Registrar of Imported Vehicles. Who Are They? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Registrar of Imported Vehicles. Who Are They?

S

Skully

Well-known member
If one imports a bike or car from the US has to pay and play by the rules and fees of RIV(registrar of imported vehicles). They have again changed the import rules, exhaust has to stock with 80db noise max mufflers and speedometer can no longer be made to conform with stickers to change from MPH to KPH but have to be completely changed out. So who is RIV?? They are a brokerage company, a private company, what do they broker? As stated below, there was an action set forth in 2008 regarding RIV(see highlighted below) consumers were/are forced to do unnecessary modifications and improvements to vehicles. While the idea to keep citizens safe is correct, why is it private companies are given these contracts? Reminds me of boat safe here in ontario, this is also another private company, a US company that does the testing and licensing of boaters. Everyone has a hand in the taxpayers pocket. WTF

From wiki.

Registrar of Imported Vehicles

The Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) is a program started by Transport Canada, and contracted to Livingston International Inc., to help regulate Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards on vehicles being imported from the U.S. into Canada.

The program, which came into effect October 1, 2000, requires all vehicles newer than 15 years old being imported into Canada to meet Canadian vehicle safety specifications. Reasons for the RIV program being put into place include Canadian safety standards (for bumpers, child tether anchorage systems, daytime running lights, and passive seatbelt restraint systems specifically) being significantly stricter than the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard used in the United States.
RIV Certification label for a vehicle imported from the US

The RIV program also requires anyone importing a vehicle into Canada to pay a RIV fee of $195+GST CAD (and QST if being imported into Quebec) in addition to a $100 CAD excise tax paid to Canada Customs and Revenue Agency if the vehicle has air conditioning.

The enforcement of the RIV program added some level of complexity to the vehicle importation process, and the manner of operation of the Registrar of Imported Vehicles has recently been brought into question. For example, decisions of the Registrar of Imported Vehicles regarding the acceptability of any and all documents presented to them cannot be appealed to any body.

A class action lawsuit was filed in Ontario Superior Court on Feb. 26, 2008 which alleges that Transport Canada (through the Registrar of Imported Vehicles), Mercedes, BMW and Canada Border Services Agency have violated the Competition Act in regard to people who are importing American vehicles into Canada. The suit alleges the automakers and the government violated competition and consumer protection laws by forcing Canadians to pay excessive fees, ranging in the thousands of dollars, for unnecessary vehicle modifications and approvals on cars imported from the U.S.

Livingston International(RIV) follow the link if you wish to read more. wiki
 
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I can understand why the feds would want to insure that vehicles being imported into Canada meet our safety and environmental standards.
But to farm this out to a private company is silly.
It is a situation that has a high potential for abuse.
Wait a few years for the bribery scandal to break.
 
statsman said:
I can understand why the feds would want to insure that vehicles being imported into Canada meet our safety and environmental standards.
But to farm this out to a private company is silly.
It is a situation that has a high potential for abuse.
Wait a few years for the bribery scandal to break.
Click to expand...

This is my sentiment as well.

Who's lobbying for these rule changes to happen? discourage importing from the US?
 
not needed.:p
 
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Marius Titulescu said:
It's like they never learn.
Guess there will be less and less importing of vehicles.
So much for an "open" market. :|
___________________________________________
Marius
W2C customs brokers Montreal
Click to expand...

Funny isn't it
Ford, GM and Chrysler get to import vehicles into Canada from the US and Mexico duty free.
They arrive here daily by the train load.
But if YOU want to do it you have to jump through hoops.
 
Those are made specific for the CDN market though. Importing a US model has small differences....innocuous as they may be.
 
I imported a scooter before, and now I'm helping one of my relatives to import a car.

When I imported the scooter, I was willing to go through the convoluted process, my logic was that it is a recreational vehicle, in fact a toy, and nobody was forcing me to do it, I just wanted to have it.

However, I'm at the end of my rope with the import of the car.
My mother in law is a very senior citizen (mid 80s), moving from the USA back to Canada, and bringing her car with her as part of her personal effects. She has owned this car since 2006 when she got it brand new at the local dealer in the USA. So she is not buying or selling, she just needs Ontario plates. Seems simple, right?

It's been 3 months and the process is not completed yet. She paid the RIV fees, but honestly I do not see any value for the money she paid, why did she had to pay hundreds for? For the inspection only? And a sticker to put on the door frame?

Talking about the inspection, the idiot at Canadian Tire passed the car (for the RIV inspection) in 5 minutes, and then told her that the car would fail safety. It doesn't make sense that a safety is required, but anyways... what irks me is the price for a 5 minutes inspection.

The potential for abuse is huge! They can delay you at any point of the process, and you are waiting for weeks to be able to take the next step!
 
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