I've brought a commercial mini-bus in from the U.S. about a year ago and was astonished at the amount of hoops and paperwork there was to jump through. However, I understand that a non-commercial vehicle will usually be easier.
Have any of you ever imported an older non-running project vehicle from the U.S.?
When I took the commercial bus to Canadian Tire, for inspection, is was a two-fold process. The Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) inspection was to ascertain that the vehicle meets Canadian standards such as bumper-crash-requirements, emissions equipment, etc. The catch is that you only have 45 days to complete any required modifications and pass the test or you must send the vehicle back to the U.S.
The other test was for a safety certificate to obtain Ontario plates and is unimportant to me until the rebuild is completed.
However, from the RIV website - "All vehicles that are 15 years old or more from the date of manufacture, are exempt from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) program. You must be able to prove the age of the vehicle to the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA). Buses (including school buses) manufactured before January 1, 1971 are also exempt from the RIV program."
So, if I show up at the border with a non-running 1967 Chevy on a trailer, and have a proper title/ownership with bill of sale, I assume they'll wave me through without a requirement for a RIV inspection. One thing I do not want is for them to classify it as "For Parts Only" because the ownership/title would then be forever scarred.
Tell me what you know.
Have any of you ever imported an older non-running project vehicle from the U.S.?
When I took the commercial bus to Canadian Tire, for inspection, is was a two-fold process. The Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) inspection was to ascertain that the vehicle meets Canadian standards such as bumper-crash-requirements, emissions equipment, etc. The catch is that you only have 45 days to complete any required modifications and pass the test or you must send the vehicle back to the U.S.
The other test was for a safety certificate to obtain Ontario plates and is unimportant to me until the rebuild is completed.
However, from the RIV website - "All vehicles that are 15 years old or more from the date of manufacture, are exempt from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) program. You must be able to prove the age of the vehicle to the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA). Buses (including school buses) manufactured before January 1, 1971 are also exempt from the RIV program."
So, if I show up at the border with a non-running 1967 Chevy on a trailer, and have a proper title/ownership with bill of sale, I assume they'll wave me through without a requirement for a RIV inspection. One thing I do not want is for them to classify it as "For Parts Only" because the ownership/title would then be forever scarred.
Tell me what you know.
