It varies by vehicle and destination, but CDU’s materials recommend you should expect at minimum a few thousand dollars to do your first export; a practical learning-phase figure is ~$5,000.

Why:

• The program FAQ says you do need cash flow in the learning phase — you’ll typically export using your own capital until you build buyer relationships and advance payments. Auction access may also require a security deposit if you don’t have your own licence
• “cost of exporting is roughly $3,000; cheapest vehicle you could export is $2,000; so if you’re learning, a $5k investment is a practical minimum.” This covers the purchase, basic export cost and initial fees for a single low-cost deal.
• Beyond vehicle purchase and shipping, you must budget for taxes, port/clearance fees, container/shipping charges and any compliance or modification work (these items are covered in the taxes/logistics sections of the curriculum). Also expect a typical payback timeline of ~45–90 days depending on the market.

What to do next:
Run a simple deal worksheet (purchase + shipping + port/clearance + taxes + margin) for the market you want to target. CDU’s course walks students through exact per-car shipping and tax numbers so you can calculate the real capital required for your first container or single-car export.

Yes — but it’s more complicated and requires careful compliance, title/workflow management, and the right partners (registered importers, brokers and export paperwork).

Why:

• The curriculum explicitly covers Canada↔USA flows and USA/CAN to Middle East/Africa flows because the rules differ by route (titles, holds, registered importers, taxes and bills of lading). You’ll need to manage both Canadian and U.S. rules as well as the destination country’s import requirements
• Some vehicles are duty-free when made in North America (this can reduce costs), but every step still has compliance requirements (EPA, customs, VIN/title issues, holds/30-day rules, etc.). CDU stresses “compliance isn’t optional.”
• Practical issues to watch for: U.S. title handling and registered importer (R.I.) fees, possible 30-day hold rules when moving cars between countries, extra transport and handling costs, and different tax/tariff treatments (HST/VAT/duty depending on routing and origin).

What to do next:
If you’re planning a Canada→U.S.→overseas flow, map the route for a single test vehicle, confirm the title/RI process for the U.S. leg, and get quotes for the additional handling/shipping and any re-export paperwork. CDU’s Export Program includes the step-by-step systems and vetted partners to run that exact path safely and profitably.