Importing a Motor Vehicle To Canada (the be all end all) | Page 30 | GTAMotorcycle.com

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

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ChaserChris said:
Another thing I just did a quick search of this thread and it looks like Ambassador bridge doesnt run on weekends for importing vehicles? only sarnia? can anyone quickly confirm or deny lol im on low sleep, thanks!
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Just took a nap and think I have this answered, from this website http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/mi/3801.xml it says...

Name: Fort Street Cargo Facility
Phone: (313) 226-3139
Fax: (313) 226-5347
Operational Hours: Twenty Four (24) Hours A Day
Seven Days A Week (7)

So looks like Ambassador bridge is open.


Duplicate title answer: Means the original was lost and they went and got another one from the secretary of state.
 
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Can anybody confirm what exactly the US side did for you when you exported your bike?

I came through Port Huron the other day and just like another poster in this thread, the officer at the counter couldn't find the fax. After looking for the documents he stamped a copy of my MSO anyway and put the time and date on it... and then he told me to go to Buffalo after 72 hours to complete the process.

WTF?? Why would I even bother going back at this point? I paid my taxes on the Canadian side and got all the RIV documentation, and finished the process online.
 
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thebutler said:
Can anybody confirm what exactly the US side did for you when you exported your bike?

I came through Port Huron the other day and just like another poster in this thread, the officer at the counter couldn't find the fax. After looking for the documents he stamped a copy of my MSO anyway and put the time and date on it... and then he told me to go to Buffalo after 72 hours to complete the process.

WTF?? Why would I even bother going back at this point? I paid my taxes on the Canadian side and got all the RIV documentation, and finished the process online.
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Because if they don't cross it off their american list and you try to cross back into the US with it and they find it is registered with them u may get hassled in the future.
 
Freestyle72 said:
Because if they don't cross it off their american list and you try to cross back into the US with it and they find it is registered with them u may get hassled in the future.
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There is other question:
How to check if bike was properly imported?
I know few that were imported without being properly processed by USA and now are in circulation in Canada (original importer sold them).
New owner without knowing it can have trouble during trip to USA.
 
junkers said:
There is other question:
How to check if bike was properly imported?
I know few that were imported without being properly processed by USA and now are in circulation in Canada (original importer sold them).
New owner without knowing it can have trouble during trip to USA.
Click to expand...

You can probably call the US side of the border and get them to check whether the vehicle has been through their exportation process.

Basically all the US cares about is keeping tabs on what vehicles are being exported from their country. So they have you fax your US ownership 3 days in advance and if you are a smart cookie you will keep the fax reciept showing the date and time you faxed it and that it was sucessfully faxed (like I did). And take the US ownership and they will stamp it, ask you a few questions condescendingly as per usual american border fashion and send you on your merry way to the Canadian border where you will declare your import and pay taxes and fill out your forms.
 
Freestyle72 said:
You can probably call the US side of the border and get them to check whether the vehicle has been through their exportation process.

Basically all the US cares about is keeping tabs on what vehicles are being exported from their country. So they have you fax your US ownership 3 days in advance and if you are a smart cookie you will keep the fax reciept showing the date and time you faxed it and that it was sucessfully faxed (like I did). And take the US ownership and they will stamp it, ask you a few questions condescendingly as per usual american border fashion and send you on your merry way to the Canadian border where you will declare your import and pay taxes and fill out your forms.
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Yes I know how to go through proper importing vehicle, I did it myself.

Just US ownership is taken by Ontario during issuing Ontario ownership, and there is no track of proper US border crossing, and I know about few bikes that were "improperly" imported, and later sold, so now they are in circulation.

Are you sure you can call the border to verify, will Carfax, or other vin check application show it?
I just want to advise all future buyers of US origin bikes, to check it.
 
Port Huron (Sarnia) border is a circus, these guys (US Customs) are quite disorganized and not very nice to deal with. You'll notice a few others who had trouble at that crossing, mainly due to customs incompetence.
 
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The Road Warrior said:
Port Huron (Sarnia) border is a circus, these guys (US Customs) are quite disorganized and not very nice to deal with. You'll notice a few others who had trouble at that crossing, mainly due to customs incompetence.
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Hmmm I used sarnia and they hassled me big time even though all the evidence, paperwork etc showed what I "paid". But I didn't wanna go through windsor cuz I heard they were even bigger ***** down there.
 
Freestyle72 said:
Hmmm I used sarnia and they hassled me big time even though all the evidence, paperwork etc showed what I "paid". But I didn't wanna go through windsor cuz I heard they were even bigger ***** down there.
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Queenston/Lewiston was much better than Port Huron .
 
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I am importing a camping trailer from Michigan shortly.
ANy steps I need tot ake to get it across?
Anyone brought a trailer across before? I want this to be 100% legit and legal.
 
sent this out in a PM many times I suppose I might as well post it here.

Quick Run-down about buying bikes:

1) Well first thing you gotta do is ask the seller to give you a copy of the ownership. You then fax that over to the US customs office at the port you want to bring the bike out of. You then have to wait 72 hours(3 days).

2) You go down and look at the bike. If you like it you buy it. You take your title and make sure the seller writes you up a bill of sale. You go to the Us customs office on your way back and they stamp american title.

3) You head back to Canada. At canadian customs they look at the bike, make sure it has the certificate of compliance label on the frame etc. You pay GST and get some forms from the Canadian customs after you pay your GST.

4) Take your bike home to Canada... The hard part is done. You go online and pay your RIV fee. A day or so later they e-mail you your Inspection form. You can check your case status online and make sure you follow up with them because in my case the idiot at the border wrote messy and they couldn't read the form which held up my stuff for a day for no reason.

5) Once you get the RIV inspection form you take your bike to Canadian Tire and have it inspected. At this point it's supposed to have stock reflectors etc and KM/H speedo. Once Canadian Tire gives you the OK you are good to go

6) You take your CT paperwork and the US title and the Customs forms etc etc and you go to the ministry and they make you a Canadian title. At this point I recommend you get a temporory plate sticker so you can ride the bike to the mechanic instead of having to trailer it. You go get your safety done (make sure it's insured so you can ride it first) and then go get your real plates.

7) You now have a Canadian title bike, street legal and ready to enjoy all over the Canadian roads
 
omnivore said:
I am importing a camping trailer from Michigan shortly.
ANy steps I need tot ake to get it across?
Anyone brought a trailer across before? I want this to be 100% legit and legal.
Click to expand...

so I guess you cannot import it in peaces and register here as home build?

you have to import it "regular" way, so title faxed to border crossing in advance, GSt payed in the border, RIV etc..
You can use US plate and towed it behind your car ( you do not need insurance, but without plate Police will stop you)
check for VIN, many trailers have VIN placed on sticker, and it can be long gone, this can create problems with importing since border has to verify VIN.
 
I called RIV-trailer is under 4500 kg GVWR and old enough that no RIV process is needed. No 72 hr ahead of time stuff either. Arrive at border with title and bill of sale. Get blue forms at US side. Cross border. At CDN side pay GST. Tow home. Go to MTO. Pay PST and bring blue forms and bill of sale and title, and it will all be switched over into my name. At least that what RIV and MTO are saying. Yes it sounds like I will need to keep the seller's plate on it till I arrive home. Then I can mail it back to him .
 
Quick question! It may be in the sticky but im too lazy to search the million pages!
When you bring it to CT for them to check it over, does it have to be completely stock? What if it has integrated signals in the tail light? what about undertail kit? Thinks like that?
 
Freestyle72 said:
sent this out in a PM many times I suppose I might as well post it here.

Quick Run-down about buying bikes:

1) Well first thing you gotta do is ask the seller to give you a copy of the ownership. You then fax that over to the US customs office at the port you want to bring the bike out of. You then have to wait 72 hours(3 days).

2) You go down and look at the bike. If you like it you buy it. You take your title and make sure the seller writes you up a bill of sale. You go to the Us customs office on your way back and they stamp american title.

3) You head back to Canada. At canadian customs they look at the bike, make sure it has the certificate of compliance label on the frame etc. You pay GST and get some forms from the Canadian customs after you pay your GST.

4) Take your bike home to Canada... The hard part is done. You go online and pay your RIV fee. A day or so later they e-mail you your Inspection form. You can check your case status online and make sure you follow up with them because in my case the idiot at the border wrote messy and they couldn't read the form which held up my stuff for a day for no reason.

5) Once you get the RIV inspection form you take your bike to Canadian Tire and have it inspected. At this point it's supposed to have stock reflectors etc and KM/H speedo. Once Canadian Tire gives you the OK you are good to go

6) You take your CT paperwork and the US title and the Customs forms etc etc and you go to the ministry and they make you a Canadian title. At this point I recommend you get a temporory plate sticker so you can ride the bike to the mechanic instead of having to trailer it. You go get your safety done (make sure it's insured so you can ride it first) and then go get your real plates.

7) You now have a Canadian title bike, street legal and ready to enjoy all over the Canadian roads
Click to expand...
This

ajaxguy said:
Quick question! It may be in the sticky but im too lazy to search the million pages!
When you bring it to CT for them to check it over, does it have to be completely stock? What if it has integrated signals in the tail light? what about undertail kit? Thinks like that?
Click to expand...

Technically it's supposed to come with stock everything including all reflectors in the correct location ( I read somewhere off the RIV/TRansport Canada site).

However since it's a canadian tire employee doing the inspection for the most part they have absolutely no idea about bikes and what does or does not come stock on a bike. Mainly they will just check your headlights and tail lights and signals all work.

I went and bought a stock tail light and signals just incase so it wouldn't fail the RIV inspection because I didn't fancy having to pay for it after the fail.
 
For anyone importing a Honda. I just spoke to RIV and they said to get teh recall letter go on the Honda website http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com and register with VIN number. Then go on the recall page and it'll say:

"There are no current safety recalls for your 2009 Honda Cbr600rr."

You don't have to worry about the VIN number not being displayed on that page. That page is good enough. They have access to the system and can check it themselves.
 
Stupid question maybe, but do you need a recall clearance letter for a used bike bought privately?
 
"certificate of compliance label on the frame etc"

Is that the same as the recall clearance label? So for a used bike, where do I get that recall letter? Its a suzuki.
 
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