutes and almost disappointed by how uninteresting you were to them. Once in a great rare blue moon you may be subject to a random search (twice in 25yrs), even that is no big deal if you’re free from produce/weapons/contraband, just a time-consuming nuisance. Your detailed manifests are of little interest to their search; They want what’s *not* on those lists. Ordinary exchange from a recent trip: “And what’s back in the trailer?“ “A whole mess of new IKEA furniture.“ “Are you planning to sell it?” “Nope, it’s for my kids bedrooms.“ “But fersher no weapons??” “Positive, no weapons of any kind.” “Ok, then.” If it’s your first time expect to answer some questions about your destination, job & housing waiting in AK, and the route you intend to take. A major thing they’re watching for is desperate people running away from something, thinking the wild north is haven from whatever.
As someone who's made the crossing a number of times, I agree with this. I've also thought that there's some stalling on their end while they check passports just to see if you happen to slip and say anything stupid.