Importing a Motor Vehicle To Canada (the be all end all)

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if any one has any knoledge on how i can get around this please let me know asap, ok here it is, i bought a frame from the states, now it has a rebuilt title, i went through the whole thing of customs, and yamaha has cleared the vin saying no recalls, now i have this bike that has passed federal inspection, and standard cert, but the ministry wants to brand it irrepairible, i have a certificate stating the vin has a cleared title in the us, and is ready for the road, does any one know ANYTHING I CAN DO OR AM I SCWERED!!!!!

thanks mike
 
johnsa1 said:
I am in the process of importing a brand new car and it appears from your experience that new bikes are a bit different...do you not need a stamp from US customs on the cert of origin in order to get the form completed by Canada Customs?

You do not need a safety on a brand new vehicle...check MTO website...many canadian tire stores and MTO offices are insistent that you need safety as well as emissions on a new car, but I have a printout from the MTO website stating that you do not..see the section under "vehicles registered out of province"

I hope to import a new Kawasaki this winter..thanks for the info
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I was surprised at not needing anything from US Customs as well. I called the contact number listed at http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/ny/0901.xml (this is for the Queenston - Lewiston border crossing), and they told me to go straight through.

The lady at the exportation office at the border (with her typical cop rudeness) was adamant about the 72hr notice (I stopped there to be 100% sure I didn't need it).

So it seems they are unaware of the rule. However, I did not have any stamps on the certificate of origin when I filled out the forms on the Canadian side.

I am unsure as to why this is, and the contact at the address above didn't really explain it to me, other than to say that new, never registered motorcycles are an exception.

About new vehicles not needing certification, I just read that section of the MTO website. Something seemed weird to me when I heard I needed to safety it, but I didn't really feel like arguing (too anxious to finally get it registered). So I just added the $50 certification charge to my import costs -- still saved a big chunk of cash.
 
FYI> If you call US Customs where you will be crossing (not the Canadian side) 72 hours before and fax them documentation. They do NOT need to hold the vehicle for 3 days. If you have the title, and all other documentation to them before you cross you need only make one trip.

Remember, I am talking about having all of this to the US side... not the CDN side you'll be crossing into.
 
wolfer001 said:
what would duty and taxes approximately come to for a $1800 kawasaki ninja 250 from the U.S. coming into Canada?
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Would come to about $2052 total, but that is not including the other fees and charges that I am reading about.

That 3 day waiting period or advance notice is SUCH BS!! :angry4:

Basically means, we can't drive over, buy a bike and drive it back. :confused1:
 
I have one question though, not sure if it would work. I was going to pay a guy extra to ride is bike over the border.

Then I would give him the cash and he would give me the papers. I am just wondering if I would have any issues on this side. I don't think so, because I would have all the papers. Good idea, bad idea?
 
mjavor said:
I have one question though, not sure if it would work. I was going to pay a guy extra to ride is bike over the border.

Then I would give him the cash and he would give me the papers. I am just wondering if I would have any issues on this side. I don't think so, because I would have all the papers. Good idea, bad idea?
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They're going to ask all sorts of questions.

Just take a look at the bike remotely if you feel safe with that, or make two trips. The 3 day wait is for your protection while they do a "title" search to prevent surprise liens or possible theft recoveries etc...

BTW, you will need to pay GST plus 6% duty because the bike was not made in N.A. plus a $300 admin fee. This is all based on declared value. Don't lie, they will check if the price you said you paid is out of line. I knew somebody who bought a Porsche across the border and said he paid 30K. It was a turbo and one of the Border guards knew cars and said no way he paid that. They searched his car high and low for proof, and couldn't find it, until they checked in used coffee cup and the remains of the carbon copy of the cashier's check for $45,000 was there for the car.

The dude went to jail and paid a hefty fine.

Don't play with those guys. Do it legit.
 
mjavor said:
I have one question though, not sure if it would work. I was going to pay a guy extra to ride is bike over the border.

Then I would give him the cash and he would give me the papers. I am just wondering if I would have any issues on this side. I don't think so, because I would have all the papers. Good idea, bad idea?
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unless it already has an ontario tittle, you won;t be able to register it with a US tittle and no import papers.
you can have him ride it over the boarder, and then you can go to a canada customs office and pay the fees and complete the paper work
 
Bought a zx14 on sat. Checked at 1000 Islands border on the way back(us side) They said they want a certificate of origin and orginal bill of sale.
72 hours not needed if it is a new bike. Checked CDN side and you can get your RIV kit there and pay your GST. US guy said they dropped the 72 hour rule on new bikes awhile ago. Makes life alot easier.
 
flightzed said:
Bought a zx14 on sat. Checked at 1000 Islands border on the way back(us side) They said they want a certificate of origin and orginal bill of sale.
72 hours not needed if it is a new bike. Checked CDN side and you can get your RIV kit there and pay your GST. US guy said they dropped the 72 hour rule on new bikes awhile ago. Makes life alot easier.
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Hey Flightzed,

So are you saying, you can now drive over to the States, buy a new bike and bring it home the same day without having to fax anything in or get any recall papers/ advance notice etc?

I take it the dealer provided you with the original bill of sale and certificate of origin?
 
I'm looking at getting a new Triumph Street Triple (when they're available). At the current exchange rate the sticker price is about 1500$ CAD less in the US. Since the bike is not made in North America, does anyone know what the duty percentage would be on the bike?

After paying the extra duty and the admin fees, maybe 1500$ isn't worth it?
 
mjavor said:
Hey Flightzed,

So are you saying, you can now drive over to the States, buy a new bike and bring it home the same day without having to fax anything in or get any recall papers/ advance notice etc?

I take it the dealer provided you with the original bill of sale and certificate of origin?
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Yup, I did it about a month ago. Bought bike and drove it back the same day.
In fact, you don't even need to stop on the US side of the border, just proceed straight to the Canadian side and fill out the paperwork there.

Bill of sale and manufacturer's statement of origin (MSO) are required.
 
At the 1000 Islands Bridge CDN customs required a stamped (by US export) certificate of origin. New bike just walk in to US border office and they stamp it. NOTE!!!! they will only do this mon-fri 8-4 !!! Did mine this sat. and they did me the favour BUT next time I wouldn't take the chance. CDN side took about 20 minutes.........filled out form 1,paid for RIV and paid my GST. Picked up a 10 day temp tag before I picked it up so I can ride while waiting for my RIV kit. All in all an easy thing to do. I would not hesitate to import a bike (or car) again in the future.
 
mjavor said:
Hey Flightzed,

So are you saying, you can now drive over to the States, buy a new bike and bring it home the same day without having to fax anything in or get any recall papers/ advance notice etc?

I take it the dealer provided you with the original bill of sale and certificate of origin?
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Yes if you know the total price you are paying, my dealer wanted a USD bank draft. You can ride it back. I picked up mine sat (had temp tag) but the weather was ****** here.
 
Anyone buy a new BMW recently from the states? The dealer wrote me saying that BMW Canada is imposing a $500 charge for the letter to bring the bike back into Canada. Does anyone know what letter this would be and if required at the border? Damn I knew BMW stands for "Break My Wallet" but this is ridiculous!
 
It could be the certificate of origin that you're talking about.
Surely if you went a little further away from the border you could find a dealer that wouldn't charge for it.
 
I'm not sure if there was ever a clear answer to buying a used bike and riding it back.

I'm in Vancouver, so I'm not sure if insurance is the same here as in the east.
Can't I just get a day permit here in Vancouver from ICBC, drive to Seattle, pick up the bike and stick the temp permit on it and ride to the border, do the paperwork as discussed several times here in this thread, and then ride it home?
 
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shurton said:
I'm not sure if there was ever a clear answer to buying a used bike and riding it back.

I'm in Vancouver, so I'm not sure if insurance is the same here as in the east.
Can't I just get a day permit here in Vancouver from ICBC, drive to Seattle, pick up the bike and stick the temp permit on it and ride to the border, do the paperwork as discussed several times here in this thread, and then ride it home?
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I don't think that is possible. How does one get a trip permit? What documentation do you have to show the MTO? I don't believe they would issue a trip permit for a bike that hasn't been legally allowed to enter the country yet... see what I mean?

If anything you could drive to seattle pick up the bike IMPORT it then go to the MTO and get the trip permit to ride it from the border to home. And then there is still the issue of insurance.
 
Actually I've been reading that BC riders are able to get "binder" of insurance from ICBC to be able to ride the bike home from the states. Here I don't think its possible, but than again I've never asked my insurance company.

NinjaNikki said:
I don't think that is possible. How does one get a trip permit? What documentation do you have to show the MTO? I don't believe they would issue a trip permit for a bike that hasn't been legally allowed to enter the country yet... see what I mean?

If anything you could drive to seattle pick up the bike IMPORT it then go to the MTO and get the trip permit to ride it from the border to home. And then there is still the issue of insurance.
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