Importing a Vehicle to Canada From the US
To import a vehicle into Canada, you clear it with CBSA at the border. A US vehicle under 15 years old then goes through the RIV program: a $325 fee plus tax, any required modifications and an inspection. Settlers who owned and used the vehicle abroad pay no customs duty. Your province then registers it, and most provinces require a safety inspection first.
Who can import a vehicle duty-free?
Under Customs Tariff item 9807.00.00 (settler’s effects), a settler may import a vehicle duty-free if they meet the following conditions published by the CBSA in Memorandum D2-2-1.
- You are establishing a residence in Canada for the first time for a period of at least 12 months. People coming for studies, or for employment of 36 months or less, are not settlers.
- You owned, possessed, and used the vehicle abroad before your arrival in Canada. CBSA expects that you were legally entitled to drive it there, and actually drove it on open roads for some distance before you arrived (a dealer test drive does not count).
- The vehicle is declared as a settler’s effect (it can be recorded on your BSF186).
- You keep the vehicle. Goods imported under 9807.00.00 that are sold or otherwise disposed of within 12 months after importation become subject to the duties otherwise payable, based on their value on the day of sale.
- The vehicle is admissible under Transport Canada regulations.
Which vehicles can be imported, and which cannot?
Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and Transport Canada regulations, vehicles manufactured to US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) that are less than 15 years old must be modified to meet Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) before they can be permanently imported and registered.
Others are on Transport Canada’s list of ineligible vehicles and cannot be imported at all until they reach the 15-year exemption.
Ineligible vehicles cannot be permanently imported to Canada regardless of settler status. Transport Canada says vehicles that cannot be modified to comply must not remain in Canada and must be exported.
The rule
Vehicles that are 15 or more years old are generally exempt from the RIV program and CMVSS modification requirements.
How does the RIV process work, step by step?
CBSA customs clearance
Present your vehicle, US title, registration, bill of sale (or proof of ownership), and your settler’s effects documentation (such as a BSF186) at the port of entry. You declare the vehicle on Transport Canada’s Vehicle Import Form (Form 1), or a printed RIV e-Form 1, and CBSA assesses any duty and taxes (or confirms duty-free status).
Pay the RIV fee
You pay the RIV program fee to the RIV, per vehicle. It covers administration of your vehicle’s inspection and compliance pathway.
$325 plus tax
Obtain a recall clearance letter
You must obtain a letter from the vehicle’s manufacturer confirming there are no outstanding safety recalls affecting your VIN, or that all applicable recalls have been completed. This is a Transport Canada requirement.
Make required modifications
For eligible under-15-year vehicles, Transport Canada (through the RIV) publishes the required modifications for each make, model, and year.
RIV inspection
Within 45 days of CBSA clearance (or within the timeframe specified on your Form 1), bring your vehicle to an RIV-authorized inspection facility. The inspector verifies all required modifications are complete and issues a Pass/Fail result. Transport Canada says a vehicle that fails the RIV inspection cannot stay in Canada.
Provincial safety inspection and registration
After passing the RIV inspection, you register the vehicle in your province. Most provinces require a safety inspection for a vehicle coming from outside the province.
What documents do you need at the border?
- Vehicle title
- The original US title (or equivalent ownership document for other countries) in your name. If a leased or financed vehicle has no original lien-free title, CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1 asks for a copy of the title with an original letter from the financing or leasing company authorizing export from the US and permanent import into Canada.
- Current registration
- Valid vehicle registration in your name from the country of origin.
- BSF186 (Form B4)
- For settlers claiming duty-free status, the vehicle is listed with your personal effects on the BSF186 (its Conveyances section), along with the Form 1.
- Proof you owned, possessed and used it abroad
- Purchase receipts and dated title. CBSA may also ask for your foreign registration or insurance papers. There is no minimum ownership period under settler’s effects.
- Recall clearance letter
- Manufacturer confirmation that all applicable safety recalls on your VIN are complete or do not apply to your vehicle.
What does importing a vehicle cost?
| Charge | Amount (CAD) | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Customs duty (settler’s effects). | $0 | Duty-free if the vehicle meets the settler conditions of Customs Tariff item 9807.00.00. Otherwise the MFN rate for passenger autos is generally 6.1%. |
| US surtax (US-origin vehicles). | 25% | Since April 9, 2025: 25% of the value for duty, or of the value less its Canadian and Mexican content for a vehicle entitled to the United States Tariff (United States Surtax Order (Motor Vehicles 2025)). Not on settler’s or former resident’s effects (tariff items 9807.00.00 and 9805.00.00). |
| GST/HST on vehicle value. | $0 for settler’s effects | Settler’s effects are non-taxable imports (Excise Tax Act, Schedule VII). A vehicle that does not qualify is assessed for GST, or HST in participating provinces, on its value. |
| RIV program fee. | $325 | Plus GST and QST in Quebec, or GST and PST or HST elsewhere. Paid to the RIV. Source: CBSA Customs Notice 20-26. |
| Air conditioner excise tax. | $100 | Federal excise tax if the vehicle has air conditioning (CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1). |
| Green Levy (excise tax). | $1,000 to $4,000 | Applies only to fuel-inefficient automobiles (not pickup trucks) rated 13 L/100km or more and put into service after March 19, 2007 (CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1; Excise Tax Act, Schedule I). |
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What do people ask?
How do I import a vehicle into Canada from the US?
You declare the vehicle to CBSA at the border on Form 1 (or a printed RIV e-Form 1). Next you pay the RIV fee, get a recall clearance letter from the manufacturer, make any required modifications, and pass an RIV inspection, generally within 45 days. Your province then registers it, most after a safety inspection. The CBSA Declaration guide covers the border paperwork, and riv.ca lists the modifications for each model.
Do I pay duty when importing a car to Canada from the US?
Usually not on a US- or Mexico-built car: CBSA says it "will assess duty on a vehicle manufactured in a country other than the US and Mexico." Since April 9, 2025, though, a 25% surtax applies to motor vehicles that originate in the United States: on the full value for duty if the vehicle is not entitled to the United States Tariff, and on the value less its Canadian and Mexican content if it is (United States Surtax Order (Motor Vehicles 2025)). A vehicle classified as a settler's or former resident's effect (tariff item 9807.00.00 or 9805.00.00) is outside it. CBSA assesses imported vehicles for duty, excise tax and GST, including a $100 excise tax on a vehicle with air conditioning. Settlers can import a vehicle free of duty and GST/HST as settler's effects. CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1 sets out the other charges.
I have owned my car for 4 months. Can I still import it duty-free when I move to Canada?
Yes, if you meet the settler conditions of tariff item 9807.00.00. That item sets no minimum ownership period: you must have owned, possessed and used the vehicle abroad before you arrived. The six-month rule people quote comes from tariff item 9805.00.00, which covers former residents of Canada coming back after at least a year away. The RIV process and provincial registration still apply. CBSA Memorandum D2-2-1 sets out the settler rules.
Can I import a car to Canada from Japan or Europe?
Only if it is 15 years or older, or it was built to Canadian safety standards. CBSA says a vehicle less than 15 years old made for a market other than the US or Mexico that does not comply with CMVSS is "not eligible for permanent importation." The RIV program covers only US and Mexican vehicles. CBSA also assesses duty on vehicles made outside the US and Mexico. CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1 explains both rules.
How long do I have to complete the RIV inspection after crossing the border?
Transport Canada says within 45 days, or one year for a salvage vehicle. By then the vehicle must be at an RIV-authorized inspection facility with every required modification done. CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1 lists missing the inspection timeframe among the reasons a vehicle is rejected, and a rejected vehicle must be exported. The RIV process steps above list what the inspector checks, and riv.ca confirms your deadline.
How is the 15-year age calculated, and does my 2010 model-year car qualify in 2026?
Transport Canada counts 15 years from the manufacture date, not the model year, and the vehicle must be 15 full years old on the day you import it. A 2010 vehicle built in 2010 usually passes that mark in 2025, so in 2026 it is generally exempt from the RIV and CMVSS modifications. Most provinces still require a safety inspection; check yours. Check the build date on the manufacturer label and confirm on riv.ca.
Can I import a truck, motorcycle or RV the same way?
Yes. Trucks, motorcycles, motor homes and other motor vehicles follow the same path: CBSA clearance, Transport Canada admissibility, the RIV program for vehicles under 15 years old, then provincial registration, with a safety inspection in most provinces. Some vehicle classes have their own Transport Canada requirements, so a truck or RV can need different modifications from a car. Check riv.ca for your exact make, model and year before you cross.
Can I import a vehicle if I am on a work or study permit, not a permanent resident?
Often yes, but usually as a temporary importation, not duty-free as settler's effects. Transport Canada says you can bring your vehicle for personal use while you are in Canada on a work permit or student visa. It doesn't have to meet Canadian standards, but it cannot be sold in Canada or stay longer than your permit allows. If you become a permanent resident, it can no longer be a temporary entry, and the RIV rules apply. The Work Permit Canada page covers permit holders.
Official sources
This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.
- CBSA: I Declare, a guide for residents returning to Canada
- CBSA: Memorandum D19-12-1, Importing Vehicles into Canada
- CBSA: Memorandum D2-2-1, Settler's Effects
- CBSA: Moving or returning to Canada (settlers' duty- and tax-free entitlement)
- Excise Tax Act (s. 23(8), Schedule III Part VII, Schedule VII), Justice Laws