^I just came back last week without front plates. I just had a trip permit from Washington and binder insurance from ICBC.

Does anyone know if I still need to pay a/c tax for a 15 year and older car?

Also, do those storage places need to be notified ahead of time?

You need to pay the ac tax whether it is working or not.

I did not need to notify the storage place.

what about bringing in RHD cars? someone is interested and lives close so how does that work?

Does anyone know if you can still bring lifted trucks across the border? I've gotten mixed info from alot of different sources. Some say you can bring them over but Inpsection shops will not pass lifted trucks, and some people say you can't bring a modified truck over the border at all. Any help is greatly appreciated.

As I have said before, the agents at the border have no say as to whether your vehicle can come across the border or not as long as it is listed as an eligible vehicle on the RIV's list. However, to license your vehicle it will have to pass a BC Out of Province inspection. You need to verify with any shop that can perform this inspection what modifications are acceptable.

Also, to go through a federal inspection which is also required, things like aftermarket steering wheels that affect a factory airbag may be an issue.

Anyone know the answer to this question. I need to know ASAP too. :thumbsup:

The word tags is used too, whats that?

Love this info very very very useful. One question, do you know anything about importing into mexico. i have a friend who would like to import an old land rover defender into mexico. Other question would be about the importing into canada, if you are a dual citizen is there any red tape that you wouldnt have to go through when importing? or is it all basicly the same? if anyone can answer these greatly appreciated. Thanks

hey.. um.. the link to the pdf is no longer valid... this is what I got from the RIC site

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/safev...list/vafus.pdf

This is great information!

I do have 1 question that has not been answered in this thread. Are there any further steps required if the car being imported has a salvage title?

Thanks in advance!

amazing info ... im curious if there is a fuel excise tax if i were to bring a vehicle across the borderin north dakota to sask and then have it inspected and insured in sask ?

Question looked on eligible list all hondas are of course there, so what about bringing in a rhd newer civic type r etc... Cause technically the 96 civic is on the list... but its rhd..

this is list is only for US cars into canada.

So you cant bring US registered JDM cars unless they are 15 years old?

ohh.. i'm not sure about that.
could be a loop hole in that.

lowside67

Thank you for putting this guide together. I have found it very useful. I know you spent a lot of time on this so I was trying to not bug you with additional questions.

I am wanting to buy a 2003 toyota from a toyota dealer in San Francisco. I am planning to fly down and pick it up. He is claiming that because I am picking it up and not having it shipped I have to pay California state tax. You and others have said that is not the case. Is there a tax exemption form or something I can point them to.

Thanks

Bump, I'd like to know the same answer to the post above me. Thanks.

I dont know about a specific form, however, in my experience, the fact that I am buying with an out of state address, driver's license, and most importantly, am not titling the vehicle in CA, has been enough to not pay tax. I am confident that they are not required to charge sales tax to out of state buyers, however, I dont have a link to a specific piece of legislation, etc. You will just need to convince them.

The RIV is very 100% clear that in the case of vehicles <15 years old, only vehicles originally sold in the United States and on the list of eligible vehicles are allowed to be imported without exception.

Does someone have directions to the border crossing in Blaine, not the Peace arch, but the vehicle import area.

Thanks

Disregard that last post.

Another question. The car I bought had it's tags expire (from California) in October and right now it has "storage" registration on it.

1. My question is, can I get the insurance binder from icbc as is with the cali plate like this?

2. If not, do I need to get an insurance binder for the california plate as well as a trip permit from California DMV?

3. Do I have eat up the full year registration costs?

And if I do have to go and get the trip permit, aren't that going to try to make me pay california state tax?

I'm going this saturday, so the sooner the answer, the better.

A question, by PM:

Answer:

That is completely, and blatantly 100% false.

From the RIV:

1, 2: If the tags are expired, you will need a permit in addition to an insurance binder. To drive in the US, you need a permit and insurance - they are separate. If you do not have a valid plate, you need a permit in lieu of it. Regardless of whether you have permit or plate, you need the ICBC Binder.

3, 4: I doubt it, but the best bet is to call the California DMV.

thanks for clearing that up, I was actually pretty shocked when LP Auto(revscene sponsor) told me that I had to pay the excise tax on a 2006 SUV, Exact words were" since the car you are importing will first see service in CANADA (Oct 2009) you have to pay" also stated they charged another customer that imported a 2005 SUV the excise tax! How ever I did not end up importing through them since clearly they are not aware of the procedures or are trying to make a little more cash by telling this to customers who are importing for the first time!

Thanks for the info, and a great write up.

A little tip for 1st time importers do some of your own reasearch before letting a import company do all the work for you, I almost learned the hard way!!

Indeed.

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-Mark