** Importing a Bike from the good ol' US of A **

locOleoN

Is that the best you got? OK.. now my TURN...
I took this from GTAM, as originally posted by NinjaNikki:
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?t=1038


Tired of all the post about this topic so here it is the be all end all... Hopefully this can be made a sticky.

What to do before you import?

- Make sure your vehicle is admissible and can be modified to meet Canadian requirements by checking Transport Canada’s List of Admissible Vehicles (this list includes passengers cars, trucks, vans, jeeps, chassis cabs, trailers, motorcycles, and snowmobiles less than 15 years old; off-road vehicles manufactured after May 1, 1988 and buses manufactured after Jan. 1, 1971. www.riv.ca (1-888-848-8240)

- Contact the original equipment manufacturer or authorized dealer of your vehicle to obtain a recall clearance letter (YOU MUST HAVE THIS DOCUMENT IN ORDER TO PASS THE FEDERAL INSPECTION)

- Make sure you have the required documentation: title documents, registration, sales receipts, statement of compliance label and manufacturer’s recall clearance letter.

- Find out about any additional provincial or territorial requirements, such as safety inspections and emissions tests.

- Arrange for insurance.

- Present your vehicle along with original title docs to US Customs prior (72 hours) to entering Canada. www.customs.gov

- If you are importing a trailer you may call RIV to have your VIN number verified ahead of time.

What to do at the border?

- produce your title documents, registration and sales receipts.

- Complete Vehicle Import Form- Form 1 which will be provided by CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency formally Customs) this form must be kept with vehicle until it is licensed.

- CBSA will check vehicle against Transport Canada’s list of admissible vehicles they will also verify the public VIN #’s and manufacturer’s statement of compliance label to ensure a match.

- CBSA will facilitate the payment of your nonrefundable RIV fee of $182 in all provinces except Quebec where it is $197.

- Payment for the RIV fee may be made directly to CBSA with major credit cards CBSA DOES NOT ACCEPT CASH OR CHEQUES FOR THE RIV FEE.

What to do after the vehicle enters Canada?

- Within 10 days, you should receive a letter from RIV with your inspection docs (form 2) which details what must be done to bring your vehicle into compliance.

- It is your responsibility to complete the necessary mods within 45 days (they can be preformed by the garage of your choice)

- Make sure you keep receipts of all your modification work

- The RIV has contracted Canadian Tire to perform their federal inspections.

- When you pass the inspection they inspection center will stamp your form 1 and you will have to present this paper work to the licensing authority

- If the vehicle fails the inspection within the 45 days it will have to be exported.

Common Modifications?

Motorcycles
- recall clearance letter
- U.S statement of compliance (S.O.C Label) at the border
- The RIV 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)
- All lights on

Restricted-Use Motorcycles

- Recall clearance letter
- Off-road statement label
- Reflectors

Numbers you’ll need?

Registrar of Imported Vehicles
1-888-848-8240
www.riv.ca
info@riv.ca

Canada Border Service Agency
1-800-461-9999 (English)
1-800-959-2036 (French)
www.cbsa.gc.ca

Transport Canada
1-800-333-0371
(613) 998-4831 (fax)
www.tc.gc.ca

United States Customs
www.customs.gov
 
Just to let you guys know, you dont have to do all this if you already own the bike/s and moving to Canada with them

my 2 cents
 
HorrorHo said:
Just to let you guys know, you dont have to do all this if you already own the bike/s and moving to Canada with them

my 2 cents

I think you have to own them there for a year or something..?

Someone can look up the exact amount of time... But my buddy was in FL for not quite 2 years and didn't have any hassle at the border with a car he bought there.
 
theres lots of good info here, including free seminars on importing a car or m/c:

http://www.importcartocanada.info/

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/events-evenements/menu-eng.html

i got the link from ebay. theres lots of good reading.....like if you lie about the purchase price of the car, don't leave the real of bill of sale on the seat...lol

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/story/4169906p-4757976c.html
 
you might be interested in this if you plan on riding the bike home........

when i imported a 1979 kz a few years ago, i brought it back on a trailer....very easy...

this time i bought a car in the US and plan on driving it back. i thought i would get the temporary 14 vehicle permit from the ontario MTO office and drive it back. turns out i was wrong.

the car is titled in michigan, and physically located in florida. if i want to drive it back, it turns out i have to get the temporary vehicle permit from michigan.

i have to apply in person at a michigan DMV office. i have to show up with the title, proof that i have some car insurance, my drivers license and $10. they won't issue the permit by mail or to an agent, cause i have to sign a form at that time, certifying that i have some car insurance. michigan doesnt require insurance on the car i'm driving back, but insurance on any car.

in ontario, i believe the standard auto insurance policy covers a newly purchased car automatically for the first 14 days of ownership. but in this case i bought the car several months ago, so i'll have to arrange ontario insurance on the car i'm driving back, even though michigan doesn't care what car it is....
 
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