Canadian Customer’s Experience

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A Customer’s Experience Importing a Motorcycle into Canada from Washington State

Canadian Customer Testimonial

These instructions are based on my experience importing a bike into B.C. from Washington State that I purchased at Mt. Baker Harley-Davidson. Washington state use separate ownership certificate and registration forms may be different from other states. In B.C., ICBC is our insurer and our ICBC insurance agents can process both the insurance and the registration paperwork. The rest of the detail is based on federal requirements in both countries. Read information at Registrar Of Imported Vehicles (RIV) web site - http://www.riv.ca/
    Check to see that the vehicle will be allowed to be imported to Canada. It appears that there is virtually no restrictions on motorcycles.
On purchase of vehicle:
  • Vendor to sign front of the Vehicle Certificate of Ownership (the separate reg'n. form remains with vendor)
  • Vendor to sign rear of Vehicle Certificate of Ownership – this is now given to the purchaser
  • Prepare a Bill of Sale. This should address the date, VIN, vehicle description, and have vendor sign. This is not a form that you will find anywhere in particular; just make it up yourself. See the sample down below on this page.
  • Mt. Baker Harley-Davidson will supply you with a Recall Clearance Letter.
  • Mt. Baker Harley-Davidson will also arrange for a US Trip Ticket.
  • Vehicle must remain in Washington until U.S. Customs completes its export checks. On the U.S. Customs package noted below, they provide the names of two places near the border where vehicles may be stored.
U.S. Customs – initial contact
  • Phone U.S. Customs vehicle export office at the Blaine truck crossing 1-360-332-2632 and request that a vehicle export package be faxed to you ( recorded message). Update - you can now email a request for the export package   cbp.blaine-export@dhs.gov This number is for the Peace Arch crossing south of Vancouver. If you are in another location, you should contact the nearest crossing office. Otherwise, presumably, your paperwork will end up at the wrong crossing and won't be there when you try to import your bike.
  • Complete the questionnaire and fax it back to them along with copies of the Vehicle Certificate of Ownership front and rear and the Bill of Sale. They require 72 hours to complete their vehicle check.
Retrieving the vehicle – U.S. Customs
  • After 72 hours, contact U.S. Customs to make sure that the documents have been processed and they are ready for pickup. Do not attempt to retrieve the vehicle without knowing for sure that these documents are ready.
  • Contact an ICBC agent about insurance for the day you intend to move the vehicle.
  • Note the restricted hours of operations of U.S. Customs for vehicle exports. M-F 8:30AM to 3:00PM. Closed on statutory holidays. If holidays fall on a weekend, they may be closed Friday or Monday
  • Take the vehicle to U.S. Customs (Commercial Crossing south of Vancouver only) and present them with the Vehicle Certificate of Ownership and Bill of Sale. They may inspect the vehicle. They will stamp the Certificate of Ownership.
Retrieving the vehicle – Canada Customs
  • Present them with the Vehicle Certificate of Ownership and Bill of Sale.
  • They will complete Vehicle Import Form - Form 1 Keep this with the vehicle until licensed in Canada.
  • HST will be paid at the border. I paid no duty.
  • You will need a Trip Ticket
After arriving home
  • Within 10 days, the Registrar of Imported Vehicles will send you Federal Inspection form – Form 2. Do not do any modifications before receiving this form. RIV will now email the Form 2 to you. The subject line looks like spam so be careful.
  • Complete the necessary modifications within 45 days. Keep all receipts as they will be required at the inspection along with Form 1 and Form 2, and the Recall Clearance Letter
  • Present the vehicle to any Canadian Tire location for inspection along with the above documents
  • Upon completion of the inspection, Form 1 will be stamped. This must be presented when registering the vehicle in Canada
  • Within 7 days of the inspection, RIV will send a new Canadian Certification label which is to be affixed to the vehicle.
  • In BC, take your bike and all of the above documentation to an ICBC insurance agent who will check the bike's serial number and prepare all of the documents to register and insure the bike. In other provinces, presumably you must present the bike to your local motor vehicle office for this.

Canadian Customer Testimonial