Transport Canada · Motor Vehicle Safety Act
Importing a vehicle what you need depends on the vehicle
Transport Canada decides whether a vehicle can come into Canada. What you bring to the border depends on the standard it was built to, its age, and why it is coming in.
To import a vehicle
Before you buy
- Check it qualifies. See what stops a vehicle at the border, below.
At the border
- The vehicle's original title. A vehicle going through the Registrar, or imported for parts, is refused entry without it; a used vehicle from Mexico uses its valid Mexican registration instead. On other routes, other proof of ownership, such as a registration or bill of sale, can stand in.
- The documents for its route, below. Each goes on the declaration as an image; a case-by-case authorization, as its number.
After release
- Through the Registrar: inspection within 45 days. A salvage vehicle has a year.
Find your vehicle's route
Pick the one that matches the vehicle.
US-spec
Built to US standards, first sold in the US or Mexico. Through the Registrar of Imported Vehicles. You'll need the title, plus the manufacturer's letter of compliance if the vehicle has no compliance label.
Canadian-spec
Built to Canadian standards. New vehicles come in through a pre-cleared importer (Appendix F) or a pre-cleared foreign manufacturer and vehicle class (Appendix G). A Canadian vehicle returning to its original owner needs proof the owner bought and registered it in Canada.
Case by case
Approved by Transport Canada in advance. Apply 4 to 6 weeks ahead. You'll need the case-by-case authorization and ownership documents, such as the title.
15 years and older
15 years old or more, or a bus built before 1971. Outside most of Transport Canada's requirements. You'll need ownership documents, and proof of its age such as its compliance label.
Parts
Imported for parts only. You'll need the title. The vehicle can never be registered for the road afterwards.
Not regulated
Race vehicles and others the Act doesn't cover. You'll need ownership documents, such as the title. A race vehicle also needs the manufacturer's racing label or a racing sanctioning body letter.
Check a vehicle by its VIN
Enter the VIN from the title or the registration. See the vehicle, whether it's 15 years old, what Transport Canada's lists show for its make, and what to check next.
It's on the title, the registration, and the dashboard where it meets the windshield.
Documents you may need
Each is given as an image with the declaration, except the case-by-case authorization, whose number goes on it.
| Document | When you need it | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle title or other proof of ownershipThe title, or another ownership document | Through the Registrar, or for parts: the title itself (from Mexico, its Mexican registration). Other routes: the title or other proof of ownership, such as a registration or bill of sale. | Required |
| Manufacturer's letter of complianceFrom the manufacturer | When the vehicle has no compliance label | If it applies |
| Case-by-case authorizationFrom Transport Canada, before shipping | Vehicles approved case by case. Its authorization number goes on the declaration. | If it applies |
| Manufacturer's certificate of originFrom the manufacturer | New vehicles: bought at retail in the US, with the bill of sale, or under Appendix G | If it applies |
| Racing sanctioning body letterFrom the racing body | Race vehicles | If it applies |
What stops a vehicle at the border
Check these before you buy.
| Stops it when | What to know |
|---|---|
| Bought outside the US and Mexico, and under 15 years old (a bus: built in 1971 or later) | Can't be imported unless it was built to Canadian standards and bought new from the manufacturer, is a Canadian vehicle returning, was first sold at retail in the US and still meets US standards, or isn't regulated by Transport Canada. |
| Built to US standards but can't be modified to Canadian standards | It can't stay in Canada and must be exported. Check the Registrar's compatibility list before you buy. |
| Modified from its original state | Conversions, raised roofs, lift kits and trikes may not be eligible through the Registrar. |
| Open recalls not cleared by the Registrar's inspection deadline | The Registrar won't issue the inspection form, so the vehicle fails inspection and must be exported. Recalls aren't checked at the border, and recall work can be done in Canada after import. Some manufacturers won't confirm recall clearance for a vehicle once declared salvage. |
| From Mexico and under 15 years old: a motorcycle or dirt bike, a three-wheeled vehicle, an ATV, a trailer, a snowmobile, or a low-speed or restricted-use vehicle | Not eligible. Other vehicles from Mexico must be used, US-certified, built before the current calendar year, at least 90 days past the date on their compliance label, and show more than 1,000 km on the odometer (5,000 km at a gross weight of 5,000 kg or more). |
| A vehicle going through the Registrar, or one for parts, arrives without its title (from Mexico: its Mexican registration) | CBSA refuses entry. |
Also check for this vehicle
| Also check | Who | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| An emissions statement for the vehicle and its engine | Environment and Climate Change Canada | Most on-road vehicles |
| A shipment permit and quota | Global Affairs Canada | Electric vehicles made in China |
| Air conditioner tax, green levy, luxury tax | CBSA, on the HS code page | By vehicle |
| Open recalls on the make and model | Transport Canada's recall list | Before you buy |
Questions
Can I import a vehicle bought in the US?
Yes, if it was built to US standards and the Registrar's list doesn't show it as inadmissible; for a vehicle the list doesn't name, ask the manufacturer. Bring the title, then have it inspected within 45 days of import. A vehicle 15 years or older, other than a bus built in 1971 or later, doesn't go through the Registrar.
What changes at 15 years?
Vehicles 15 years and older, and buses built before 1971, are outside most of Transport Canada's requirements. A province may still have its own rules before the vehicle can be licensed.
Sources: CBSA, Transport Canada, Global Affairs Canada, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Registrar of Imported Vehicles
- Memorandum D19-12-1: Importing vehicles into Canada, CBSA, modified 2026-09-02
- Importing a vehicle from the United States and Mexico, Transport Canada, modified 2019-11-26
- Importing a vehicle from countries other than the United States or Mexico, Transport Canada, modified 2018-08-23
- Explanations on mandatory compliance, Transport Canada, modified 2025-07-14
- Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document, chapter 23: Integrated Import Declaration, CBSA, modified 2026-08-25
- Registrar of Imported Vehicles Compatibility List, Transport Canada, July 14, 2025 edition
- Canadian commercial importers of new Canadian-specification vehicles (Appendix F), Transport Canada, read 2026-11-10
- Foreign manufacturers of new Canadian-specification vehicles (Appendix G), Transport Canada, read 2026-11-10
- Notice to importers 1168: electric vehicles from the People's Republic of China, Global Affairs Canada, modified 2026-08-28
- Check for recalls, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Recall clearance, Registrar of Imported Vehicles, no date shown, checked 2026-11-10
- Stay informed about recalls: vehicles, tires and child car seats, Transport Canada, modified 2019-03-18
- Memorandum D19-7-4: Importation of engines, vehicles, vessels, machines and equipment, CBSA, modified 2023-03-06
- Customs Notice 26-05: Permit requirement to import Chinese-made electric vehicles to Canada, CBSA, modified 2026-05-14
- Importing non-regulated vehicles, Transport Canada, modified 2018-08-24
- Importing older vehicles into Canada, Transport Canada, modified 2018-08-24
Reviewed November 10, 2026.
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