Weird Autoplan Question
 

hello RS

My Mom is the original owner of a 2007 Mazda 5. She exported the Mazda when she moved in Washington few years ago. Now she has no use for the car, she would like to gift it to me. How do I go about registering/insuring this under my name in BC? I am Canadian with a BC driving license.

I think she still has the registration slip from ICBC. It is the document you bring to an Autoplan to get a car insured. Can I simply show up with this?

TIA

Josel

Edit: the Mazda is registered and driven around in Washington/BC with Washington Plates.

Is the car currently registered in Washington or BC?

edit/

If its registered in Washington you'll need to go through the process of exporting it from the USA and importing it back to Canada.

Quite a hassle but I'm sure someone here has more insight on this.

If it's currently registered in Washington, you'll have to import it again (CBP paper work, federal inspections, etc) AFAIK. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

If you still have the registration slip from ICBC I believe you could theoretically just walk into any autoplan and switch it to you name... Although if they ever found out the vehicle was registered out of BC there may be some slight repercussions..

Delete

thanks for the link. I found this.


Returning Canadian vehicles are exempt from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) program when former residents of Canada bring the same vehicle that they exported to the United States, back into Canada. The following conditions apply:

(a) the vehicle was certified by the original manufacturer to comply with the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS);

(b) the individual can substantiate that the vehicle was purchased or registered by him/her in Canada prior to departure;

(c) the vehicle did not undergo substantial modifications or alterations while abroad; and

(d) the vehicle has not entered into commerce (sold, traded or leased to any other party).

Individuals will be required to show proof to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that they owned the vehicle while in Canada, when they import it back into Canada.

Registrar of Imported Vehicles - Help/FAQs

what does it mean when it says the car is exempt from the RIV program? show up at the border with necessary docs that all conditions are met and we are set to go?

Your mom can bring it back into the country without any of the normal paperwork (my brother did that when he spent a year in Seattle). Once she does that she can gift it to you.

Not doing the RIV program means not having to get the car approved again and not having to pay the taxes etc on it.