Importing A Bike

[DD]

The following was posted on Craig's List. I'd like to give credit where credit is due, however, it is anonymous. So thanks [e-mail], whomever you are:

"Importing a bike from the USA

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Reply to: [e-mail]
Date: 2006-02-09, 9:40AM PST


Take the mystery out of importing a bike from the US. Visit the staff at the border crossing or these government web sites for the real information.

In a nutshell:

If it over 15-years old, just declare it at the border. You will pay GST and duty (6% I think) at the border for the declared value and PST when you register it in BC…its just that easy.

If it is less than 15-years old you will need to declare it at the border, pay GST and duty (6% I think) on the declared value and a Registrar of Imported Vehicles' fee of $209. Once you bring it in you will need it inspected and will need to get a ‘recall clearance letter’ from the manufacturer. This letter is readily available for free from all reputable manufacturers!

Don’t be scared off. It’s easy.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/importation/menu.htm

http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/E/pub/cm/d9-1-11/d9-1-11-e.html

http://www.riv.ca/english/html/how_to_import.html

ICBC How to register the bike once it’s in BC: http://www.icbc.com/insurance/insura_getsta_howbuy_moving2_register.asp

Factor in the exchange rate and the duty when you try to figure out the Canadian equivalent price. Keep in mind you will pay the PST on a local bike bought privately and PST and GST if you buy a bike from a commercial outlet anyways.

The Canadian dollar has strengthened immensely over the last few years making importing a bike from Washington pretty attractive. It would appear that good used bikes in the Lower Mainland are very expensive compared to good used bikes in Washington or Oregon.

When you export from the US you should notify them and submit the paperwork, but the Canadians do not require you to do this to bring the bike into Canada.

132542514"

Comments? Corrections?

[Roy]

I think that is a very nice find, DD.

Would definitley look for some feedback or additions from members who have gone through the whole process.

[rouso]

although close...it isn't all correct......the US boarder want the vehicle to sit at the boarder for 42 hrs to verify the thing isn't stolen.......even if you have a "clear title" and ownership papers and a bill of sale from the old owner...it's kinda a hassle.

I kinda did mine the badboy route.....email me off list and I'll tell you how if you're planning on doing it.

[black_art]

I've since learned that it MIGHT be possible to contact the US Customs people in advance with your bike's full American documentation and have them start the clearance process BEFORE you get to the border. This will save you having to pay them a ridiculous storage fee to have your bike sit unsupervised and uninsured in an outdoor parking lot for days. They will then give you a specific day when you are permitted to export the bike. If you show up early, they may not let you take it.

That said, the Canadians don't require you to follow the US export process, as long as you do like the post above says. You will get a stern lecture from your Canadian border guard, followed by a smile and a wink. They obviously agree that dealing with the American border people is to be saved only for times when it's absolutely necessary!

Note the following extra points:
1) Both the border official and your ICBC broker will have to visually confirm your bike's VIN/Serial Number. Make sure it's readable.
2) When you register the bike at ICBC they will take all your original American documentation away from you. Make sure you've already made copies, or ask the broker to make them for you.
3) When the bike is crossing the border, on a trailer or being inspected by ICBC, it is probably not insured! Drive carefully & keep an eye on it until you have that ICBC plate in your hand!

I found the Canadian border people were friendly, fast, helpful and pleasant...makes you happy to pay their salary.

[rouso]

true that.

[Stanley Parker]

the above info is *almost* correct...

US Customs must clear the exported vehicle and stamp the paperwork for presentation to Canadian Customs.

Canadian Customs can, and usually does, require this process to be followed...
(ask me what a pain it is when you haven't done this step!)

you can only cross at designated US Customs export clearance crossings... (Pacific Truck crossing is one)
and during their "export hours" of 8 am to 3 pm Mon-Fri (hours vary by site)...

pre-clearance with US Customs export.... makes the process simple... but they require 72 hours to process the paperwork...

US Customs stamps the paperwork... you pay the GST and Duty at the Canadian side...
and the Prov Sales tax when you license with ICBC.

If you purchased on eBay.... they want tpo see a printout of the eBay winning bid page.

there *is* duty colectable on the bikes... as they are not made in the USA...
but they have not collected duty either time I brought them in.... although I did declare their origin...

I've found CDN Customs to be easy to deal with... if you're up-front with them...
most seem to let some stuff slide if you're not try'in to screw them around.

I did not US pre-clear one bike I brought in... and they let it slide... with a "promise" that it wasn't stolen.

good luck!...

some sites to check:

US Customs Export: www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/export/export_docs/motor_vehicle.xml


Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles: www.riv.ca/english/html/how_to_import.html

Canadian Customs Info Brochure: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4140/rc4140-05e.pdf

[Stanley Parker]

Further note:

the RIV program and fees only apply to vehicles less than 15 years old...
and that are not exempt under rhe program rules.

the Vintage scoots are generally exempt.

[rocket]

just bring it in a bit at a time on the plane.
the lady at the airport said to me" well that one bag looks like your limit,those other 2 and those 2 pairs of forks you have to pay for"!

[Teenage Zero]

My tip is to bring it in a crate in a whole bunch of pieces. When I brought my GS across I was towing a trailer on which was the crate that contained my GS. When I went into the US side, I had pre-processed the papers and everything, and when the guy looked out into the parking lot and just saw my truck towing the crate, he asked "What is it?" I said its a vintage Vespa Moterscooter, and with that he gave me a look like "Im not going all the way out there for that!", so he stamped my papers and sent me on my way.
On the Canadian side, the guy actually got as far as the crate and we pried the top open a bit and he saw all the parts and stuff, and kinda said "How much did you pay for this?" as if I had gotten hosed for paying 500$ for a GS160. He also had no interest in sorting through the crate and said "I trust you." stamped my papers and sent me on my way.

[rouso]

that's not hard to believe....I trust you kyle ;D

[magoo]

Regardless of age, Canuck Customs won't let it in without a US export certificate stamped by US export control. You have to get the form (not sure if they'll fax it to you - I picked it up), take or fax it, plus copy of the US title, to the crossing point you want (nearest to Vancouver not the Peace arch but the truck crossing east of there) FIVE biz days in advance. Note they are open from 8 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday only.

This applies to anything with a frame number or engine number, so you can't even bring an engine by itself without going through US export control.

If you don't have title, they want a State salvage certificate.

The US people are decent, ie. businesslike and fairly efficient, even though the last time I was there, many of them had their guns drawn and pointed at two shrieking women in a car that had something wrong with its license plate. They have so many, many agents that you don't wait long.

The Canucks may have some intelligent agents but I've never met them, either they can't operate a fax machine, or can't copy your name correctly from your driver's license or they ask all kinds of nosy questions aimed at catching you in a lie.

[magoo]

Regardless of age, Canuck Customs won't let it in without a US export certificate stamped by US export control. You have to get the form (not sure if they'll fax it to you - I picked it up), take or fax it, plus copy of the US title, to the crossing point you want (nearest to Vancouver not the Peace arch but the truck crossing east of there) FIVE biz days in advance. Note they are open from 8 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday only.

This applies to anything with a frame number or engine number, so you can't even bring an engine by itself without going through US export control.

If you don't have title, they want a State salvage certificate.

The US people are decent, ie. businesslike and fairly efficient, even though the last time I was there, many of them had their guns drawn and pointed at two shrieking women in a car that had something wrong with its license plate. They have so many, many agents that you don't wait long.

The Canucks may have some intelligent agents but I've never met them, either they can't operate a fax machine, or can't copy your name correctly from your driver's license or they ask all kinds of nosy questions aimed at catching you in a lie.

[scottyk]

I recently brought a VBB across at Sumas. Not knowing I had to do any paperwork (I never have before) I unwittingly brought it to the border...Got turned back by the Canadians and then acused of smuggling by the Americans.....fun

In the end I had to wait 72 hours for my paperwork to be sorted out. The Yanks were great but the Canadians are morons...You must have a FORM 1 from customs to bring a bike through for registration. They seem to be having so many issues with crummy Chinese Imports right now all scooters are sort of thrown in the same heap. And yes the stupid questions trying to catch you lying are wonderful..

Oh well I got 'er through, but it was a pain. The funny thing...in all the border crossing I did with that scooter no-one noticed or cared that the glovebox was locked...could've been anything in there. (nothing was tho...)

S

[eternal]

Is there any problems with importing just a bunch of used parts?

[scottyk]

Shouldnt be as long as there is nothing with a serial number(engine case) on it.

S

[rsavage]

I brought one over the border a year ago without the US customs thing. I was planning on bringing another one tomorrow. This is starting to worry me. Living on the Island if It gets impounded for three days that could end up costing me alot of money.

[black_art]

I'll repeat my point from above again:

I was definitevely told by two different agents at Peace Arch that US export clearance was NOT required by Canada Customs. They then proceeded to politely and efficiently process my bike's Form 1, collect my GST and get me on my way within 25 minutes.

If I read some of the above posts correctly, others were told that they DID have to get US export clearance in advance.

All this really proves in the end is that you never know exactly how the letter of the law will be interpreted by a given agent. Better to dot all the i's and cross all the t's rather than face an expensive and inconvenient problem.

[simone]

I think like with many government things, if they don't do it every day it is left to the interpretation of the agent.

I brought 90% of a puch motorcycle across from Seattle. I didn't make any prior arrangements with customs I just showed up with it. I told the guy at the border that it was parts only and was never going to be assembled. He made a call, looked at the rusted pile in my trunk and then sent me on my way. Curt was following in his own car and was registering his trailer so we stopped at the customs rest area to wait for him. The guy who let me through walked up to us a few minutes later and said I should go in and do paperwork for the parts after all. I ended up having to pay a few bucks and stand in a line up.

The moral of the story is it may happen differently every time and don't stop to use the bathroom if they let you through.

[wheels]

And funny thing with the trailer...it has no VIN, (or should I say vin number? ), and so to get it over the border, the guy I was dealing with at customes had me make up a number for him to attach to the documents.

I was with Rouso (Whats his last name? ) when he was going to go thru the hassle of leaving his bike (already across, but not registered) at the USA border for their obligatory "waiting period". We decided to try the Canadian side first. They said that although they "suggest"that we check in and go thru the American requirements on their side, that Canada customs does not have any sort of agreement with the American side (ie - exchanging of info), so the only time it would ever become a problem would be if you were bringing your bike into the states, and for some strange reason the Americans decided to run your VIN thru their system. Otherwise, the only requirement is to fill out the Canadian papers, pay your fee, and bring the documents to the ICBC agent...actually pretty easy.

[Kevin]

I've read through the RIV.ca website and i notice that a Recall Clearance letter is needed for the federal inspection.

Is this true or did i miss read something?

Also, I am looking at a scooter from NewYork, but the seller mentions he only has a bill of sale. The RIV documention that a Title will be needed. Should i be inquiring with NewYork officials to get a proper title made up? Should i be dropping this scoot right where i found it and continue looking for something with proper titles?