REVscene Automotive Forum - Importing Vehicle Information Canada/USA / Buying from Out-of-Province

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Quote:

Originally posted by lowside67
The border wont care how a car is modified. However, whether it will pass a BC Out of Province inspection is another matter. A quick phone call to any shop certified to perform this inspection should be able to clarify this.

Do you know where I can find a list or any phone numbers/details on the places that do the BC Out of Province inspection?
Which inspection does Canadian tire do? Thanks!

I found a car in Washington and it was originally registered in Ontario but imported into the US two years ago. Now, I am thinking of buying this car and I am sure I need to pay GST and PST when importing it but do I have to pay import duties even it was originally a Canadian registered car?

Any of you guys know whether you can finance it if you buy a used car in Seattle ?

Man the used cars in US is so much cheaper than used cars here....>_<"

Would it still be the case after paying duties + taxes + inspection? How much is it approximately to import a 4 door sedan (i.e audi/bmw) from Seattle?

Any1?

is this the vehicle export worksheet mentioned in Part 1 step 3?

http://www.moverscanada.com/vehicle_export.html

Quote:

Originally posted by GFunk
is this the vehicle export worksheet mentioned in Part 1 step 3?

http://www.moverscanada.com/vehicle_export.html

found the answer myself, not the same, the documents were sent to me via email and they're actually simpler

i know uve made the steps pretty self explanitory, but is anyone or does anybody know of like a "broker" by chance who does this as a buisness? like per say i found the car, and they did the rest of the work? Id be more then happy to pay, i have no time to actually do it.

Quote:

Originally posted by bd0n
i know uve made the steps pretty self explanitory, but is anyone or does anybody know of like a "broker" by chance who does this as a buisness? like per say i found the car, and they did the rest of the work? Id be more then happy to pay, i have no time to actually do it.

i want to know the same thing..

Plenty eg London motor cars, SRG pretty much any non franchised dealers would it. Just crack open the phone book. Be prepared to pay for the service.

Quote:

Originally posted by GordonTse
i want to know the same thing..

Timpo posted these links in another thread

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QFH_UAwjYsY
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UgZ2Pg4-2Bk
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Uol1a7M-JGc

They are a little out dated (exchange rate) but they will give you a good overview of the process.

Thou they do not replace the research you must do it does give you the basic fact.

How about purchasing a US vehicle that is 15 years or older? IE, a 1991 Acura Integra?

In the RIV FAQ, it says:

Vehicles Over 15 years old (except buses)

All vehicles (except buses) that are over 15 years or older by the date of manufacture are exempt from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles program. You must be able to prove the age of the vehicle to a Customs officer.

Do I just purchase the vehicle, tell them at the border that it's at least 15 years old with documentation of my purchase, IE bill of sale, date of manufacture, etc. and I'm good to insure it at ICBC?

^ That's an interesting question. I hope someone will answer that..

edit: I did a bit of research and what I could gather would be that anything and everything that has to do with the RIV is exempt.

Exempt from:
1) RIV fee and Recall Letter(see link below)
2) A bunch of shit here: http://www.importcartocanada.info/fa...-15-years-old/
3) An import (not domesticly manufactured) car 25 years or older will be exempt from the import duty (6.1%) http://www.importcartocanada.info/fa...-from-the-usa/

Anyone know if I'm missing anything from that list?

Otherwise, you still need to do everything else and pay the 19.1% on the purchase price as well as the Out of Province inspection.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...
One more link to show that you don't need anything OTHER THAN the regular paper work (everything that takes the 72hours for the US customs).
http://www.importcartocanada.info/forum/topic.php?id=20
http://www.ivoac.ca/pn/index.php?nam...ght=riv+exempt

shit tats seems a lot of process

My buddy is gonna be selling me the car, and he is gonna drive it down from LA to vancouver in the next 2 months

Now is there a person i can just pay? and do all this paper work??

im quite confused the process at the boarder what needs to be done

everything else is pretty clear....how the car needs to pass the requirement of BC like day time running light etc etc

has anybody shipped a car up here? anybody know any good shipping companies?

http://www.importcartocanada.info/category/guides-tips/

Scroll down to the bottom and you'll get various guidelines by MANY MANY people, most by people from BC (Our very own Rich Sandor, as well as some MR2 guys).

ANY EXPERIENCE NICE FELLOW ON RS wonna help me doing my paper work with a fee??

let me know

:p

There is more detailed information at www.geocities.com/canadianautoprice
There's also a petition to try and lower prices in Canada. Please sign.

you didnt mention the tax?

Quote:

Originally posted by lowside67
My Guide to Importing a Vehicle from the US to Canada:

PART 1 - BEFORE YOU CROSS YOUR VEHICLE

Step 1 - Check your vehicle can be imported!
This is the RIV eligibility list to determine which models can and cannot be imported:
http://www.riv.ca/english/US_vehicle_admissibility.pdf
* IF YOUR VEHICLE IS 15 YEARS OLD OR OLDER, IT IS AUTOMATICALLY ELIGIBLE

Step 2 - Purchase your car
Regardless of what the seller says, you do NOT pay tax to whatever state it was purchased in since you are not a resident of that state. (I have been advised that some states require you to pay tax. I have bought vehicles from 32 states now and never been required to pay tax, but inquire at the DMV or tax office for the specific state you are buying a vehicle in.) Make sure you have:
1) A title for your vehicle, fully signed over to you
2) A bill of sale for your vehicle, must clearly indicate VIN #, purchase price (and currency), kms, the seller's personal information, and the buyer's (your) personal information.

Step 3 - US Export Documentations
You MUST phone the Blaine US vehicle export office (assuming this is where you are bringing the vehicle across - Pacific Truck Crossing) and ask them to fax you a Vehicle Export Worksheet. The # to call is 360-332-2632, leave a message and they will fax it to you. Fill out this form and fax it, along with a copy of the title (front and rear) and a copy of the bill of sale to 360-332-2639.
* THIS MUST BE COMPLETED 3 BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE VEHICLE CROSSES THE BORDER (NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE!)

PART 2 - BEFORE YOU CROSS, THE DAY OF

Step 1 - Insurance
You must have a way of legally driving your vehicle on the US and Canadian sides of the border. You can call your local ICBC agent and have them issue you a temporary permit, call your agent for more information on this step.

Step 2 - Prepare Your Documents
For your day at the border you will need:
1) ORIGINAL title
2) ORIGINAL bill of sale
3) COPY of title (front and back)
4) COPY of bill of sale
5) Proof of insurance (may or may not be asked for, but make sure you have it just in case!)
6) Money. You may need a lot, or a little bit - you will need to be able to pay (they accept interac, credit card to a maximum of $500 on each card, and cash):
$100 Excise Tax (if your vehicle has a/c)
6.1% Duty (if your vehicle has not been produced in North America)
7% GST

PART 3 - CROSS THE BORDER WITH YOUR VEHICLE

Step 1 - US Customs to EXPORT
Drive your vehicle from wherever it is in the US to the Blaine border crossing (make sure to go to the commercial crossing. Park your vehicle at the examination pullout (pretend you are driving across normally, you will see a small pullout on the left side right next to the window booths to enter the US). Bring your keys and paperwork inside and find the "VEHICLE EXPORT OFFICE." Give them your title and keys and they will confirm they have received and processed the paperwork you have sent them 72 hours ago. They may or may not inspect your vehicle, but the final result will be a "VEHICLE EXPORTED" stamp that goes right on your original title.
*YOU MUST ARRIVE BY 3:30PM ON MON-FRI OR THEY WILL NOT EXPORT YOUR VEHICLE!

Step 2 - Canadian Customs to IMPORT
Head over to the Canadian border. They will give you a yellow card at the booth and show you where to go inside - make sure you do not lose this!

Step 2A - Form 1
Ask the agent inside at the counter for a FORM 1. Go ahead and fill it out, asking the agent for help if you have any questions. Ensure you check "Credit Card" at the bottom and fill your credit card in to process the RIV payment.

Step 2B - B3
After filling out your Form 1, head to the two computers marked "B3 Entries" and use one. Follow the on-screen prompts as best as possible, asking for help when you need it.
*IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOUR VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED! VIN #S STARTING WITH 1-9 DO NOT HAVE DUTY!

Step 2C - Assemble and Hand In
Make sure to sign and date both copies of the B3 that print and stick the barcode to it. Also fill this barcode in on your Form 1.

The correct order for a complete package from top to bottom:
1) Yellow Card from the Booth
2) B3 copy 1 stapled to COPY of bill of sale and COPY of title
3) B3 copy 2 stapled to ORIGINAL bill of sale and ORIGINAL title
4) Form 1
Wrap this whole package in the yellow jacket that came with your barcode and hand it in.

Step 2D - Wait
It may take 5 minutes, it has taken me as long as 6 hours one day. Luck of the draw and by how many people are there ahead of you. They will call you to the cashier by name when you are finished.

Step 2E - Pay
With whatever combination of Interac, Credit Cards, and Cash - pay your bill. They will give you a gate pass to leave the compound. Make sure you leave with:
1) Original Title
2) Original Bill of Sale
3) 1 copy of B3
4) Form 1 (yellow and white sheets) *MARKED PAID

Step 2F - Leave
Thank god this day is over!

PART 4 - AFTER THE BORDER

Step 1 - OOP Inspection
An "OUT OF PROVINCE" inspection is required. There are many shops in the lower mainland that are licensed to perform this (it should be approximately $75).

Step 2 - Compliance
Before your vehicle is federally inspected, you will need to make sure your vehicle has:
1) Daytime Running Lights
2) Speedometer labels in KMS (doesnt have to be the main display, an analog or digital readout is fine).
3) All lights (airbag, check engine, etc.) function properly and are out.
4) No open recalls (you will need written documenation of this)

Step 3 - Federal Inspection
By now you should have received in the mail your FORM 2 from the RIV. If not, give them a call at 1-888-848-8240 and ask them of the status of your case (your case # is printed on your form 1 and is a 6 digit number currently starting with H (H123456). Take this form, along with the white and yellow copies of your FORM 1, and recall documentation to any designated inspection centre (almost any canadian tire is one) and ask them to perform a federal inspection. This inspection is included in the RIV fee ($206.70 including GST as of the latest edit). They should stamp your documents and give you copies of the form 2 and recall letter and your original white and yellow copies of the form 1 back.

Step 4 - Register Your Car
Head over to your ICBC agent and bring with you:
1) WHITE copy of Form 1
2) ORIGINAL title
3) BLUE copy of provincial inspection

With these 3 documents, the agent should be able to register your vehicle into the province and then add insurance and license plates should you chose.

Step 5 - Keep for your records
1) YELLOW form 1 copy
2) B3
3) STAMPED form 2 copy
4) YELLOW provincial inspection copy
5) ORIGINAL bill of sale

Amended Mar 7, 2007

pretty good guide, but wrong/unclear on a few things, at least at the blaine crossing:

1. Step 4 should actually come before step 3, because it fails to mention that you will need to get this worksheet in advance of when you are actually down in the states. The US customs phone # given is just an answering machine, so if you are down there at a fedex kinkos, having just bought a car and needing to send your documents to the border, waiting for them to fax you the worksheet, you're going to be waiting for a long time. Its not like you can just call and it will be faxed right away.

2. Step 1 of Part 2 needs to come before you go down to the states. The autoplan agent I spoke to said they can't issue an insurance binder over the phone, which makes sense because you would have no proof of insurance if pulled over or whatever. Need to get it before you go down.

3. Part 2 Step 2 is incorrect in that there is no $500 maximum on each credit card. Why would there be, it's your credit card.

4. Part 3 Step 2A-2D is completely different, the forms are all filled out by the cdn customs, you basically do nothing but provide title/bill/proof of purchase price/etc and pay the tax/duty.

The daytime running lights:

Those were only standard on cars in the year 2000ish.
Do older cars need to be retro-fitted with them?

Quote:

Originally posted by EndLeSS8
The daytime running lights:

Those were only standard on cars in the year 2000ish.
Do older cars need to be retro-fitted with them?

Any car manufactured after 1989 comes standard in canada with DRL as per regs. Yes, Vince, your car needs them.

Quote:

Originally posted by Graeme S
Any car manufactured after 1989 comes standard in canada with DRL as per regs. Yes, Vince, your car needs them.

Dammit.

Is it acceptable to have the car retrofitted with them after the Canadian Tire inspection, or do you need to have them done before the Canadian Tire inspection?
There are places in Vancouver that do the retrofit, right? (That's if it is allowed)

I am probably remembering incorrectly, but I always think that my parent's 1998 Civic doesn't have DRL...

You can just wire your fogs to come on whenever your car's ignition is on, that counts as DRLs.

You need to have DRLs that work and are active to pass the Cantire inspection.

Quote:

Originally posted by GordonTse
i want to know the same thing..

Quote:

Originally posted by Mugen EvOlutioN
shit tats seems a lot of process

My buddy is gonna be selling me the car, and he is gonna drive it down from LA to vancouver in the next 2 months

Now is there a person i can just pay? and do all this paper work??

im quite confused the process at the boarder what needs to be done

everything else is pretty clear....how the car needs to pass the requirement of BC like day time running light etc etc

Noram will do it for you. They are located in Abbotsford, about 2 mins from the Sumas/ Huntingdon border crossing.

http://www.carbuy.ca/specials.php

They charge $500.

Are you allowed to import a JDM Vehicle that's been registered and Legal in the states?

I'm guessing No unless it's 15+ years?

question.

if i have a friend that has a house in the states, but he lives here. is it possible to get him buy a car in the states and he can sell it back to me and not pay the duty?
or does the duty have to be payed as soon as the car crosses the border?