Transport Canada · Motor Vehicle Safety Act
Built to US standards through the Registrar of Imported Vehicles
Vehicles under 15 years old that were built to US standards and first sold in the US or Mexico come in 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.
To import a vehicle built to US standards
Before you buy
- Check it's admissible. The Registrar's list mustn't show it as inadmissible; for a vehicle the list doesn't name, ask the manufacturer. A listing doesn't promise the vehicle can be modified to Canadian standards.
- Check for open recalls. The Registrar releases the inspection form only once it accepts confirmation that none are outstanding. Recalls aren't checked at the border; recall work can be done in Canada before the inspection.
At the border
- The vehicle's original title. Without it, CBSA refuses entry. A vehicle from Mexico needs its valid Mexican registration instead.
- The manufacturer's letter of compliance, if the vehicle has no compliance label.
After release
- The Registrar of Imported Vehicles inspection within 45 days. A salvage vehicle has a year, to be rebuilt. Your province registers the vehicle only once it passes.
Find your vehicle's route
Pick the one that matches the vehicle.
Registrar of Imported Vehicles
Inspected after import. Under 15 years old (a bus: built in 1971 or later), first sold at retail in the US or Mexico, and unmodified. Inspected within 45 days of import.
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.
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
| Document | When you need it | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle titleThe original ownership document | Every vehicle through the Registrar; from Mexico, its valid Mexican registration instead. Without it, CBSA refuses entry. | 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 |
What stops a vehicle at the border
Check these before you buy.
| Stops it when | What to know |
|---|---|
| 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). |
| Coming through the Registrar without its title, or from Mexico without its Mexican registration | CBSA refuses entry. |
The Registrar charges importers a fee. It pays for the inspection. The current fee is on riv.ca.
Questions
What if the vehicle fails the inspection?
It can't stay in Canada, even when the duties and taxes were paid at the border.
Sources: CBSA, Transport Canada, Registrar of Imported Vehicles, Global Affairs Canada, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- 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
- Explanations on mandatory compliance, Transport Canada, modified 2025-07-14
- Registrar of Imported Vehicles, Registrar of Imported Vehicles, no date shown, checked 2026-11-09
- Recall clearance, Registrar of Imported Vehicles, no date shown, checked 2026-11-10
- 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
- Stay informed about recalls: vehicles, tires and child car seats, Transport Canada, modified 2019-03-18
Reviewed November 10, 2026.
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