Russ' How-to Guide - Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

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Russ' How-to Guide - Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

Postby immorality » Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:56 pm

Russ’s How-to Guide: Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

Or D/L the PDF here;
http://www.bcmr2.com/Russ/Russ_How-to_G ... the_US.pdf

So I’ve been asked by a few people to document my experience of importing a vehicle from the US. Here is my step-by-step guide.

Step 1:


- Find your car.
Sounds simple enough, but we all know how hard finding the right car can be. The internet is your best friend. Check the usual autotrader.com and similar sites. Most cars have some kind of enthusiast following, so a good idea is to check out dedicated sites and message boards for that make and model. Make sure the car can legally be brought into Canada. Check Transport Canada ‘s admissibility list.

http://www.riv.ca/english/US_vehicle_admissibility.pdf

Step 2:

- You’ve found the car, now you need to pay for it and get it home
Now, to bring your car across the border you need the title in your name. You have a choice here:

A) You send money and hope the seller sends you a signed title (An Escrow service may be helpful here).
B) You go to where the car is, pay the seller and get the title yourself

I chose to go to the car and get the title. I chose this route because I wanted to see the car in person before I paid money for it, and because it wasn’t too far away. So through emails the seller and I had agreed on a price and I would come down to see/buy the car. The seller and I had some discussions about payment and agreed on a bank draft; how you do it is up to you and the seller.

Step 3:


- Insurance
Now to be able to drive your new baby home you’ve got to start some paperwork. If that scares you, you’re going to have future problems because there is a lot more paperwork ahead. Go to an insurance broker and ask for a ‘Temporary Binder of Insurance’ (approx. $50 – depends on the value of the vehicle). This will cover you from the time you buy the policy until you get the car to its “Final Destination”. But, it’s for a set amount of time from the minute you buy it (they do actually write the time down to the minute on the paper!)
* The insurer needs the year, make, model and VIN

Step 4:

- Get ‘er done!
I headed out in the morning and drove down to see the car. All looked good so I bought it. You each sign the Title and a Bill of Sale. Now you need a license permit. Head down to the DMV and wait. Eventually you will get to the head of the line and you can now buy your permit. In the state of Oregon you buy a permit for $20USD that allows you 21days. The lady at the DMV said that the Oregon permit doesn't really apply in Washington state and that if I get pulled over to just play stupid. Take that piece of knowledge and do what you like with it...
*The DMV needs the title, your Binder of Insurance, your Driver’s license

Step 5:


- Head home
Make your way back home. When I hit the border I stopped and left the car at a storage facility. US Customs needs at least 72 hours with the paperwork before you can cross. So, if you are like me, you would need to go inside and get things started. Otherwise, if you have the title before you leave, then you can fax all your paperwork before you go and get the vehicle.
* US Customs needs the Title, Bill of Sale, your completed Form 1, a copy of your Driver’s License and 72 hours notice

Step 6:

- Dealing with the Border

The US Side:
So now you’ve left your paperwork with US Customs and the required 72 hours have passed. Head into the US Customs office, the border guy will then come outside and check that the VIN on his paperwork matches the VIN of the car. He will then go back inside and stamp your original title and send you on your way.
* US Customs needs the Title, Bill of Sale, your completed Form 1, a copy of your Driver’s License and 72 hours notice

The Canadian Side:
Now you take the car across the border and tell the custom’s officer that you are importing this car. He will ask you the value of it, fill out a form, give it to you and tell you to take it inside. Once inside Canada Customs they will start some more paperwork for you.

RIV
Assuming your car is 15 years old or newer you will have to go through the Registrar of Imported Vehicles. You start your paperwork here (you’d might as well) or do it later and mail off a cheque for $206.70 + $100-if your vehicle has A/C.
Taxes & Duty
You will have to pay your GST (Currently 6%) and Duty (Currently 6.1%?) if the vehicle is made outside of the US. You will be asked to provide proof of purchase price, bring a receipt from your bank!
* Canada Customs needs the Title, Bill of Sale, your completed Form 1, a copy of your Driver’s License, and proof of purchase price <-the ad where you saw the car for sale

Step 7:

- Now the fun starts
Now that you’ve got your car across the border and your heading home make a stop an insurance broker and get a proper permit/storage insurance. I had one place tell me that they couldn’t issue a storage policy for a car that hasn’t yet been registered with ICBC and another place that told me they do it all the time. Anyways. Call the RIV (1-888-848-8240) and fax them your form 1, they will tell you to call back in 24-48 hours. I called them back after lunch and they had my form 2 ready and emailed it to me in PDF format.
* The RIV needs your Form 1

Step 8:

- Inspections
Now you have everything you need to get the car inspected. You will need to do a Federal inspection and a Provincial inspection. When the RIV sends your Form 1 they will also send you a list of approved Federal inspection facilities. Basically they have a deal with Canadian Tire, and since they are close that’s where I went. For the sake of simplicity I had them do the Provincial inspection at the same time.
*Canadian Tire needs a copy of your Title, A recall letter from the manufacturer, your Form 1 and Form 2


Step 9:

- Insurance
Once you have passed your inspection and your forms are stamped and you have your inspection sticker in the corner of the windshield you can go to your insurance agent and register the car in Canada. You will have a grace period from aircare for as long as your first insurance term (ie, buy a years insurance, get a year’s grace from aircare). You will have to pay PST (6%) on the purchase price of the vehicle when you first license it as well as other associated license fees.
* Your agent will need the title, form 2, and inspection reports


Step 10:

- Enjoy
Now the car is yours and you do whatever you’d like with it!


APPENDIX


1. Important Phone #’s / More information
2. Inspection Details
3. Where to get forms

1. PHONE NUMBERS

Registrar of Imported Vehicles
1-888-848-8240
Fax: (416) 626-0366
info@riv.ca
Hours of service
Mon. to Fri.: 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight (EST)
Sat. and Sun.: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST)

Canada Border Services Agency
In Canada: 1-800-461-9999 (English); 1-800-959-2036 (French)
Outside Canada: (506) 636-5064 (English); (506) 636-5067 (French)
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Transport Canada
In Canada: 1-800-333-0371
Outside Canada: (613) 998-8616
Fax: (613) 998-4831
http://www.tc.gc.ca

Toyota Customer Experience Center
Phone: 800-331-4331
Mon - Fri, 5:00 am - 6:00 pm PT
Sat, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm PT
Fax: 310-468-7814
http://www.toyota.com/about/contact/

Pacific Customs Brokers
http://www.pcb.ca/vimp.asp
Phone:
Toll-Free @ (888) 538-1566
Local (Vancouver) @ (604) 538-1566
Email: vehicles@pcb.ca


2. INSPECTION DETAILS

To pass inspection
§ Recall clearance letter
§ The vehicle must bear a manufacturer's valid U.S. statement of compliance label at the time of
importation.
§ The Registrar of Imported Vehicles will mail a Canadian statement of compliance label to you
after passing the federal inspection.
§ Valid alpha-numeric 17-digit VIN
§ Metric speedometer and odometer labels (provided by inspection centre)
§ Daytime running lights
§ Infant restraint kit
§ Child tether anchorage
(refer to Admissibility List)
§ 8 km/hour bumpers (refer to Admissibility List)
§ French supplementary restraint system label for airbags that require periodic maintenance


3. FORMS

· Form 1 – US Customs
· Form 2 – RIV
· Temporary Binder of Insurance – ICBC
· Title – Vehicle seller
· Bill of sale – DMV or ICBC or Hand written
· Letter of Recall – Vehicle Manufacturer
· Temporary license - DMV
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Postby MR2MK1SC » Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:12 pm

So...With all that said Russ....Was it worth it?

- D
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Postby camshaft » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:41 pm

Did CND Tire say they had to put the sticker on the window ?
Because that is wrong for a personal vehicle only commerical vehicles required that..

but what ever..
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Postby drscam » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:27 pm

Nice write-up, Russ.
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Postby immorality » Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:07 pm

Very much worth it!

MR2MK1SC wrote:So...With all that said Russ....Was it worth it?

- D


They did not say that it HAD to be in the window, they just put it there anyways. That's good Cam, I'd like to rip it off. It's bright yellow on my grey car :puke:

camshaft wrote:Did CND Tire say they had to put the sticker on the window ?
Because that is wrong for a personal vehicle only commerical vehicles required that..

but what ever..
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Postby petesmr2 » Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:38 pm

Great to see these instructions. I might just use them soon.
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Postby camshaft » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:53 am

If you have to destroy it taking it off..
Then leave it on..

As I normally attach the sticker to the customers copy of the Gov Inspection form. And if he wants to put it on then thats his call..
As most people don't want the ugly sticker on



immorality wrote:Very much worth it!

MR2MK1SC wrote:So...With all that said Russ....Was it worth it?

- D


They did not say that it HAD to be in the window, they just put it there anyways. That's good Cam, I'd like to rip it off. It's bright yellow on my grey car :puke:

camshaft wrote:Did CND Tire say they had to put the sticker on the window ?
Because that is wrong for a personal vehicle only commerical vehicles required that..

but what ever..
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Postby 4agzeSE » Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:18 pm

I never got any kind of stickers when I did the inspection!
-Matt
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Postby immorality » Mon Aug 28, 2006 3:42 pm

More info, a pamphlet from the RIV

http://www.bcmr2.com/MR2MK1NA/riv.pdf
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Re: Russ' How-to Guide - Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

Postby Mantle » Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:12 pm

The link to the PDF version in the first post is broken since the forums redesign. Can a mod fix it?
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Re: Russ' How-to Guide - Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

Postby immorality » Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:02 pm

Mantle wrote:The link to the PDF version in the first post is broken since the forums redesign. Can a mod fix it?


...I dont' have access to that part of the board, but we'll get it sorted out soon. The pdf is exactly the same as my post anyways, so you can just copy and paste.

I'm just about finished doing this all over again so feel free to ask questions, it's almost exactly the same this time. No surprises.

I may just do another write up on this experience for the sake of doing so.
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Re: Russ' How-to Guide - Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

Postby Bravo 5 » Sat Jul 27, 2013 1:48 pm

Russ, you brought your car in from California. Do you foresee there being any difference in bringing in a car from another state, say, Atlanta Georgia or Birmingham Alabama?

Also wondering about daytime running lights being required for the inspection... what if it's a MKI with no capabilities of having day time running lights?
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Re: Russ' How-to Guide - Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

Postby yeungun » Sat Jul 27, 2013 4:25 pm

Bravo 5 wrote:Russ, you brought your car in from California. Do you foresee there being any difference in bringing in a car from another state, say, Atlanta Georgia or Birmingham Alabama?

Also wondering about daytime running lights being required for the inspection... what if it's a MKI with no capabilities of having day time running lights?


DRL did not come into effect until 1990 so you're safe. But if they do make you put something in you can always relay your park lights to come on when the car is running.
Pretty sure the car will pass without drl though
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Re: Russ' How-to Guide - Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

Postby immorality » Sat Jul 27, 2013 4:48 pm

You can always call RIV, or an inspection center and ask. I'm not sure on that one. The cars I imported were a '93 & '94. For my mk2, since it came without fogs, I did just what Wayne suggested, wire the marker lights to come on with the car on.
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Re: Russ' How-to Guide - Importing a vehicle from the U.S.

Postby dh4ever » Sun Jul 28, 2013 6:07 pm

91+ is the drl limit. It isn't needed by law on models before 91. I didn't import my jeep but its been through a few vi's and its an 89, so I never had an issue.
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