How to Import a Corvette From the US to Canada
Anyone who plans to import a vehicle into Canada from the United States -- regardless of the make or model -- must complete forms and make a payment to the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV). The RIV has a complete checklist (and an online version of its checklist) to help car buyers with the entire process, which can be roughly divided into three steps: pre-import considerations, at the border and after entry into Canada.
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Instructions
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Before Importing
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1
Verify that the specific year and model of Corvette that you plan to import is admissible into Canada. The VIR has a complete list of all vehicles available in PDF format (see Resources).
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Investigate your Corvette's branding history. According to the VIR, a brand is "a record of a prior accident serious enough to result in an insurance write-off (salvage) or even non-repairable status." Brands are issued in the United States, but can be verified by the vehicle identification number.
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3
Ensure that your Corvette meets modification and inspection requirements. The Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards may place restrictions on modifications made to your Corvette. Check these requirement before bringing the car to the border.
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4
Obtain recall clearance. You need to have a letter stating that the vehicle has not been subject to a major recall or that, if a recall has been issues, that the specific Corvette was repaired for the car to be imported. The letter can be from a licensed dealer, the head office of the manufacturer or the website of the manufacturer.
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Calculate additional costs, including the fee paid to the RIV ($195 plus applicable taxes). Also consider an air conditioning tax that's applicable to any vehicle with an air conditioner ($100, payable at the border), an excise tax on fuel-inefficient vehicles (between $1,000 and $4,000, calculated by liters per 100 km), Goods and Services Tax, emissions testing, provincial licensing and inspections and auto insurance. All figures are correct as of December 2010.
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Find the mailing address and contact information for the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol office at the border crossing you will be using. Mail the car's title, a copy of the title and proof of sale or ownership of the vehicle. The documents must arrive at customs at least 72 hours before you arrive at the border.
At the Border
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Notify U.S. Customs and Border Protection services that the vehicle will permanently leave the United States at least three days in advance. It's best to contact the border crossing's customs office to ask if there is additional paperwork to complete before crossing.
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Present the car to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the border when crossing into Canada.
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Present the car to the Canadian Border Service Agency after leaving the United States. The officers will check your documentation, provide you with the appropriate vehicle import forms, check the admissibility of the car again and, at some border crossings, accept payment of the fee.
In Canada
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10
Locate an RIV-approved inspection center in your city or province and have the vehicle inspected.
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License your Corvette with the province.
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Modify the vehicle as you see fit. Don't make any modifications between the time of entry and the completion of the RIV inspection.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit corvettes image by michael langley from Fotolia.com
