Importing a Car from the US to Canada: VIN Checks

You can import most U.S.-market cars under 15 years old into Canada, but only if the model is on Transport Canada's admissibility list, it has no outstanding safety recalls, and its U.S. title is not branded junk, non-repairable or flood. Plan for a U.S. export filing at least 72 hours before you cross, a CBSA declaration on Form 1 with the original title, the RIV fee and inspection after entry, and then provincial inspection and registration. Run the VIN checks before you pay: once the money is gone, a branded title or an uncleared recall becomes your problem, not the seller's.

The steps below follow the order things happen. Fees and rules are as of October 2026 and link to the official source; they change, so check the official page before you pay.

Who regulates what

• Transport Canada decides which U.S.-market vehicles can be brought up to Canadian standards and publishes the Vehicle Import Compatibility (Admissibility) List.
• The Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) runs the program for Transport Canada: Form 1 processing, recall clearance, the federal inspection and notice to provincial licensing offices (riv.ca).
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) controls the export side.
• The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) accepts your declaration and collects duty, excise tax and GST.
• Your province or territory decides whether to register the car, with its own inspection and title-brand rules.

Step 1: Before you buy, confirm the car can be imported

Check the admissibility list

Transport Canada says vehicles bought in the U.S. must have been built to U.S. federal safety standards and be capable of being brought up to Canadian standards, and that not every vehicle sold in the U.S. meets these requirements. Look up the exact year, make and model on the admissibility list, then read the list's explanations section. Keep three caveats in mind:

• Manufacturers supply the list information voluntarily, and Transport Canada states its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
• An "admissible" listing does not guarantee the car can be modified successfully. Required changes can include daytime running lights, child tether anchorages and an immobilizer, per Transport Canada's checklist for importers of U.S. cars.
• Modified vehicles generally lose their original factory certification. Transport Canada gives lift kits, body kits, camper conversions and trike conversions as examples, and says a vehicle modified from its original state will not qualify.

Vehicles 15 years or older at the date of import are age-exempt from the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and do not enter the RIV program, according to CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1 (updated September 2026). They still go through CBSA and provincial requirements.

Check the title brand on the U.S. title

This is where many imports fail. CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1 sets out how U.S. title brands are treated:

Two more warnings from Transport Canada's FAQ: a salvage history may severely limit licensing and insurance in Canada, and some manufacturers will not issue recall clearance for vehicles previously declared salvage. Provinces add their own rules on top. Ontario, for example, carries over brands from U.S. jurisdictions, except that a U.S. "Rebuilt" brand is downgraded to "Salvage" and the car must pass a structural inspection before it can be driven in Ontario.

The paper title only shows the current brand, and brands can be lost when a car is retitled in another state, so check the VIN against U.S. records too. Our guide on how to check for a salvage title covers the warning signs.

Check recalls by VIN

Transport Canada's recall database only covers vehicles sold in Canada, so it cannot tell you about a U.S.-market car. Start with NHTSA's free recall lookup by VIN, which lists unrepaired safety recalls. The lookup has limits: NHTSA says it does not show recalls more than 15 years old (unless the manufacturer offers more coverage), recalls by some small manufacturers, or non-safety campaigns.

An NHTSA screen is a pre-purchase check. It is not the proof RIV asks for. The RIV recall clearance page lists what it accepts:

• a letter from the manufacturer's U.S. or Canadian head office, on letterhead, signed and dated, showing the VIN, year, make and model, or
• a printout or screenshot from an authorized U.S. or Canadian dealer's service database showing the full VIN and stating that no recalls are outstanding (a dealer's own letter is not accepted), or
• if a recall was open, a work order from an authorized service centre showing the recall was completed, with the date, VIN, recall number and work description.

RIV will not release the inspection form until acceptable recall documents are on file, and the importer is responsible for getting them. Transport Canada's FAQ is blunt: you cannot import the vehicle without a recall clearance. For more on reading recall results, see how to check car recalls by VIN in the U.S. and Canada.

Run a U.S. history check on the VIN

The U.S. National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is run by the Department of Justice. Consumers get NMVTIS reports through approved data providers listed on vehiclehistory.gov. According to the official guide to NMVTIS reports, they focus on current title status, brand history, the odometer reading at title issue, total loss history and salvage history. They do not include repair or recall information, and because not every state and entity reports, a clean result is not a guarantee.

Cross-border buyers often look at cars that went through U.S. salvage auctions. VIN Data Hub uses U.S. data sources, so it is useful here. The free preview decodes the VIN and shows how many records exist in each category. The paid report adds a salvage yes/no check with cause and date, Copart/IAAI-type auction records with damage descriptions and photos when available, past sale and listing records with a mileage-inconsistency flag, and the NHTSA recall campaigns for that make, model and year. It is not a full NMVTIS brand history. It does not show whether a specific recall has been fixed on that VIN, and it does not provide the recall clearance letter RIV requires. For that, go to the manufacturer or a dealer.

Step 2: At purchase, get the paperwork right

1. Get the original U.S. Certificate of Title signed over to you. CBSA requires an original valid U.S. state-issued title or equivalent and says it will refuse entry if no title document is submitted (D19-12-1).
2. Get a bill of sale showing the price, date, VIN and both parties. Keep the original: provinces such as British Columbia ask for it at registration.
3. If the car is leased or has a U.S. lien, get a lienholder letter. CBP requires it for export (see Step 3).
4. Get the recall clearance documents now, while you can still deal with the selling dealer or manufacturer.
5. Confirm the car has its U.S. compliance label. If it does not, CBSA requires a manufacturer statement of compliance (D19-12-1).
6. If you plan to drive it home, arrange temporary insurance and an in-transit permit from the state of purchase.

Step 3: At the U.S. border, export with CBP

CBP's exporting a motor vehicle page (updated August 2026) says that for a land export, the documents must be submitted to CBP at least 72 hours before export, and the vehicle must be presented at the time of export. For a U.S.-titled vehicle you provide the original Certificate of Title or a certified copy, plus two complete copies. A leased or financed vehicle also needs a signed, dated letter from the lienholder or lessor on letterhead with the VIN.

CBP's FAQ on used self-propelled vehicles adds that Electronic Export Information must be filed through the Automated Export System (AES) 72 hours before export, regardless of destination, value or condition. Port directors set where and when documents and vehicles are presented, so contact the U.S. port you will use ahead of time.

Step 4: At the Canadian border, declare to CBSA

1. Fill in the Vehicle Import Form (Form 1). Transport Canada says you can complete it online through the RIV site, but you then print it and hand it to the border services officer.
2. Present the vehicle, Form 1, the original title and your bill of sale. Individuals importing for personal use can present themselves at any CBSA port of entry (D19-12-1).
3. CBSA stamps Form 1. By signing it, you accept that entry is conditional on the car passing RIV inspection.
4. Pay duty, excise tax, GST and, where it applies, the U.S. surtax (see the table below).

Fees and taxes at a glance

CBSA's own memorandum D13-10-2 tells prospective importers to contact CBSA to confirm duty and tax rates before importing.

Step 5: After import, RIV inspection and provincial registration

1. Pay the RIV fee using the case number on your Form 1. RIV will not release the inspection form until the fee is paid and recall clearance has been accepted.
2. Make the required modifications, such as daytime running lights, immobilizer or bilingual labels, before the inspection.
3. Pass the RIV inspection within 45 days of import, or within one year for a salvage vehicle (Transport Canada). If you cannot meet the deadline, tell RIV right away. Transport Canada says a vehicle that cannot pass must be exported or destroyed under customs supervision.
4. Get the provincial inspection. Ontario requires a safety standards certificate for a vehicle that came from another country, and you bring Form 1 when you register it. British Columbia requires an inspection at a designated facility and Form 1 with two CBSA stamps, according to ICBC.
5. Register and pay provincial tax. Transport Canada notes that a successful import does not guarantee licensing. Some provinces will not license right-hand-drive vehicles or certain repaired salvage vehicles.

Pre-purchase VIN checklist

• The 17-character VIN on the dash, door jamb and title all match.
• The decoded year, make and model match the listing and are admissible on Transport Canada's list.
• You know whether the car is under 15 years old (RIV program) or age-exempt.
• The U.S. title is not branded junk, scrap, non-repairable or flood, and the history check shows no hidden salvage or total-loss record.
• Any U.S. salvage auction records match the seller's story about damage and repairs.
• Odometer readings across records go up over time.
• NHTSA shows no unrepaired recalls, or you know which need a dealer repair, and you have a plan for RIV-acceptable recall proof.
• No aftermarket modifications such as lift kits or conversions.
• Original title, bill of sale and, if needed, a lienholder letter are in hand.
• Your budget covers the RIV fee, duty or surtax, GST, excise taxes, modifications and provincial tax.

Frequently asked questions

Is my U.S. car admissible to Canada?

Check Transport Canada's Vehicle Import Compatibility (Admissibility) List for vehicles purchased in the United States and read its explanations. An admissible listing does not guarantee success, and modified vehicles generally do not qualify. Vehicles 15 years or older are age-exempt from the RIV program but still go through customs and provincial rules.

What is an RIV recall clearance letter?

It is proof that the car has no outstanding safety recalls: a signed letter on letterhead from the manufacturer's U.S. or Canadian head office, an authorized dealer's service database printout showing the full VIN and no outstanding recalls, or a work order showing an open recall was completed. RIV will not release the inspection form without it, and getting it is the importer's job.

How long do I have to complete the RIV inspection?

Transport Canada says the vehicle must pass RIV inspection within 45 days of import, or within one year for a salvage vehicle. Required modifications must be done before the inspection. If you cannot meet the deadline, contact RIV immediately, because a vehicle that cannot pass must be exported or destroyed under customs supervision.

Do I need to notify U.S. Customs before driving the car to Canada?

Yes. CBP requires the title documents, including the VIN, at least 72 hours before a land export, with the vehicle presented at export. CBP also says Electronic Export Information for used vehicles must be filed through AES 72 hours before export regardless of destination.

Can I import a car with a salvage title from the U.S.?

Yes, if it was certified to U.S. standards, sold at U.S. retail, is under 15 years old and is not also branded junk, scrap, non-repairable or flood. It must be rebuilt within one year of import and pass RIV inspection. Junk, scrap, non-repairable and flood-branded vehicles can only come in as parts, and provinces may limit registration and insurance for salvage vehicles.

Does a VIN history report replace the recall clearance letter?

No. A VIN history report helps you decide whether to buy by showing title, salvage, auction and listing history, but RIV only accepts recall proof from the manufacturer or an authorized dealer's service records. A general list of recall campaigns for a model is not the same as proof that this specific vehicle has no outstanding recalls.

Related: What is an NMVTIS report? · Buying from Copart and IAAI online auctions · How to check a VIN in Canada